Will Fake Passports Be the Next Big Thing?

July 19, 2022 0 Comments

To protect passports from counterfeiters, the design of a genuine document should employ high security features to prevent fraudulent printing and reproduction. These security features include paper with a security thread and watermark, and windows, ink sold only by registered printers. The design should also employ several security features to prevent alterations, including a microcontroller that makes it difficult to read or copy. The microcontroller is locked by a transport key, which is known only to the passport manufacturer and issuing authority.

A recent case involved a Romanian man who manufactured hundreds of fake passports, each bearing a different country name. This man later made his "finest hour" during the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait, providing valuable information that allowed European oil executives to escape to safety. He was jailed and convicted. The passports he produced were of poor quality and were often counterfeit. A new generation of terrorists has emerged in order to take advantage of this market, and it is unclear whether fake passports will be the next big thing.

These counterfeit documents can be easily spotted in transit. A counterfeiter will first have to know the person's nationality, then remove the relevant pages, and then substitute the entire visa. It's not as difficult as it might seem: fake passports will be checked at the airport and tested using ultra-violet scanners. They will look for unusual brightness or color, which can indicate that the document is a fake. As long as they have the same age, height, and weight, this process will be simple.

Possession of a fake passport falls under the forgery laws in New York. Forgery refers to any instrument that is illegally made, completed, or altered. Possession of a fake passport will be prosecuted as criminal possession of a forged instrument in the second degree, which is aimed at obtaining government documents. The fine is up to $1 million, or two and a half times the amount of the gross gain or loss from the offense.

The terrorist network uses Fake passports and other illegal immigration documents to move from one country to another. One infamous terrorist, Ahmed Ressam, was a master at counterfeiting. He used a fake French passport to enter Canada, and supplied other Algerians with false Canadian passports. He later used the same fake document under the alias of Benni Noris to launch a bombing at Los Angeles International Airport. These are just a few of the many reasons why fake passports are so important.

Camouflage passports are also common. These fake documents are issued in the name of a country that doesn't exist, such as the Republic of Mainau or the Baltic Trade Mission. Fantasy passports, on the other hand, are issued by micronations and non-official organizations. These fake documents can serve as a political statement and a novelty. They can also be used to show allegiance to a cause.