Shostack + Friends Blog Archive

 

Drivers License Fraud

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As the trust and reliance people place in drivers licenses, the greater the incentive to get fraudulently issued ones. FoxNews reports on “Workers Charged With Taking Payoffs for IDs
” (via JihadWatch.)

“With a valid driver’s license, you establish an identity,” said Michael Garcia, assistant secretary of the Homeland Security Department.

The three Florida driver’s license examiners charged between $100 and $200 to falsely certify U.S. citizenship for the illegal immigrants, authorities said. Five accomplices recruited immigrants for up to $3,000 per license, officials said.

I have three comments: Firstly, I have an identity. Mr. Garcia demonstrates the stunningly introverted view of too many in law enforcement, that my identity stems from my documents, my existence in their databases, or the ability of those we used to call ‘civil servants’ to check my papers. My identity stems from me, not my papers.

Secondly, at $100 per false certification, it seems that there’s quite a supply of folks willing to wink and nod.

Finally, when the facilitators are making $3,000 and $200 is going to the fellow behind the counter, it becomes more clear why some people work for the state and others are entrepreneurs.

I’ve previously touched on this in posts like ““Economics of Fake IDs“, More on Nevada DMV” (about the truck crashing through the wall), or “SSNs and Drivers Licenses,” as well as a talk I gave at the Blackhat briefings, “Identity and Economics: Terrorism and Privacy.”

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