How do I tell if an ID is fake?!
My friend Kyle owns a night club. Some things happened and he had to hire new employees. Well this new guy named Richard, big bald white dude, is the new bouncer and generally he works the nights that my friend persuaded me into working as a Co-Manager. I have no idea what I'm doing, most of the time in the office doing business crud, and I have no idea how to tell if an I.D. is fake and neither does Richard. I found this out because our "special" security system can hear some conversations. Turns out Richard was just another friend Kyle dragged into his joint. We have U.V. lights, some special markers for bills, and even a postage scale but me and Rick don't even know what to look for. Help us before my friend's joint gets into some deep trouble again! I'm sure a lot of people who own businesses can't tell 100% now-a-days with all these high tech stuff for the kids to use.
Sincerely,
Jason
Answers: Heyas,
My friend Kyle owns a night club. Some things happened and he had to hire new employees. Well this new guy named Richard, big bald white dude, is the new bouncer and generally he works the nights that my friend persuaded me into working as a Co-Manager. I have no idea what I'm doing, most of the time in the office doing business crud, and I have no idea how to tell if an I.D. is fake and neither does Richard. I found this out because our "special" security system can hear some conversations. Turns out Richard was just another friend Kyle dragged into his joint. We have U.V. lights, some special markers for bills, and even a postage scale but me and Rick don't even know what to look for. Help us before my friend's joint gets into some deep trouble again! I'm sure a lot of people who own businesses can't tell 100% now-a-days with all these high tech stuff for the kids to use.
Sincerely,
Jason
My best advice would be to check with your local law enforcement... you don't have to tell them that you have no idea, but just call them up and ask if they offer any "server training" courses. I work at a liquor store in North Dakota, and it was mandatory to take one before I could legally sell alcohol. Also, if they don't offer any server training courses specifically you could just tell them that you have new staff, and are wondering if there are any specific things you can look for to make sure you aren't letting in any kids with fakes, or see if they have a book of the different state IDs. (I know Miller Lite puts one out.)
Also, some tips on catching a fake:
1. Check the back of the card. Seems simple, but a lot of fakes are one sided. Also make sure the person takes it out of their wallet so you can make sure it's not a paper laminated copy. (These have actually passed in places, I'm not trying to insult you or anything)
2. Look for specific details about a person that don't change. Do a quick scan of height, eye color, and things like shape of the nose and positioning of the ears.
3. Study your state's ID, and an ID of a minor if you can get ahold of one, and note the differences. Sometimes on fakes, there's things people will forget to change, such as the birthdate if also listed alongside the picture. Check for anything that looks like it might have been scratched or altered on the font. Also, any holograms missing, or that appear to be merely taped on.
4. If you're suspicious about someone's ID, ask them a couple simple questions, such as "How tall are you?" "What street do you live on?" or "What year did you graduate?"
-- Seems stupid, but many kids with fakes only remember the name and birthdate. If it's a fake, and you ask them when they graduated, often they'll have to stop and think about it... and could any person with a legitimate ID not tell you what year they graduated? If I asked you right now, you could answer in a split second. That one is a big tip-off.
Well... good luck to you, and I hope that this helped!
ask your supervisor (kyle) to buy a electric scanner (or whatever they are called)
It may surely pay off some day
they are connected to your states department of transportation
so instant accurate identification is guaranteed
Additional Info
here in the state of PA everything except for your blood type comes up (no kidding)
retailers match info from card
our cards also have a bar code on them so swiping and scanning can both be achieved
not much else you can do.
perhaps if the minor does use a fake card AND it does scan properly your business will not be in jeopardy
unit
In Oklahoma, all you have to do is shine flashlight through it and it "only" with the flashlight OK. If they are underage or it is fake it doesn't have the OK sign. You can not see it without the flashlight. It is quite amazing.
I recommend you contact the department that controls liquor sales in your state. In Michigan, the state Liquor Commission offers a guide with ways to tell how the ID is valid according to each state. One example is that in some states the first few digits of the ID/DL number is based off the bearer's name, it's a commonly used code that most fake ID's don't bother to correctly replicate. The guide also shows pictures of each states' ID's from the last several years.
Remember, though, when in doubt reject the ID. The fine is for the owner AND for the person that accepts the ID, often in excess of $1,000. I can't afford that, can you/he?