You don’t intend to use a fake ID for anything truly nefarious. Maybe you want to borrow your older roommate’s driver’s license to get into a bar to see a show, or you want a fake ID to make a few questionable online purchases. College students do this kind of thing all the time — even your parents likely admit to doing it when they were younger.
Don’t be fooled, however: A fake ID can lead to serious legal problems.
Gone are the days when fake IDs were merely confiscated
In your parent’s day, bartenders and others may have just confiscated a fake ID and laughed about it later. Those were different times. Ever since 9-11, there’s been less tolerance for anything remotely associated with false identities.
At best, you could be facing a misdemeanor charge that can net you a $1,000 fine (on top of court costs and other expenses), community service, probation or jail time. You could also, however, face a felony charge that can include a $10,000 fine and three years in prison.
There could be even bigger legal consequences to a fake ID
You could also be accused of identity theft — which is a much more serious offense. Using someone else’s identity is illegal, so “borrowing” that very real ID your buddy left on their dresser for some reason could come back to haunt you in a big way.
If you made a mistake by using a fake or borrowed ID, it shouldn’t ruin your life. Talk to a criminal defense attorney who understands your plight and find out what can be done to help you move forward.