GSSC industry NEWS
Merchants Get New Tool To Spot Counterfeit IDs
(by Shannon Becker - The Cheshire Herald, Cheshire, Connecticut. June 22, 2006) –
Last week Cheshire Det. Thomas Prue visited merchants and establishments licensed to sell alcoholic beverages, dropping off special decoder devices that will help them identify counterfeit licenses.
The Connecticut Driver’s License Fraud Detection Lenses are being distributed to about 30 merchants in town. The unit, when used properly, assists with forgery detection. It is designed to expose a hidden security feature in new driver’s licenses and ID cards issued by the state.
“These lenses can be used as an additional tool to assist merchants when making the decision as to whether or not to sell to a customer,” said Lt. Jay Markella, the department’s new public information officer. “This is part of our continuing effort, working in conjunction with merchants, to stop underage drinking, and it will make it easy for them to detect forgeries.”
In addition to the information printed on the license, the newer ones also have the driver’s name, date of birth and the driver’s license number embedded in it as well, with the repeated information invisible to the naked eye. But with technology patented by Graphic Security Systems, Inc., law enforcement agencies and now local merchants will have the ability to easily view the embedded information in the licenses and quickly determine whether they have been altered.
Deputy Chief Joseph Popovich learned about the optical decoders at the May 30 annual law enforcement conference sponsored by the Governor’s Prevention Partnership Connecticut Coalition to Stop Underage Drinking.
The conference, Combating Underage Drinking, focused on ways to reduce commercial access to alcohol by minors as an essential component in a comprehensive approach to reduce underage drinking.
Law enforcement officers have been encouraged to partner with community retailers and alcohol servers using merchant education programs, making it more difficult for minors to obtain alcohol.
Popovich was impressed with the easy-to-use decoders and brought the information back to Cheshire. Just a couple of weeks ago, the department was able to purchase about 70 of the credit card-size decoders with a grant obtained from the state’s Office of Policy and Management.
“Apparently the technology has been out there for about five years on Connecticut driver’s licenses and a few others,” Popovich said. “Now, there’s a push to make it nationwide.”
“These are pretty great. They can be used anywhere and will help with forgery detection, identity theft and identifying counterfeit licenses,” said Markella.
Each Cheshire police officer will have one of the optical decoders, and after Prue finishes making his rounds, so will every local merchant, licensed to sell alcohol for both on-premise and off-premise consumption.
About GSSC
Graphic Security Systems Corporation has provided its patented security technology to government-authorized security printers and major corporations for more than 25 years. Its graphics based image solutions protect numerous travel documents, State ID documents and corporate brands around the world. The company is headquartered in Lake Worth, Florida. For more information please visit www.graphicsecurity.com
Scrambled Indicia, VIPhoto, VIP, Doc-U-Lok, Indigram, Stealth SI, SI Digital Decoder, and SI Web Decoder are trademarks of GSSC.
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