Identity document forgery: the greatest crime in times of immigration. How to combat it?
SIGNE, Security Printing & Digital Solutions
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"Detained for falsifying identity documents for immigrants": a headline that has become common and no longer surprises on the front pages of national news.
In difficult times, the migration crisis is a constant. More and more people are leaving their countries of origin, whether due to war, social inequality, or poverty. And the arrival of boats in the Canary Islands and the shipwrecks suffered by those aboard are becoming less impactful. Or the overcrowding of immigrants spending the night in Barajas or the long lines in refugee reception centers.
Perhaps for anyone with a minimum of lucidity, trekking to death through the Darien jungle and the Rio Grande might not seem like the best journey of their life. And just perhaps when there are no more reasons to live, the only hope lies in a small boat crossing the open sea.
The latest data from 2024 from the Spanish Ministry of the Interior reveals that 62,900 immigrants have arrived in the Canary Islands in two years. This is an increase of 505.2% compared to last year, according to a report by the newspaper The Objective in March of this year.
The vulnerability and difficult conditions of people migrating due to extreme survival reasons create the ideal scenario for organized crime. More and more people are deciding that it is worth paying to start anew and opt for a better future.
Behind the falsification of identity documents lies the harsh reality of hundreds of people suffering the consequences of the internal and external problems of countries.
The importance of identity for immigrants
Identity documents are what allow people to be identified, facilitate their mobility, and access basic human rights, whether within or outside their place of origin.
Every person has the inalienable right to be recognized by the law. However, access to legal identity is critical in migration situations. According to the Regional Office for Central America, North America, and the Caribbean of the International Organization for Migration (IOM):
"A person without properly registered identification documents is invisible to the State and runs the risk of statelessness and being isolated from the legal and administrative frameworks that exist to protect their rights. This hinders access to basic services, accentuates inequalities, and prevents people from participating in legal and contractual transactions with authorities and other individuals."
Common cases of falsifying identity documents for immigrants
Facing the need to have an identity to migrate to another country, the most common cases of falsifying identity documents are:
1. VIP packages with Identity Documents
A recent report from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in Mexico revealed that criminal groups offer different services and packages through social networks for people who want to cross the border into the United States.
The report also indicates that a VIP package includes all types of transportation (air and land), food, hotel accommodation, and falsification of identity and immigration documents, as reported by Infobae (Infobae, March 2024).
The costs vary according to the place of origin:
From Asia: USD 40,000-USD 60,000 From Africa: USD 40,000-USD 8,000 From Venezuela: USD 20,000 From the Dominican Republic: USD 20,000 From Cuba: USD 16,000 From the southern border of Mexico: USD 15,000 From Melchor de Mencos, Guatemala-Belize-Quintana Rojo-Tijuana/Monterrey: USD 18,000
The same report indicates that the main factors influencing people to decide to use services related to migrant smuggling are:
The complexity of regular migration processes means that the vast majority of migrant transit through the region are not eligible or do not have access to any option for regular migration.
According to the study's surveys, people perceive that hiring these services will allow them to travel safely and guaranteed, considering that traffickers offer them up to three crossing opportunities in case of not passing or being detained.
Traffickers disseminate false information through social networks about government migration processes and policies.
Similarly, people perceive that the irregular procedure is cheaper than the regular one.
Most migrant people belong to low-income communities. They have some connection, either familial or friendship, with someone who has previously migrated irregularly. Or even with the traffickers themselves.
2. Falsification of identity documents to work
Criminal organizations provide false documentation to migrants in irregular situations to access work contracts.
One of the most recent cases happened in Tarragona, Spain. In August 2023, 22 people were arrested for falsifying documents to work in the agricultural sector.
The criminals charged up to 400 euros to provide a false residence card made by the organization or a card from another person with similar physical features, to work in the agricultural sector, as reported by the National Police. In this case, 30,000 euros in cash and a laser printer were seized, among other effects.
3. Falsification of identity documents, passports, driver's licenses...
Organizations that attract clients to offer all kinds of falsified documents that favor irregular immigration.
