Fake ID Guide--All you ever wanted to know but were afraid to ask. DrNick Guinness--Its whats for dinner. So you want to get drunk this weekend. Or buy some cigarettes. It is sometimes easier to buy marijuana and take advantage of the black market brought on by the War on Drugs. Or, follow on and learn how to kill your brain cells with alcohol. * Vote Libertarian * *** Table of Contents I. Disclaimer/Legality 1. Getting ID A. Making your own ID B. Buying ID 2. Using the Fake ID 3. Related Web Links 4. Bibliography 5. Useful Excerpts (stuff I stole from other people so you can read it) *** I. Disclaimer Fake ID is both a state and federal crime. If caught you might not be charged with both, but who knows? Usually making a fake ID is illegal in many states. It is usually a crime to alter existing state-issued ID, or to create a new fake ID. These crimes include forgery and fraud. They are no fun to get charged with. This site has some more info on it, it is a good example and food for thought: http://www.colorado.edu/sacs/ralphie/a/Appendix_B,_Alc.html Using a fake ID to purchase alcohol or cigarettes is some sort of crime. These crimes all differ from state to state, so check your local laws. I do not advocate creating a fake or fraudulent id. This information is for informational and novelty use only. Do not break any laws. This is not intended for anyone evading prosecution, warrants, etc. I will not hinder prosecution. I do not know how to create a new identity. *** 1. Getting ID You can make it yourself or buy it. Some texts you might read talk about birth certificates and death certificates and all that crap. There are some links included which will take you there. This phile will help you make your own ID. This ID is intended primarily to get you into bars and help you buy beer. Don't even bother trying to fool a cop or fed with it. A. Making it yourself: You will need a various combination of the following tools, but these are just guidelines. You should try experimenting with different combinations and seeing which one works best for your ids! You can probably find all you need here at Staples or your local stationary store. 1. Computer (if you don't have one just forget it) 2. Color scanner for computer (or access to a friends) 3. Color Printer (hardcore=die-sub printers, for home hacking try Epson 400, 600, 800 series) 4. Software--Adobe Photoshop, Paint Shop Pro 5. Cutting Tool: Exacto Knife (preferred method) or really sharp short blade on Swiss Army Knife (used to cut out the printed id from the rest of the paper) 6. Adhesive: Strong Glue Stick or Double sided scotch tape (experiment here) 7. Posterboard or Manila file folder or Metrocard (strengthens the card--experiment here) 8. Contact paper (optional use only to get the right "look" or "feel") 9. A pencil 10. Paper to print front of id on--high quality inkjet or photoglossy depending on id. Don't even bother with copy paper. 11. The ID you want to fake (whether it be New York, Connecticut, LILCO, or NYNEX) 12. Nail File (for smoothing ID's edges). Also you might want to try 3M id cards. They come 2 to a sheet. Experiment. How to Make it: 1. You need an ID or a template. You need to know what the legitimate 21 year old version of the ID looks like. Its good if you have a legit ID on hand to compare yours with. Check the "The I.D. Checking Guide" (http://www.webbanker.com/pub2.html) as an invaluable reference tool. It is a great book worth the order. If you need to scan in your own picture or ID make sure it is very clean. Use a high resolution, 720 DPI is good. You must use at least 24 bit resolution. Making your own template is as easy as recognizing the important information on the id and how to correctly present it. 2. Follow what the template says. Put the picture in the right place. Fill in the right blanks. 3. Find a good medium to print on and work with. Remember you are going to need a front and back for this ID. I have seen fake NY State Ids using recycled Learners Permits. The new fake front is glued on top of a learners permit so the back is the same. Sometimes though you don't have an old license around. If not then scan the back of the drivers license and print it out on posterboard. Use the posterboard as the back. Its not perfect but close. Again, you are encouraged to experiment and see if you can find something better.. This is part of the process and helps you stay on your game as an artist. 4. Print the front out. Use a high quality paper, photo glossy is not necessary and is sometimes too thick or glossy for the job. Depending on what ID you are imitating you may or may not need a laminating surface. 5. Use a glue stick or double stick tape to adhere the front of your ID to the back. 6. Trim the corners with the knife (if necessary). If necessary you might want to use a nail file to smooth the edges on the ID. B. Purchasing Fake ID If you live in a big city (ie: New York) walk down to the business districts (ie: Times Square, Eighth Avenue, W. 47th Street) and you can find some shops. I am not 100% sure as I have never done this myself but my friends have. Look and listen. In New York you can sometimes buy fake ID in the back of luggage shops. Weird but true. It is often some fake looking out of state or some bad college id, but see if it suits your needs. Most of the net is full of crappy novelty ID, nothing to buy beer with. Info on the net will help you make your own. *** 2. Using the ID So, you finally got an ID. One that says your 21 or 18 or however old you need to be to buy items (to exercise your property rights!). So, now that you've invested $20-$100 you're all