Street gangs have become very adept at creating convincing false documents that can pass an officer's cursory inspection. Advanced computers, scanners, and color printers make detection more challenging, and traffickers often use fake birth certificates and other forgeries to obtain authentic state-issued documents. Biometric methods such as fingerprinting, retinal scans and DNA are a much more reliable way to identify suspicious people. Photos courtesy of Richard Valdemar.
ID Forgery Kit
A forged birth certificate like this one can help criminals obtain authentic state or federal-issued identification. These are common in human trafficking operations to pass a cursory inspection of an officer. They can be convincing forgeries.
An often-forged document has been the Resident Alien Card issued by the U.S. Department of Justice's Immigration and Naturalization Service. On the left is the "stock" front of the card. On the right is the "stock" rear of the card. Personally identifiable information such as a picture, fingerprint, name and date of birth.
Gang members have been known to bribe Department of Motor Vehicle (DMV) workers to obtain "stock" such as driver's license blanks.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department confiscated this fake California Identification Card during an investigation. The IDs have since been given additional anti-forgery features, which can often be defeated by savvy counterfeiters.
A close-up view of the hologram used by California to deter counterfeiting of its state driver's license.
Social Security fraud is rampant. Once "blanks" are obtained, sophisticated printers and scanners help counterfeiters produce convincing, fraudulent documents.