Fake IDs become more sophisticated

AMHERST, Mass. (WWLP) - Fake ID use is nothing new, but police in Western Massachusetts say they've become so sophisticated that spotting a fake is nearly impossible with just the naked eye.

It used to be possible to detect a fake ID by just looking at it or touching it, but those days are over.

Fake IDs are becoming more advanced as they're now being made with the security features that used to set real IDs apart from the fake ones.

Fake IDs are now coming equipped with microprinting and holograms.

Spirit Haus Manager Jon Alix showed the 22News I-Team how convincing fake IDs have become and explained how quickly they're being made.

"Like Maine released theirs in July or so, and maybe a month or two after you see these fake ones," Alix said.

Police and liquor stores are arming themselves with high-end technology to keep up called "Advanced ID Detection."  Within seconds, it can detect a fake ID.

Word travels fast in communities like Amherst. Once a new fake ID is spotted at an establishment the managers there will share it with managers at other places so they can also be on high alert.

Liquor stores are not working alone to battle to monitor the fake IDs.

The 22News I-Team was there as Amherst police zeroed in on anyone who appeared to be underaged in area liquor stores. About a half dozen people were stopped and questioned that night.

Detectives say that nowadays, anyone is free game to have their IDs scanned.

"If you looked at the old Massachusetts licenses, they were easy to stencil. You could turn a four into a zero and you'd be 21 now.  They're so good,  unless I put them through something like that, I might not detect that," said Detective Richard MacLean, Amherst Police Department.

According to the State Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission, hundreds of fake IDs are seized each year- that doesn't include those seized by police and liquor stores. The statistics are only expected to get higher as the lucrative business of developing fake IDs expands.

Carrying a fake ID carries a stiff penalty. Violators can be fined up to $500, and can even face jail time in some cases.