The United States government has, on all levels —Federal, State and Local — become an unwitting gateway to fraud through a serious lack of security in some of the most important printed materials it issues. While post-9/11 initiatives continue to focus on immigration and travel documentation, domestic programs have not received as much attention, and continue to serve as platforms for crimes like identity theft, which affects millions of American citizens. Negligence in addressing this security issue not only results in increased budgetary waste and losses throughout the American economy, but also grave threats to the security of the nation.
Areas of Concern
General Document Fraud
Document fraud refers to the manufacture, sale or use of counterfeit identity documents – such as fake driver's licenses, birth certificates, Social Security cards or passports – to perpetuate illegal immigration or other criminal activity. Document fraud also involves efforts to obtain genuine identity documents through fraudulent means. These activities have helped illegal aliens, criminals and even terrorists evade detection and embed themselves in American society. Document fraud also supports the illegal procurement of various citizen or work-related benefits, including health insurance.
Birth Certificates
Like Social Security cards, birth certificates are generally used as “breeder” documents to gain other identity documents and to perpetuate fraud. But unlike SS, birth certificates are issued by hundreds, if not thousands, of entities, with little regard to consistency or security. An accurately forged birth certificate is a dangerous document, allowing the bearer significant access to everything from driver’s licenses to passports. It is imperative to safeguard the authenticity of these documents through a method that is foundational and inherently easy to implement, in order to foster universal adoption.
Driver’s Licenses
Driver’s licenses are the closest the United States has to national identification. Though the process of issuing and printing licenses vary by state, most permanent documents are layered with security measures to ensure the integrity of the driver’s identity. Still, significant vulnerabilities continue to plague the issuance of licenses, especially in the interim period between applying for a license and receiving it. These temporary licenses often amount to little more than a printed paper card, lacking nearly all of the security features that are mandatory in permanent licenses. Temporary licenses thus become the perfect loophole for criminals and terrorists looking to take advantage of the identification process.
Outlook
The increasing availability and affordability of high-quality digital scanners and copiers is a constant threat to the authenticity of government issued documents. Counterfeiters are keeping pace with surface-level security technology, forcing an “arms race” between the law enforcement and the criminal element. The result is growing danger to the American populace.
Identity documents require a more foundational layer of security to stem the tide of identity theft, illegal immigration and terrorism. By embedding protective features within a simple printing process, government agencies at all levels can ensure the safety and authenticity of all officially issued documents – even temporary ones – thereby eliminating the threats of breeder documents.
AuthentiGuard On-Demand Can Help
AuthentiGuard-On-Demand is a sophisticated print security technology that combines the benefits of copy and tamper protection with the ability to conceal sensitive data within printed documents. Utilizing standard desktop and commercial printers, the solution provides for the dynamic delivery of comprehensive protection to identity and other sensitive documents that serve as gateways to fraud.