Today’s technology makes it a breeze with for the most basic computer user to scan and change the information and picture on the CNMI driver’s license to reflect someone old enough to drive, buy cigarettes or alcohol or enter a nightclub.
“When I first started making fake licenses, it wasn’t even that hard. I just needed to get the right applications and a real license to copy from. Then I just got a photo of the person I was working with,” said a 17 year-old high school graduate, who refused to be identified.
“Fake licenses are easy to make. I have twelve year-old friends making them. It’s isn’t rocket science,” he said, which is the reason several bars and nightclubs in Hawaii and the U.S. do not accept CNMI driver licenses as valid identification cards.
The Department of Public Safety tried to address this problem by purchasing new driver license machines a couple of years ago, but the machines broke down and have not been operational to date.
“There have been no police reports about counterfeit CNMI driver licenses, so we encourage all vendors or any one in the community to report any use of counterfeit driver licenses so that we can address this issue,” said DPS Public Information Officer Lei Ogumoro.
“At first, I was so nervous when I was making them, but I didn’t make it for just anyone. Also, it wasn’t a business either. I honestly started making fake ID’s so my friends and I could go out dancing,” said a 16 year-old high school student, who did not what to be identified.
“It had nothing to do with purchasing alcohol, but more to do with having something to do on a Friday night. If there were more dance clubs or places for teenagers or those over 18 but not old enough to drink to hang out then there wouldn’t be a reason for kids to break the law,” she said.
According to teens who have used counterfeit driver licenses, it could be hard to tell the difference between the fake and the real ones.
“I was pretty confident that it would work, so I tested it out. It’s not really about the license, it’s about the way the user presents himself when he uses it. That’s why people get busted with the fake ones,” said the male teen.
“So it really depends, with a smart person, it’s usually a 95 percent chance. I’ve used mine countless times and I’ve never been turned down, or even asked questions at that,” he said .
The female teenager agreed.
“The old driver’s licenses are pretty easy to make, but there are still things that could easily be overlooked. You have to basically believe you are the age that you put on your ID for you to pass for it,” she said.
Ogumoro said that police officers could call in to verify a driver’s license if they are suspicious of a counterfeit.
“We could verify driver licenses by calling it in. There are consequences for carrying a fake ID. We advise teens not to engage in that or any other type of illegal behavior,” she said.
Both teens said that they did not use their fake driver’s license with the police.
“I have never given my fake ID to a cop to try to pass it off as real. That’s just stupid, the cops can tell if it’s real or not, it’s their job to know the difference,” said the female teenager.
“I’ve never use my fake license with the cops because if they were to check the license number to headquarters, it would be declared an invalid license. But the sole reason of making these licenses would be to enter clubs and bars for me,” said the male teenager. “Around 75% of my customers are getting fake licenses for that reason. I got my real license the day I turned 16, but I was making the fake licenses way before that,” he said.
Some of the local clubs have been turning on the heat, they said.
“Lately, some of the clubs have gotten really strict. They know that teenagers use fake IDs to enter clubs and they inspect the licenses closer. In reality, it is good what they are doing because some teenagers get really stupid when they are given too many privileges. But, what else is there to do on Saipan? You can only go to the movies a certain number of times and then you’re left with nothing to do,” said the female teenager.
“Instead of focusing on what teenagers are doing wrong, they should start figuring out how to prevent teenagers from breaking curfew, underage drinking and smoking for generations after generations,” she said.
“If you ask any teenager why they did it, they will say it’s because they were bored, had nothing better to do or they wanted to have fun…it is part of growing up,” she added.
