Fake documents have a significant impact on the world by influencing the various aspects of society, and they pose serious challenges to the security of the systems. Increased forged documentation has facilitated illegal activities such as identity theft, human trafficking, and terrorism. These documents can be used to deceive authorities and gain unauthorized access to the services, which leads to financial crimes.
Fake documents that are physically made (not just scanned) often cost more money on illegal online marketplaces compared to scanned copies. For example, a fake passport from Malta might sell for $4,000, which is more expensive than passports from other European Union countries, which go for about $3,000. On the other hand, a scanned copy of a driver’s license from Alberta might only cost $140.
Comparison of Fake and Forged Documents
There is a slight difference between forged and fake documents, which should be considered while executing the verification process:
Fake Documents
A fake document is a new fabricated copy of an identity document that is not produced by officials. It has different types depending on its usage. For instance, a scammer produces new copies of social security cards and driving licenses for proceeding with the loan application process. Sometimes, it is easy for authorities to identify pseudo documents, which are completely fake documents with credentials that do not exist. Otherwise, it is challenging for the relevant departments to determine if the fraudster is skilled. In these cases, artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) mechanisms are utilized to identify fake documents.
Forged Documents
Forged documents are authentic, but some changes are made to them. For example, an imposter made variations in the photo by altering the birthdate and name which is printed on the identity card. The entire document looks like it was issued by another governmental official. Some of the common kinds of forged documents are:
- Incorrect birth certificates
- Forged signatures and account numbers on a check
- False passports
- Incorrect driving licenses
- Forged endorsements on invoices and contract slips
Major Types of Document Forgery
There are three significant types of document forgery, which are explained below:
- Freehand Simulation: It is a type of forgery in which fraudsters try to copy a handwriting style and signature, creating a design using duplicates of the original document.
- Digital Manipulation: This is an advanced type of forgery in which photo editors are used to create duplicate signatures and credentials, pasting them into a fake document.
- Tracing: It is the most common type of document forgey in which imposter replicate the endorsements, handwritten texts,designs by utilizing carbon tracing and transmitted light. It is done by placing the blank sheet over the original document,tracing design and text elements.
Complete Working Procedure of Checking Fake Documents
The complete procedure of checking the fake documents typically involves the following steps which ensure the authenticity and reliability of the documents.
- Visual Inspection
- Security Features
- Documents Details
- Analyzing Paper and Printing Quality
- Comparative Examining
- Digital Verification
- Expert Examination
- Compliance Checks and Record-keeping
- The process starts with the visual analysis of the document checking to detect any signs of variations, inconsistencies and tampering. The document checker inspects the colors, logos, and layouts to find any type of irregularity. They also look for spelling mistakes, smudges and discrepancies.
- For further verification of the document, the checker authenticates the presence of security features such as holograms, watermarks, microprints, and UV markings. Document detectors utilize UV light and specialized tools to find hidden features that are difficult to replicate.
- The credentials present on the document are cross-checked with authentic databases and reference sources. Experts verify the accuracy of the personal details, identification number issue and expiration dates for further validation.
- Document detectors assess the quality of the paper, ink and printing techniques which are used in the paper. Authentic documents are made of high-quality paper with clear printing. While the fake and forged documents may have poor printing quality.
- After analyzing the credential details and paper quality, the examiner compares the document with authentic templates to identify alterations.
- For digital verification, the online document checker uses barcode and QR code scanners to validate the electronic signatures and certificates. The online document verification system maintains the system integrity more accurately than the manual one.
- The digital document checker analyzes the official papers through forensic techniques in case of severe forgery. Forensic technology utilize the artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning mechanisms which solely works on the basis of algorithms. The fake document checker online analyze the document using these advanced techniques to detect fraudulent activities.
- The relevant authorities ensure compliance with legal requirements for document checks. KYC and AML protocols are introduced for a secure verification process. After completing the document verification procedure, the results are recorded with the proper date and findings for mitigating further occurring of identity theft.
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Concluding Remarks
As the world is moving towards digital systems, users are getting proactive in creating forged documents to deceive online applications. In such scenarios, the checking of fake documents becomes compulsory to reduce the possibility of any kind of illegal activity that leads to identity theft. Systems should implement proper document verification procedures to combat potential risks. Secure internet services like Windstream internet can play a crucial role in enabling these verification processes to run smoothly and securely.