set, right? Wrong! If you were I wouldn't waste my time by writing this, or make you read it. This is free advice. Take it. Kant says the only right acts are those with good intentions. I try. Don't consume alcohol in public where doing so is prohibited by law (ie: on the street). This is because it is illegal and when some cop finds out you are not only drinking on his streets but not even twenty-one he will throw a fit. Save yourself the trouble. If your ID is successful or not depends on many things. Some are beyond your control, such as the club's policy on fake id. Some are within your control, such as how you present yourself and what you exude. Factors beyond your control: The setting. Ie: the bar, restaurant, store. Hopefully you can choose a place that is easily passable. Possibly within your control: Your server/bouncer. When in a grocery store DO go towards the 19 year old cashier. The younger ones usually care less about this whole ID thing. DO take advantage of the Korean/Pakistani Immigrant grocer. In the midst of all of Guiliani's Law and Order crackdown my friend at NYU can still buy his Coronas quite easily. The immigrant clerk questions my friend "Id?" To which my friend replies (with a smile) "Yes ID." Your biggest friend is your great personality. Look happy and confident and you will walk away with the beer. DON'T PANIC! What you can do: Know your fake birthday, name, address, zip code all that info on the card and your Zodiac sign. Go to a place that has accepted your ID in the past! This is my best advice. When waiting on a line for admission to a club have the ID ready--be confident! When you are purchasing at a grocery store or take out place it is nice to have it ready to present to the cashier. Try to view it as a formality that you are accustomed to engaging in. You are used to getting carded...remember? In a restaurant chances are about 50/50 you will be carded when ordering from a waiter. If you are with your parents these odds decrease, with your friends these odds increase. However I have been denied in older company and served with my friends. Lucky Chengs has been particularly lenient...of course in that case you wouldn't even need ID. What can I say? I am only trying to help. *** 3. Related Web links (as of 3/28/98) How To Spot Fake ID and not be fooled (Some asshole denying you beer and smokes!) http://www.cs.usask.ca/undergrads/cwu122/macs.html The Fake ID Page (Templates!) http://www.users.cloud9.net/~insanity/fakeidpage.html The Official ID Checking Guide (Very good book! Order it today!) http://www.webbanker.com/pub2.html Fake Identification Information... http://members.aol.com/cycore/idinfo.htm A Page of Fake ID links http://members.aol.com/cycore/idlinks.htm Guide to US & Canadian Drivers License Security Techniques! (Invaluable!!) http://members.aol.com/cycore/license.htm *** 4. Bibliography (where the excerpts are from): How To Spot Fake ID and not be fooled. http://www.cs.usask.ca/undergrads/cwu122/macs.html Guide to US & Canadian Drivers License Security Techniques! http://members.aol.com/cycore/license.htm *** 5. Useful Excerpts This following useful excerpt is from "Guide to US & Canadian Drivers License Security Techniques!" (http://members.aol.com/cycore/license.htm), I have omitted most of the list keeping these states as perhaps usable example, the full list can be found at the above website: The following is a state by state (and Canadian province) list of tricks that are used on drivers licenses to prevent forgery. UNITED STATES LICENSES Florida: This state issues photo-laminated ID with the state seal and camera number overlapping the photo. The license number follows the Soundex system and begins with the first letter of the last name and looks like this: J123-123-39-123. The two digit group is the birth year. An additional trick is that minors under 21 have a yellow background on their photos. The most difficult to overcome trick used with this license is state seals printed in ink visible only under ultraviolet light. New Jersey: This state issues both photo and printed card licenses. The cards are a snap to duplicate. The photo licenses are in plastic. The trick on both licenses is the number. The first letter is the first letter of the surname. Next, there are nine numbers representing the license number. Finally, The last five numbers stand for the month and year of birth, and the color of the eyes. New York: New York is one of the last states to go to photo-ID. The new license is a 3M photo card, with a reflective lamination on the face. This gives it a silky texture. The type is computer type, and the security check is the New York State seal printed on the surface. The license number is very long, with the first letter the same as that of the surname. The last two digits are always the birth year. The Following Excerpt is from "How To Spot Fake ID and not be fooled" (http://www.cs.usask.ca/undergrads/cwu122/macs.html): Over the past two years selling cigarettes, I have found there are a number of dead-giveaways minors continually do, but never catch on to. (Some of these cannot be avoided anyway!) Minors usually will have their ID ready in their hand as they walk in the door. If this happens, be suspicious. On a related note, minors will usually produce ID very quickly after you ask for it. Minors will usually produce an abundance of minor ID, such as a student card. This minor ID is usually something that doesn't have a picture or a birthday, just a name. Or they will produce one piece of ID hoping you will take it. Minors will usually be nervous. Trembling in their hands or stuttering is usual.