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DMV (DEPARTMENT OF MOTOR VEHICLES)'S FRAUDULENT DOCUMENT PROGRAM

NCJ Number
66475
Journal
Journal of California Law Enforcement Volume: 13 Issue: 3 Dated: (1979) Pages: 122-129
Author(s)
W J WOLFE
Date Published
1979
Length
8 pages
Annotation
THIS ARTICLE DESCRIBES CALIFORNIA'S PROGRAM TO CONTROL COUNTERFEITING AND FRAUDULENT USE OF DRIVER'S LICENSES, AUTOMOBILE TITLES, AND IDENTIFICATION CARDS.
Abstract
STATE AND FEDERAL STUDIES HAVE PROVED THAT COUNTERFEIT OR FRAUDULENTLY OBTAINED DEPARTMENT OF MOTOR VEHICLE (DMV) DOCUMENTS PROVIDE COVER FOR MANY SERIOUS CRIMES INCLUDING MURDER, ROBBERY, AND SMUGGLING. FALSE IDENTIFICATION DOCUMENTS ARE WIDELY AVAILABLE IN CALIFORNIA, BUT THE UNDERGROUND PRESS RECOMMENDS OBTAINING A GENUINE DRIVER'S LICENSE AS A PRELIMINARY STEP IN CREATING A FALSE IDENTITY. COUNTERFEITERS ARE NOTORIOUSLY DIFFICULT TO APPREHEND, AND INVESTIGATIONS CAN RANGE OVER LARGE GEOGRAPHIC AREAS AND REQUIRE SURVEILLANCE, UNDERCOVER ACTIVITIES, AND THE USE OF INFORMANTS. IN MAY 1978, THE DMV'S DIVISION OF COMPLIANCE ESTABLISHED A SPECIALIZED TEAM OF 10 INVESTIGATORS LOCATED THROUGHOUT THE STATE TO HANDLE FRAUDULENT DOCUMENT CASES. THE GOALS OF THE TEAM WERE TO IDENTIFY AND NEUTRALIZE SOURCES OF COUNTERFEIT DOCUMENTS, RECOVER DOCUMENTS AND PLATES, AND FILE CRIMINAL COMPLAINTS AGAINST PERPETRATORS. UNTIL A SUCCESSFUL APPEAL IN 1974, A SUPERIOR COURT DECISION PROHIBITED THE DMV FROM FILING PERJURY CHARGES AGAINST PERSONS WHO OBTAINED LICENSES BY SUBMITTING FALSE INFORMATION. ALTHOUGH CALIFORNIA DRIVER'S LICENSES AND IDENTIFICATION CARDS (ID) ARE DESIGNED TO RESIST COUNTERFEITING BY USING REFLECTIVE SEALS, CRIMINALS CAN STILL OBTAIN A LICENSE OR ID EASILY WITH A FALSE APPLICATION. A NEW DMV PROPOSAL WHICH WOULD DRASTICALLY REDUCE FRAUDULENT APPLICATIONS HAS BEEN ENDORSED BY THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF MOTOR VEHICLE ADMINISTRATORS. SAMPLES OF FRAUDULENT AND GENUINE ID'S ARE PROVIDED. (MJM)

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