Comments

Nicholas Weaver • March 16, 2007 1:44 PM

How do you know that the “Fake” is real?

Given the context, I could see someone selling fake “fake” cards, getting people’s money, and dissapearing, using the image of a real card as “evidence” of their ability to create a fake.

Karl • March 16, 2007 2:07 PM

It’s interesting that they don’t ask for a thumbprint image from you. A non-matching thumbprint would be a dead giveaway that the card is fake.

Andre LePlume • March 16, 2007 2:33 PM

The real one is “Adam Smith” from the country of Antarctica. I guess it is real, but not valid :^)

Tim • March 16, 2007 2:46 PM

This is why “undocumented worker” is an invalid label for illegal aliens. They are not “undocumented,” they have fake (or stolen) documents.

Alex • March 16, 2007 2:54 PM

@Karl,

And how many times you think your ‘thumbprint’ will be checked in reality for authentication?
These cards are is little more that a fake drivers license, but hey,we all know that these work as good as the real ones.

Micah Cowan • March 16, 2007 3:59 PM

I note that the hologram stickers seem slightly smaller than the card. On some pictures, you can see an edge where the sticker ends and the card continues for a few mm.

george • March 16, 2007 4:41 PM

It still doesn’t get you an SSN. That is only issued if the regional USCIS office confirms to the Social Security Office that you are eligible to work.

Result: you also have to buy the fake SSN. It’s only good for raids, not for actually getting illegitimately into the system.

Better would be if people offered to alter the database at the USCIS to say you are due a card. This is more complex, but eventually it will happen, just as it does at the DMV.

Stig Hemmer • March 16, 2007 5:46 PM

They offered to send you a sample for $30. My guess is that they want lots of people to send them $30…

Second possibility is immigration officials trolling for illegals.

Matthew Skala • March 16, 2007 11:23 PM

Usenet newsgroups are not “sites” and are not part of Google Groups. Google Groups can stop carrying them, but that only makes them inaccessible to Google Groups users – not to the overwhelming majority of Usenet users who are not Google Groups users. Report away if it makes you feel better, but it’s an exercise similar to closing your eyes so that the room will be dark.

nedu • March 17, 2007 3:02 AM

@Matthew Skala

Just give up.

Everyone+dog knows that der Google-ICANN (*) stole supreme ownership and gubmint of teh intarwebs from its one true inventor: Bill Gates. It was a coup. Or an invasion. Or something. Maybe a flame-war. Anyhow, now der Google-ICANN runs everything, evarywhere, all the time.

(*) Rhymes with Kublai-Khan.

clvrmnky • March 17, 2007 8:32 AM

‘This is why “undocumented worker” is an invalid label for illegal aliens. They are not “undocumented,” they have fake (or stolen) documents.’

They are not documented in that the government has no matching documentation on file, like they do with you and me.

Documentation has at least two parts: the part you have and perhaps carry around, and the part some other agent keeps on file, often with more details associated with it that you don’t have.

Matt from CT • March 17, 2007 11:43 AM

Illigal alien is the proper term for non-citizens who do not have a legal right to be in the country.

Not all undocumented persons are here illegally — there are the rare people who’ve had records wiped out in a disaster, or were born to parents who stayed out of the “official” channels.

But hey, it serves a political agenda to try and give them the kinder, gentler term “undocumented immigrant” implying they simply don’t have documents they’re entitled too and actually have an expectation that they can relocate permenantly…laws be damned.

It’s fine to debate the immigration issues. Personally, I’d love to encourage a lot more legal immigration as well as long-term work residency permits and educational residency permits. It’s good for the economy and society.

But it’s bad process to corrupt the language to suit political ends, and “undocumented immigrants” belongs up there with “some animals are more equal than others” for hogwash.

averros • March 17, 2007 5:11 PM

Why people offering a way to beat the long arm of Uncle Sam by faking some official mandates are considered criminals?

The last time I checked these dreaded illegals were doing no harm, working jobs no one else would take. Their only “crime” is being unable to wrestle with the monstrous immigration tyranny.

By the way, the traditional way in Soviet prison camps to deal with informers to the authorities was to drown the informer in an outhouse. I guess that’s why that Anonymous snitch preferred to stay anonymous.

Prohias • March 18, 2007 5:33 PM

Wow! I am a US citizen through naturalization. Many of my colleagues as well as I worked in multiple companies with a work authorization card as part of the last stage of a permanent resident (green) card. In all these places, HR asked for the card and diligently photocopied it. I don’t believe any of them actually verified the authenticity. Ironically, one of my colleagues worked as a security architect while bearing the card. In most (all?) companies, they don’t even follow up on the printed expiry date to see if you have renewed it.

I don’t know who uses the bar code on these cards apart from the Citizenship and Immigration Services people, if at all. They are no use for entry into the country (that requires the ‘Advance Parole’ card).

Anyways, all this may be totally moot considering that congress will most likely allow for general amnesty for a bunch of illegal aliens, making a mockery out of those who have diligently followed the process for 6+ years and are often lost in the intricacies of the process.

X the Unknown • March 19, 2007 9:47 AM

I noticed that the fingerprint-redactions in most of the fake-card pictures left the majority of the image visible. Does anybody know if the remaining partial would be enough for the FBI (or whomever) to identify the print-maker?

Mike 32 • March 19, 2007 5:12 PM

What do you call an undocumented worker who has no intention of working, but still wants to stay in the US? undocumented non-worker?

stanevid • April 30, 2007 1:07 AM

I make the first IDs for me and my friends so we can work. I have good education from my country but the only way to use it is doing stuff like that.
I have posted in a lot forums but didn’t sell any IDs yet!
This is not an add. It is just something from me.

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