Detecting Fake Identification Documents

Detecting fake identification documents

Sometimes, it can be difficult to determine whether or not the identification documents presented by a new hire are legitimate. Thankfully, you are not required to be a documents expert, but only to exercise “reasonable care” to ensure that the documents are valid… in other words, that they are not an obvious forgery. But when they are an apparently fake card, you are expected to take additional steps to ensure that you don’t hire an unauthorized worker.

What you should do

Normally, you may not specify which identification documents are presented by the new hire, but must accept documents that reasonably appear to be genuine and to relate to the person presenting them. Only if the documents are obvious fakes, if they are not on the list of accepted documents or are not related to the person presenting them may you require another document. Even then, you may not specify which replacement document the new hire will provide.

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If the individual cannot present other documents that satisfy the requirements of the I-9 form and E-Verify, you may terminate employment.

You must apply the same standard of “reasonableness” to all new hires. If the documents presented are on the list of accepted documents and are related to the new hire but you are not sure whether or not the documents are legitimate, you should complete the I-9 process. Employers who are enrolled in E-Verify will be able to verify the new hire against government records, which will catch most if not all instances of fraudulent document use.

Examples of valid documents

Fake green card examples*

While Permanent Resident Cards (“green cards”) are the most commonly counterfeited documents, you may encounter other fake cards as well. The following are examples of identification documents that we believe to be counterfeit.

Fake Permanent Resident Card

Spelling errors

Spelling errors are a reliable indication that a card is not valid.

Grammatical errors

In this example, a spelling error is accompanied by a usage error (“The peron identification by this card…”)

Fake Permanent Resident Card Example

Some spelling and usage errors are more difficult to see. In the example to the left, the error on the left reads “MADE IN THE FOR THE US. IMIGRATION AND….”

Incorrect Form Number: The Permanent Resident Card form number is “I-551” (“Eye dash five five one”) and the Employment Authorization Document is “I-766.” In the example above, the number reads “1-551” (“One dash five five one”). We have also seen “I-531,” “I-3-2-1,” “I-736” and others.

The Permanent Resident Card Document Number (highlighted in yellow) should be three letters followed by ten numbers. A Document Number of nine or 11 digits, or no document number at all, may mean that the card is a fake.

On older cards (shown), this number is on the front in the top row. On the current version, the number is on the back. Very old cards do not have a Document Number.

The version to the right should no longer be in circulation.

Fake Permanent Resident Card
Newly Redesigned Green Card

Permanent Resident Card (“Green Card”) Version (5.11.10)

In May 2010, the USCIS issued a newly-redesigned and more secure Permanent Resident Card.

Card forged from a valid card sample

Some card forgers have copied sample valid cards found online. Characteristics of the sample card can often be found in the fraudulent identification document.

Example card (right), found at the USCIS website, has been copied by forgers. Note the matching fingerprint on the fraudulent card (far right).

Forged card with same fingerprint as example Permanent Resident Card

Versions of the green card that are no longer valid

Older versions of the Permanent Resident card (eg., USCIS Form AR-3, Form AR-103 or Form I-151), are no longer valid but you may see valid cards still in circulation.

Incorrect issue period

Permanent Resident cards are issued for a two- or 10-year period. A time period (issue date to expiration date) of any other term may indicate a fraudulent card.

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U.S. Passport Card

U.S. Passport Cards have a number of security features built into them. Here are a few things to check for a valid card:

  •  The red and blue patterns on the left side of the front should exhibit exceptional fine-line detail. Washed out images and loss of detail can indicate a copy.
  • The aquamarine background behind the eagle’s head on the front is primarily microtext and should be readable (with a magnifying glass).
  • Elements of the front of the card are “tactile;” meaning that the elements are raised and can be felt with the fingers. Those elements include 1) the eagle portion of the Great Seal which is embossed over the upper left corner of the holder’s photo; 2) certain letters of the vertical “USA” abbreviations to the right of the holder’s photo; 3) the seven-character “Equivalence value” (the number under the photo); and 4) the card number to the right of the eagle on the back.
  •  The card number is displayed on the front; on the back to the right of the eagle; and in the top row of the machine-readable text at the bottom, starting with the sixth character. All three numbers should match.
  • The passport card number will start with the letter “C” and will be from six to nine characters long.

To the right of the photo there is a complex diffractive optically-variable device (OVD), embedded below the card’s surface, which is composed of a “Galactic Eagle” image featuring upswept wings, encircled by an elaborate oval wreath featuring 2D high-resolution vector-graphic elements that impart “optical movement” effects. 

The right half of the OVD element incorporates an ultra-fine metallized tab featuring a miniature Constellation of Stars and Western Hemisphere silhouette over a much larger metallized ‘USA’ abbreviation — turned on its side, and oriented to the right vertical margin — that changes visual emphasis when viewed at a 90 or 180 degree angle. These elements will be distinguishable on a valid card.

The card back

The back of the card presents a different color scheme, with medium blue merging into light green waves. The central feature is a clear, detailed depiction of the Great Seal. The Eagle is depicted against a complex pattern of fluctuating waves that exhibit interference lines (s.) where the wave lengths reinforce or overlap each other.

The PASS System logo is printed in color-shifting ink that will change from metallic copper to a lighter greenish-copper and, when viewed at its most extreme, changes to a metallic dark green.

Period of Validity: The term of validity for a Passport Card is 10 years for adults and five years for children who are 15 years and younger. The card should expire on the day before the issue day (ex., issue date 01/15/2022; expiration 01/14/2032).

Resources

Our client employers: We are available to answer your general questions about identification documents; however, we cannot help you with specific cases. The burden of “reasonableness” is on you. If you’re not reasonably confident that the card is a fake, you must accept it. Participating in E-Verify will help ensure that your new hires are eligible to work in the U.S.

* The US Citizenship & Immigration Service has not verified that the specific examples used above are actually fraudulent documents. They are presented as examples of the most obvious issues that you may encounter. None of these cards were presented by a new hire who subsequently received an “Employment Authorized” response in E-Verify.

[Last update: 01/03/2023 . This page will be updated on a regular basis as more examples of fraudulent cards are identified.]

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