This driver’s licence trend could land you in jail for 10 years—are you at risk?
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Fake identification documents are becoming an increasingly common issue, raising questions about how widespread and sophisticated these fakes really are.
What seems like a simple piece of plastic can hide a complex web of risks and legal consequences.
Delving deeper reveals the hidden dangers behind these counterfeit IDs and why authorities are sounding the alarm.
A simple glance at the ID card shown above might suggest it was genuine, but closer inspection reveals it to be fake — and using such a card can lead to serious legal trouble.
While it mimics the look of a NSW driver’s licence, complete with personal details and the signature waratah emblem in the centre, the card’s heading states ‘student identification’, a document that does not officially exist.
The closest legitimate option is the NSW photo card, which is traditionally teal rather than yellow.
A concerning underground trend of possessing fake IDs has prompted warnings about the severe penalties for fraudulent use, including fines up to $2,200 and jail sentences reaching 10 years.
Avinash Singh from Astor Legal explained that Australians across all states frequently searched for ‘fake ID’ online every year, with fake IDs openly sold on websites such as Fakies.
Police have limited powers to shut down these sites selling $79 novelty IDs.
Singh described the sale and use of fake licences as ‘a bit of a grey area’ under Australian law, which focuses more on how the IDs are used rather than on their sale.
He identified two main groups using fake IDs: young people under 18 who use them to gain entry to licensed venues, and those involved in fraud or criminal activities.
‘A disqualified driver will get a fake ID to continue driving and hope that if they are stopped by police they can get away with having a fake ID where police don't detect them on their system,’ Singh said.
He emphasised that using fake IDs in connection with criminal offences carries serious penalties.
‘If it’s being used in connection with anything fraudulent, the maximum penalty is 10 years’ imprisonment,’ he explained.
Singh also noted that drivers caught with fake licences could be fined $2,200 and charged with perverting the course of justice, which can also lead to jail.
Some counterfeit IDs are highly convincing, even incorporating holograms — a key security feature — making it difficult to detect their fraudulent nature.
Young people found with fake IDs generally had them confiscated but were not charged, as ‘there’s no real criminality in having one’, Singh said.
Over 300 cases involving fake IDs had passed through the courts in recent years, with about 100 offenders sentenced to imprisonment, Singh revealed.
Ciara Devlin, a PhD candidate at the University of Technology Sydney’s forensic science department, stressed that the focus should be on who is producing these fake documents, rather than just who uses them.
Her research, which involved profiling over 100 licences confiscated by authorities, suggested a level of organisation behind the fake ID market.
‘My research is promising in that it indicates to us that there may be more organisation to the marketplace than previously anticipated,’ Devlin said.
She emphasised the importance of investigating the origins of these documents and identifying producers and distributors.
Document fraud was confirmed to be occurring in Australia, though its full extent remained unknown.
Devlin’s findings revealed Australian driver’s licences ranked as the second most sold fake document on the dark web worldwide, behind only US licences.
Driver’s licences were easier to counterfeit than passports, which had more advanced security features, making Australian passports some of the hardest documents to fake.
However, Australia’s identification verification system meant driver’s licences ‘provide access to a lot of things’, she noted.
The ‘100 points of ID’ system required for official identity verification could be compromised by convincing fake driver’s licences combined with other documents, potentially enabling access to passports.
Authorities mainly seized low-quality fake licences that were ‘easily identified’ as fraudulent.
‘We don’t really know how prevalent higher-quality documents are,’ Devlin admitted.
While document fraud posed a serious problem, the gravest concern was the criminal networks behind the production and distribution of high-quality fakes.
‘The one thing to keep in mind is the seriousness of the criminal act. Most law enforcement focus on the individual holding the individual document,’ she added.
In a previous story, we explored important updates affecting driver’s licences across Australia.
These immediate changes could impact many road users sooner than expected.
Be sure to read on to find out what you need to do before it’s too late.
With fake IDs becoming more sophisticated and widespread, what do you think should be done to better protect our identity systems? Share your thoughts in the comments.
