The legal age restriction gets frustrating for students who enter college at the age of 18 years. Realizing that they would be almost in the last year of university by the time they get legal. Most of them obtain a fake id by the end of their 2nd semester. According to the University of Missouri in 2007, 32% undergraduates own a fake id.

Freshman David waits in line outside a local bar that is located near his university. It is a busy weekend night, and the line is long; the two bouncers checking the identity cards are told to hurry up by the bar owner and the patron in-line. 

David is trying his best to look confident, but the leather jacket he is wearing is uncomfortable. When it is finally his turn, he hands the card over to the bouncer and smiles. The bouncer is suspicious, but when the fake ID turns out to be okay in the ID card sensor, he lets underage David pass through, dismissing his reservations.

The legal age restriction gets frustrating for students who enter college at the age of 18 years. Realizing that they would be almost in the last year of university by the time they get legal. Most of them obtain a fake id by the end of their 2^nd semester. According to the University of Missouri in 2007, 32% undergraduates own a fake id. 

However, there are many other things about fake id culture in the USA that you might not know. Following are ten of them:

1. Sting operations are mostly unsuccessful.

Most sting operations are busted as soon as they start because the bouncers and bartenders now know that they have to ask for an ID even if the patron looks of age. Once the ID has been requested for the officer has to show his ID. Hence the sting as soon as it starts. 

2. Fake IDs are not expensive

Contrary to popular belief getting a forged identification is easy and inexpensive. These days a counterfeit license is available for as less as $50-$100. The initial cost of installing all ID making set up is $2000 after which making the id is almost free. Hence you can get dupe that passes through id scanners for as low as $100. 

3. Fake ID makers incorporate all safety features

The state ID makers incorporate safety features like ghost images, barcodes, magnetic stripes, symbols, holograms, and many other card features. They do this all so that making phony cards becomes problematic, however, in 2020 with access to almost every technological instrument. The id providers updated their dupes in a matter of days.

4. Online Discussions & Reviews 

If you want to inquire how to connect with a forgeries maker, you can easily find it by doing a simple google hunt. An individual can even ask reviews about the quality of counterfeit cards provided by vendors on Quora and Instagram –they will get a reply.

5. Scan it till you fake it!

You must have seen ads stating how a particular brand’s ID scanners or barcode readers can easily catch fake ID cards. Well, that is not true; some of the best Id scanners in the world missed phony ids. Now that is a ‘success of id card makers’ or a ‘failure of id scanners‘ is yet to be determined.

6. Legal Trouble

If you get caught using a bogus identification, you could face a hefty fine or a jail time. The punishment depends on the state laws, but those who tell you that you’ll be excused with a warning are wrong. So when you use a fake ID, use a good one with confidence or just wait until you’re of legal age.

7. Driving While Drunk is a No No!

In the US, 18 million people have alcohol-related problems. It was found in a study that 40% of the adults who had alcohol-related problems started consuming alcohol from the age of 18 years using a fake id. Getting alcohol begins as an innocent thrill of fooling the authorities but can lead to severe problems.

8. Use of Fake IDs is Thriving

The forgeries making requires a significant investment at first; however, once production starts, there is a minimal cost to produce a card, also, with the state bringing updates in ID cards once in every five years. There is no need to update the machines too. An ID card seller can make up to $1500 weekly, easily!  

They don’t only make fake IDs but also phony driver licenses, passports, and fake occupational licenses. The fake card/documents business is lucrative and thrives all around the year. 

9. Why Blame China?

counterfeit industry has a market & most of the identification forgery is made in China and then exported all the way to the USA. The payments are processed through multiple channels. The receiver usually gets a parcel delivered at their door. It seems like an everyday dress or book parcel but hidden inside; it is a fake id that is original in every way.

10. Fake IDs Relevant in Elections?

At the end of June 2020, the Federal Customs Officers seized 1,513 shipments from overseas containing fraudulent documents – including 19,888 counterfeit US Driver’s Licenses – just at Chicago O’Hare International Airport. These documents were suspected to be used by illegal immigrants to put their votes in the upcoming elections.

After his win in the last elections, President Trump has repeatedly said that in the states in which he did not win was because of illegal votes. However, due to a lack of evidence, the suspicion has been dismissed. It is a fact that the American voting system can easily be blindsided when it comes to placing illegitimate votes. It is done in 3 ways.

• Voting in place of someone who moved away from the state or moves to another country.
• Voting on behalf of someone who died or a is a law offender (the system isn’t updated regularly)
•  Using a Fake ID made on the name and address of a legitimate resident.  

Yes, it is easy to cheat in American elections.

The business of forgeries originally came as a game, at that no one could have determined the dangerous phenomena this harmless fun could be turned into. The authorities are introducing changes to make ID cards unique; nothing has made things full-proof yet. Fake id culture is snowballing in US, and no measures have been able to control it ultimately.