Fake ID nightmare

[BerryTwister]

I’m wondering if anyone can share any experiences. Please please please don’t tell me my son is evil and should be locked up, I can’t bear to hear it.

DS is just 17. His mates are now going to parties etc, drinking beer and so on. DS doesn’t get drunk, but drinks a couple of cans if he’s out at a party. A few of his contemporaries have got fake IDs, so stupidly, and obviously without telling me, he bought a fake ID online.

He supplied his photo, name, address and signature (but incorrect date of birth of course) to the seller.

And now, of course, he’s been scammed. He paid £40 for the ID, got sent a photo of it, and now the “courier” is demanding £100 before sending it or he’ll “open the package and go to the police”. It’s an obvious scam. I’ve messaged the courier and he as good as admitted it’s blackmail. It’s clear they’re scammers, so there’s no way they’d go to the police. Nor will they ever send the ID.

DS is utterly distraught. He’s convinced he’s going to end up in prison. He wants to go to the police right now and hand himself in.

My worry is that with the information he provided, the scammers could do some damage - not sure what exactly, but it seems like a lot of information for them to have.

I’m livid with DS. He knows about scammers, we get scam phone calls all the time. He knows how wary I am of anything dodgy.

Has anyone got any experience of this? Will it all just disappear if we don’t do anything, or will something bad happen?

What kind of ID is it?

I imagine plod would be a lot more interested in people sellling fake ID than a child trying to buy it; I'd go to them.

A driving licence, which I think is probably bad, because it could be used to drive (son only just started learning). But of course we don’t, and never will, have the fake ID. So there’s no danger of DS ever being in possession of it.

I’ve been trying to find out what the penalties are for ordering a fake ID, but all the information available seems to relate to using a fake ID, which is never going to happen.

I'd just block all contact and count the £40 gone.

The ID like you said will never have been in your sons possession. Making fake IDs and blackmailing is a bigger crime. There is no incentive for the fake ID salesperson to bring heat on themselves and there is no way your son could get into trouble without the creator getting in more trouble.

If it was an anonymous report it would be very hard to prove someone else hadn't maliciously taken your sons name and photo off social media anyway. It would be at most an interview- he would go no comment as advised by counsel- and the matter would be dropped.

I think you need to report it as his identity could be misused so there's a whole other list of problems that could come down the road if you don't. Could you ring the likes of a citizens advice service and ask advice on what would happen if you report it. Personally I think police will be much more interested in the people who have exploited and scammed your child than the fact he's tried to buy a fake I'd. Especially since he hasn't actually bought one - he's attempted and been scammed so whether a crime itself has actually been committed by him is questionable. I think there's also a part of your son needing to take his oil... this is the natural consequence to a really poor decision he made and honestly op, I don't see it being life ruining stuff but hopefully it would give him a good scare so he thinks twice before doing anything similar again. The police have ways of disposing of charges against children who are also victims. For example giving a caution and fine which would be sealed eventually. Obviously this really depends and you need to get advice from a legal professional. Could you post in legal matters as maybe someone could advise better in there?

I'm not sure if doing nothing is going to be an option if he's given all his personal information away.

Not yet scammed but in a similar situation in that I have discovered DS has also ordered a fake ID which has yet to materialise. Can I ask which site your DS used in case it’s the same one?

please don’t tell me my son is evil and should be locked up, I can’t bear to hear it

This is an incredibly extreme reaction, please don’t panic like this in front of your son and pass on any extra anxieties.

He’s fucked up. He won’t be the first and certainly won’t be the last. So hopefully he’s learned his lesson.

The “courier” will absolutely not go to the police. Why would a criminal incriminate themselves like that? Please think rationally here. The “courier” is only threatening to go to the police to get more money.

The “courier” will most likely just sell on your son’s fake ID to another young lad who’s willing to pay £100 for it.

These dodgie blokes who make and sell the fake ID’s will have hundreds of them. It’ll be very very unlikely that they’ll use your son’s information for any type of scam.

Fully agree with @ImFinePMSL

@Avebury I don’t actually know. I don’t think it was a website as such. The messages were on WhatsApp. If it’s a similar scam, then shortly he’ll get a message from the “courier” saying they need a mandatory insurance fee of £100 because it’s a “discrete package”. And that if they don’t get the money, they may have to “evaluate” ie open the package. An obvious threat and blackmail.

My comment related to lots of posts on MN when people ask for help about things their kids have done, only to get a pile-on about how awful their kids are and that they deserve what they get. I couldn’t face that. DS is a nice kid and he’s broken by this.

You have to ask yourself is a scammer really going to go to the police, are they fuck.