What seems like a simple piece of plastic can hide a complex web of risks and legal consequences.
Delving deeper reveals the hidden dangers behind these counterfeit IDs and why authorities are sounding the alarm.
A simple glance at the ID card shown above might suggest it was genuine, but closer inspection reveals it to be fake — and using such a card can lead to serious legal trouble.
While it mimics the look of a NSW driver’s licence, complete with personal details and the signature waratah emblem in the centre, the card’s heading states ‘student identification’, a document that does not officially exist.
The closest legitimate option is the NSW photo card, which is traditionally teal rather than yellow.
Fake ID card closely resembles NSW driver’s licence. Image source: Fakies/Service NSW
A concerning underground trend of possessing fake IDs has prompted warnings about the severe penalties for fraudulent use, including fines up to $2,200 and jail sentences reaching 10 years.
Avinash Singh from Astor Legal explained that Australians across all states frequently searched for ‘fake ID’ online every year, with fake IDs openly sold on websites such as Fakies.
Police have limited powers to shut down these sites selling $79 novelty IDs.
Singh described the sale and use of fake licences as ‘a bit of a grey area’ under Australian law, which focuses more on how the IDs are used rather than on their sale.
He identified two main groups using fake IDs: young people under 18 who use them to gain entry to licensed venues, and those involved in fraud or criminal activities.
‘A disqualified driver will get a fake ID to continue driving and hope that if they are stopped by police they can get away with having a fake ID where police don't detect them on their system,’ Singh said.
He emphasised that using fake IDs in connection with criminal offences carries serious penalties.
‘If it’s being used in connection with anything fraudulent, the maximum penalty is 10 years’ imprisonment,’ he explained.
Singh also noted that drivers caught with fake licences could be fined $2,200 and charged with perverting the course of justice, which can also lead to jail.
Some counterfeit IDs are highly convincing, even incorporating holograms — a key security feature — making it difficult to detect their fraudulent nature.
Young people found with fake IDs generally had them confiscated but were not charged, as ‘there’s no real criminality in having one’, Singh said.
Over 300 cases involving fake IDs had passed through the courts in recent years, with about 100 offenders sentenced to imprisonment, Singh revealed.
Ciara Devlin, a PhD candidate at the University of Technology Sydney’s forensic science department, stressed that the focus should be on who is producing these fake documents, rather than just who uses them.
Her research, which involved profiling over 100 licences confiscated by authorities, suggested a level of organisation behind the fake ID market.
‘My research is promising in that it indicates to us that there may be more organisation to the marketplace than previously anticipated,’ Devlin said.
She emphasised the importance of investigating the origins of these documents and identifying producers and distributors.
Document fraud was confirmed to be occurring in Australia, though its full extent remained unknown.
Devlin’s findings revealed Australian driver’s licences ranked as the second most sold fake document on the dark web worldwide, behind only US licences.
Driver’s licences were easier to counterfeit than passports, which had more advanced security features, making Australian passports some of the hardest documents to fake.
However, Australia’s identification verification system meant driver’s licences ‘provide access to a lot of things’, she noted.
The ‘100 points of ID’ system required for official identity verification could be compromised by convincing fake driver’s licences combined with other documents, potentially enabling access to passports.
Authorities mainly seized low-quality fake licences that were ‘easily identified’ as fraudulent.
‘We don’t really know how prevalent higher-quality documents are,’ Devlin admitted.
While document fraud posed a serious problem, the gravest concern was the criminal networks behind the production and distribution of high-quality fakes.
‘The one thing to keep in mind is the seriousness of the criminal act. Most law enforcement focus on the individual holding the individual document,’ she added.
In a previous story, we explored important updates affecting driver’s licences across Australia.
These immediate changes could impact many road users sooner than expected.
Be sure to read on to find out what you need to do before it’s too late.
With fake IDs becoming more sophisticated and widespread, what do you think should be done to better protect our identity systems? Share your thoughts in the comments.
