Applying for Jobs with a Criminal Record: Know Your Rights

Caught Using A Fake ID? You Could Be Looking At These Charges

7 February 2019

Michelle Garrett

If you're not of legal age to drink alcohol or enter certain establishments, you might try to gain access with the help of a fake ID. Whether you find an unscrupulous service and get a fake ID made or you get access to a card from someone who resembles you, you may be able to indeed use it successfully. However, there's also a chance that you'll get caught, and the penalties could range from something as minor as being escorted off the premises to actually having the police called. You could end up facing a series of charges for possessing and using a fake ID, including the following.

Theft

Depending on how you got access to the identification card, it's possible that you could be looking at a charge of theft. For example, if you have the card without the permission of its legitimate owner, a theft charge is likely. If the person depicted on the card gave you the card to use, he or she may attempt to backpedal to avoid a charge by stating that you stole the ID, rather than he or she gave it to you. A theft charge is serious, even if you might not have viewed your use of the ID as overly serious.

Identity Theft

The local authorities who are handling your case have the ability to put as many charges as they want on you in order to teach you a lesson. Even if you're young and you're unlikely to face serious consequences, you don't want to risk this difficult legal situation. It's possible that you could be hit with a charge of identify theft, which is increasingly common in today's digital age. Even though you weren't trying to technically steal the identity of the person depicted on your card, you were representing yourself as him or her — and this could constitute identity fraud.

Fraud

Using someone's ID card and attempting to buy alcohol illegally or gain access to an establishment that is only open to people who are older than you is fraudulent behavior, and it's possible that you could also face a charge of fraud. It's important to be wary of the urge to use a fake ID. You might not have evil intentions and you could feel that doing so is a victimless crime, but the reality is that you could face a number of charges that make your life difficult. Don't hesitate to contact a criminal defense attorney if you've been charged with anything related to using a fake ID.

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