Hello mr police man im trying to scam someone and its not working, they have evdence of me trying to scam them.

As i said on your other thread your son is not going to prison.
And id have some fun with the black mailer.

I don’t want to minimise his upset but, other than him having done something dumb, it’s really not that big a deal.

It’s fabulous that he’s come to you about it.

Obviously identity theft is a real issue but all he can do is keep an eye on things. Personally I’ve been the ‘victim’ of two major data leaks, and all my personal details PLUS my passport details have apparently been posted on the dark web as a result. The most annoying thing has been the increased number of spam phone calls/texts. It’s serious, but it happens to many, many people.

Poor kid. My DS isn’t too much younger. We’ve all done stupid things when young. The best thing is that he spotted the actual scam and didn’t pay anything else.

He’s lost his £40, and to be honest that seems like a fair punishment.

No scammer is going to go to police and tell them about it though, they’d leave themselves open as their knowledge.

It’s just an additional scam.

Honestly OP, understand why you are worried and upset but it’s not that big a deal. My DS is 17 and loads of them have fake ids, a friend of his got scammed a few months ago, he lost £80 and they all just laughed at him about it. Occasionally someone will get caught using one but all that happens is the bar staff keep it ime. There is not a chance in hell the actual criminal who is selling fake ids and blackmailing children is going to go the police. Calm your son down, tell him it’s a good lesson in not buying dodgy stuff on the internet and give yourself a pat on the back because it’s really good he’s telling you about stuff like this (pretty sure mine wouldn’t)

If anyone on here tells you your son is evil and deserves to be locked up please ignore because obviously he’s not. I had a fake id back in the 90s as did all my friends. Teenagers are going to teenage - unfortunately for this generation it’s a lot more complicated than changing your dob on your NUS card with a biro .

Yes the thing that worries me is that his photo, address, name and signature are “out there”. But I’m telling myself that photos, names and addresses are readily available on Facebook etc, and handwritten signatures aren’t really used any more, not like in the days of signing cheques etc.

Don’t worry OP, nothing will come of this.

DD has had fake ID’s since she was 15. Her first one was terrible and got confiscated by the bar she showed it to straight away. Apparently bar staff were laughing it was so bad. Second lot, she was scammed. Transferred the money and surprise surprise, no ID.

She has another now, no idea how long that will last but she’s only a year away from being 18 now so it doesn’t need to last long.

Police aren’t interested in kids with fake ID’s beyond confiscating them.

There’s nothing the scammer can do with just a name and address. They could get that from the Electoral Roll.

You’re absolutely right. And the thing is that (like in my case) it could happen to him anyway. In my case the details were on the databases of my internet provider (a major company) and the effing government health screening agency here in the Netherlands, both of which were hacked. You would think your pap smear results would be safe, but no.

(My DOB and national ID number are out there too.)

So there are plenty of tech people who are much more stupid and reckless than your (underage) son, and at least the only person he’s potentially exposed is himself!

I’m pretty sure these idiots are just doing it for the small amounts of money; they probably won’t do anything with his details. Obvs he’ll still need to be careful but I assume his main value to them was as a potential source of cash.

Oh and tell your DS that if he gets another one, as it’s a fake ID, the details don’t need to be real! Fake ID, fake name, fake address and fake DOB!

But how would he get it if he gives them a fake address?

I believe my DD’s and her friends methods are that they all use each other’s addresses.

Completely made up other details though.

Do you genuinely believe a bunch of mothers would call your son “evil” and say he deserves prison for spending £40 attempting to buy a fake ID?

I’m sorry but you sound incredibly sheltered.

@ImFinePMSL yes, I’ve seen that sort of thing on MN sadly. I’ve been on here for 20 years and some people are brutal.

It’s really not a big deal and nothing will come of it. As if the bloke is going to go to the police admitting he’s producing fake IDs and blackmailing people 🤣😂 Block him and forget about it. Then there potentially should be a lesson there for you son about buying dodgy stuff online and not to do it again but teens be teens so I suspect he’ll try again. Next time get a recommendation from a school mate first then use a fake name, fake date of birth and an alternative address e.g. he orders with a mate and they use each other addresses so there’s absolutely no personal information beside the photo being put out there.

Thank you - this is the line I've taken with him - learn from it, don't do it again, and run this kind of thing past me first.

Accept that the £40 is gone, report anonymously to crime stoppers and then forget about it. Lesson learned for ds.

i'd be inclined to still speak with the police, not because of what your son has done, but because of the obvious scamming of kids. You've said yourself he at least came and told you, but clearly hes incredibly upset by it. Imagine another child who can't speak to a parent or trusted adult - that level of fear and stress can push a child to far.