International online criminals control today’s fake ID industry – and American families are paying the price.
Seizures of fake IDs in U.S. airports and ports have officials concerned about rising cases of identity theft, human and sex trafficking, and terrorism facilitated by fake IDs, warns the Document Security Alliance.
Don Morrison, analyst at the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) said, “Inspecting tens of thousands of seized counterfeits, we have confirmed that a subset of U.S. citizens willingly provide their true name, address and DOB to an overseas criminal. What underage drinkers and parents may not know is that criminals use your information to create false credentials that harm vulnerable individuals, to steal your identity and money, or even to disguise violent offenders and terrorists.”
Given the uptick in activity, airport authorities are cooperating with law enforcement agencies to educate the public about dangers associated with ordering fake IDs online. Developed with the Document Security Alliance (DSA), the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG) launched a public awareness campaign during the holiday season to shine light on the dark side of the fake ID business.
“Airports are in the business of facilitating the efficient movement of people and goods. Before the pandemic, CVG served more than 9.1 million passengers,” said Seth Cutter, Director of Communications at CVG Airport. “Therefore, airports are ideal locations to provide the public with messaging and information about the dangers of fake IDs. We are pleased to partner with DSA and the TSA to launch this campaign on our flight display monitors throughout the airport. Travelers are asked to visit the campaign website, nofakeids.org to learn more,” he continued.
“You might not get a slap on the wrist if you’re caught with a fake ID. Students could lose financial aid or face school disciplinary action. Fines and legal fees add up fast. Poor decisions like binge drinking, drunk driving, and sexual assault can devastate lives,” said Tony Poole, President of DSA. “DSA members have worked diligently for years to strengthen citizen credentials to help families avoid these terrible outcomes,” he said. “Making IDs more counterfeit resistant to stop the pipeline of fake IDs coming into our country will stem the tide of money and private information used by criminal organizations.”
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