Teens turn to Photoshop to produce fake IDs and break underage bans
FAKING copies of certified identity documents to enter clubs and other recreational facilities with over-18 age limits is becoming all too easy for IT-savvy teens in Port Elizabeth.
The Department of Home Affairs and police have identified it as a “big problem”.
One 16-year-old high school pupil, who asked not to be identified, is in possession of a fake copy that she made herself in just two hours.
“I scanned my ID and then changed the date [of birth] on Photoshop.
“I already had copies of police certification stamps on my computer, so I just copied and pasted those onto the final document. Then I printed it and put it in a plastic sleeve.”
According to her fake certified ID copy, she is 20.
In a snap survey by the Herald’s youth reporters of about 20 randomly picked 16- and 17-year-olds, almost all admitted either to owning a fake copy of a certified ID or being aware of someone with one.
All the fakes were created to gain access to venues with a strictly over-18 policy. A bouncer at one nightspot, who asked for the name of the club and his name not to be used, said a lot of underage clubbers used siblings’ IDs or substituted their pictures on documents.
“Nowadays there are more underage clubbers than legal-age clubbers.
“The older patrons are fed up with youngsters encroaching on their space,” he said.
The bouncer says it is also becoming clear that not much is being done to rectify the problem.
“Venues are struggling and some even allow youngsters in just to fill the club and move stock – alcohol.”
Fake ID users say bouncers merely glance at copies of IDs. It is dark and they hardly check the validity or whether the copy has been properly certified or not, students say.
But at Castro’s in Mount Croix, owner Andre Kock insisted the club sticks to legal requirements.
“We check IDs. If they are 18, they are let in. We don’t allow underaged children in and we can’t be liable for false IDs.”
One high school pupil blamed the lack of variety and things to do.
“There are definitely not enough activities for people my age in Port Elizabeth. We constantly find ourselves at the same places, doing things we’ve done numerous times before.
“There aren’t really any other activities to attract us,” she said.
Home Affairs spokesman Mayihlome Tshwete admitted that the faking of identity document copies was a “big problem” and that the department had established a counter-corruption unit.
He encouraged people to report any form of corruption to the unit.
Police spokeswoman Captain Sandra Janse van Rensberg says it is a criminal offence to fake a copy of an ID and the public should ensure police certify documents properly by making sure the document is valid.
In cases where this does not happen, she encourages people to report the matter.
Youth counsellor Simone Labuschagne warned that underage clubbers “could easily get lured into the wrong things”.