During the past 5 years street gangs have become involved in credit card fraud, manufacture of fake ID and check fraud. Gang members believe that, if they are caught, convictions for such non-violent crimes will result in lighter sentences than for violent gang crimes. Gang members get legitimate credit card numbers from the carbon after a purchase, steal cards from the mail, or buy them after they have been stolen. Fake identification is purchased or manufactured and the credit card is used for cash advances and purchases. Use of the home computer and new software allows for quick duplication of false ID such as driver's licenses, Social Security cards, birth certificates, state ID cards and green cards, many of which are difficult to tell from valid cards. Duplication of payroll and travelers' checks is also relatively easy, and they can usually be cashed without much difficulty.