Thread: Fake IDs are big business

Fake IDs are big business
By VICKY TAYLOR Staff Writer

July 29, 2007
Counterfeiting identity documents such as Social Security cards, driver's licenses and permanent resident cards for illegal aliens is a thriving business that is not going to go away any time soon, according to one Franklin County law enforcement official involved in investigating such crimes.
"It's a business and it's not going to stop as long as there is a market for it," Chambersburg Police Department Detective William Frisby said of the type of identity theft involved in producing and selling fake documents.

In 2005, Chambersburg police arrested two people who were cranking out such documents on a home computer, and confiscated a large amount of evidence, including fake documents. The bust was the work of the department's Crime Impact Team and investigations division.

Police were helped by an informant who had been approached by someone involved in selling the illegal documents. The informant gave police two phone numbers and agreed to help get the evidence needed to make the arrests.

"There are continuing, ongoing investigations on the state and federal level as a result of information we developed in those cases," Frisby said. "There is some information still coming out of our county as a result."

While the two cases generated headlines at the time, the arrests did not put a stop to the illegal document trade or make it impossible for illegal immigrants here to obtain such documents.

Frisby said local police see a fairly steady stream of illegal documents, not in one place like the two homes where a large amount of evidence was seized in those cases, but from people who are stopped for traffic offenses, arrested for things such as public drunkenness and even when police are called to investigate fights or domestic violence incidents.
Local police usually can spot the fake documents pretty quickly, both from experience and with a document guide provided by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), which outlines the various documents used to establish identity, and security features that make those documents hard to duplicate and fakes easy to recognize.

Frisby said federal authorities are aware of the problems encountered by law enforcement in communities like Chambersburg and ICE agents respond as quickly as possible to requests to pick up illegal immigrants once their status has been established.

That doesn't mean all immigrants who are here illegally are going to get caught or deported.

"What we see is just the tip of the iceberg," Frisby said. "Most cases only come to light when someone gets stopped for a traffic violation, has an accident or is asked for identification during a routine call."

Frisby said banks and employers have to ask for identification when a person opens an account or applies for a job, but they don't have to verify a document's authenticity.

However, the same information police use to check on a document's authenticity is available to them, through government pamphlets such as "A Guide to Selected U.S. Travel and Identity Documents."

That pamphlet is available through ICE and can be accessed on the Internet at http://www.usimmlaw.com/New_Folder3/I9/ ... 5B1%5D.pdf or requested directly from the Department of Justice.

http://www.publicopiniononline.com/localnews/ci_6490770

Yes and the Real ID act will increase it.

I want a fake ID so I can become an illegal alien and get a decent job!

Social Security fraud is a FELONY punishable by up to 2 years in prison and a fine of $250,000!!!

Why doesn't this incompetent government arrest and prosecute the millions of illegals using fake SSN's???? THIS IS BEYOND COMPREHENSION!!! My SSN was stolen by an illegal and she was NEVER prosecuted or deported! But if I stole someone else's SSN I would be in prison!

Many banks turn a blind eye to illegal aliens using fake ids for accounts.