In February of this year, three people were arrested for falsifying documents in Madrid and Toledo.
According to the report, they had the capacity to produce and distribute falsified documents including identity documents of various nationalities, residence cards, driver's licenses, vehicle inspection cards, among others.
They used specific materials such as printers, plastic supports, thermo-sealing machines, or watermarks (LegalTeam, February 2024).
Likewise, in 2023, 64 people were arrested throughout Spain for acquiring false documents abroad through social networks. They paid between 1000 and 3000 euros for passports, driving documents, and identity documents with different European nationalities to travel through Schengen territory.
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According to the Ministry of the Interior report, 136 false documents with a high level of professionalism were intercepted. The detainees were charged with smuggling, document forgery, and against the rights of foreign citizens for favoring irregular immigration (Mininterior, 2023).
In some cases, people voluntarily seek these services, or scammers take advantage of the ignorance of vulnerable individuals who do not speak the language to offer all kinds of documents.
By the way, to facilitate irregular immigration, criminals falsify other documents such as: registration certificates, lease contracts, public service bills, study certificates, and bank certificates.
Enabling legal identity for people
In 2018, the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly, and Regular Migration was adopted by Member States of the United Nations General Assembly, with the purpose of creating migration "that works for everyone", based on cooperation on international migration in all its dimensions.
In line with this pact, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) proposes a roadmap for its implementation:
Preventing identity document forgery
Preventing identity document forgery is essential to guarantee the integrity of immigration systems and facilitate the legal identification of people.
Here are some measures that States can implement to address this issue:
1. Advanced technology in identity documents
States can strengthen migration systems by implementing advanced security technologies in the production of identity documents, such as holograms, special inks, microprints, RFID chips, among others.
These features make forgery difficult and make documents harder to replicate.
2. Centralized database
Establishing a centralized database containing information on issued identity documents. This allows for quick and accurate verification of document authenticity and facilitates the detection of duplicates or forged documents.
3. Biometric verification
Implementing biometric verification systems, such as fingerprints, facial or iris recognition, to corroborate people's identities. These methods are difficult to forge and provide an additional layer of security.
4. International collaboration
Cooperating with other countries to share information and best practices in preventing identity document forgery. This is especially important in the context of international migration, where documents can be used in multiple jurisdictions.
5. Education and awareness
Educating citizens on how to identify forged documents and raising awareness about the legal consequences of their use. This may include information campaigns, educational materials, and training for professionals working in document issuance and verification.
6. Rigorous application processes
Establishing strict application processes for the issuance of identity documents, including verification of document authenticity, personal interviews, and verification of provided information.
7. Audits and regular checks
Conducting periodic audits and quality controls on the issuance and verification of identity documents to detect potential system failures and address them in a timely manner.
8. Incentives for legal identification
Offering incentives for people to obtain legal identification, such as access to public services, employment opportunities, and legal protection. This can help reduce the demand for forged documents.
These are some measures that, when implemented comprehensively and coordinated, can strengthen States' identification systems and mitigate the risk of identity document forgery during immigration processes.
An ally to combat document forgery
At SIGNE, we work hand in hand with companies and government authorities to fight document forgery.
We specialize in developing tailor-made physical and digital solutions against document falsification and offer training services for those who need to detect irregularities in documents, knowing the security measures they must verify in them. There is no point in including protection/authentication measures in documents if nobody checks them.
We integrate physical solutions through the use of security materials and printing techniques with digital solutions, combining digital signatures with Blockchain technology.
Through constant research and innovation in anti-fraud techniques and the application of new technologies, we achieve the highest levels of protection in documents:
Our mission is to apply the appropriate tools for each case with the aim of fully satisfying the needs arising in the fight against document forgery or fraudulent modification.
We have a specialized team to meet the needs of each issuing entity of government documents specifically sensitive to counterfeiting.
Feel free to contact our experts for all the information you need and to make a proposal tailored to your security needs.