Woman Receives Wrong Photo On Handicap ID

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -- An Albuquerque woman who was just trying to comply with the new handicapped parking law made a startling discovery over the weekend. When she got her new parking plaque, there was another woman's picture where hers should be.

After Action 7 News contacted the Motor Vehicle Division, department officials contacted Askins. Officials indicated that not only was there a photo mix-up on the handicap permit, but Askins' personal information was now apparently attached to the wrong picture in Motor Vehicle Division records.  (more here)

We say:  Data management can be highly secure with proper personnel training and database configuration.  We tend to wonder if this contract went to the lowest bidder.

Brew-Back Update

It's nice to see the promotional products and beverage industry latching onto our Brew-Back Reel.  It's perfect for bartenders, servers, or for individual recreational use.  Here is the video demo.  Enjoy.

Serial-ID thief nabbed in Nebraska

In August 2007, during a search at an Indianapolis residence, Detective Smith found 34 fake Indiana IDs, 39 authentic Ohio birth certificates and two fraudulent check stubs. The IDs all contained a photo of William Smith, a 37-year-old convicted felon.

Each ID, issued by the Bureau of Motor Vehicles between November 2006 and January 2007, had a different name and address. Police have determined many of the names were those of actual people, mostly residents of Ohio, and only a few of the birth certificates match the IDs, giving the indication that the man might have had numerous other fake IDs in his possession.  (more here)

We say:  Yes, again we say ID card documents can be secured with special features and verified with training.  And for a few dollars  background  checks can be run on applicants to assist with identity verification!  And we believe forgers need stiff punishment when caught.  Light penalties will lead to more of this behavior!

PromoPostcard

Our new PromoPostcard combines a postcard and laminated credit card size loyalty or discount card.  It is a nice efficient way to get a memorable card in your customer's hands.   Personalization and short runs are not a problem.  Our services include providing the card only or we can receive your database and handle complete mailing.  It's a great consideration for a number of marketing programs.

We say:  Whatever you do, now is not the time to pull back on advertising and marketing your company.

Mobile Lab for Fake ID's Busted

At about 9 a.m., Monday Trooper Gary Myers saw a Ford Escort visibly advertising identification cards that could be made in ten minutes. The Escort's vehicle did not have a commercial license plate, known as an H-1 tag, required for vehicles used in a commercial enterprise.

When he stopped the vehicle, Trooper Myers saw a portable computer in the front seat and a card printer for producing plastic IDs in the rear seat. The driver gave consent to search and troopers say they recovered several fake Tennessee and Florida ID's.

They say that in a statement, Correa acknowledged making and selling at least 300 of the fraudulent IDs. The ID cards were very close to authentic and might easily fool a financial or business operation. (more here)

We say: Duhh!! Do you think the ID dealer involved had a clue that their customer was up to no good? There are usually warning signs. Those of us in the ID card business need to be alert and do our best to keep secure cards secure.

Half Card Holder

As the year winds down we are hard at work on catalog updates with easy-to-use pricing. There are several new accessories that we developed this year that will be part of our 2009 offerings. We'll be showing a few of them to you in the next several weeks.

One new product is a hard plastic vertical or horizontal half card holder. Both models securely hold a 30 mil credit card size ID. The clear plastic allows for viewing card, but the smooth front also allows for a custom imprint. The horizontal model is designed to allow the user to swipe the card through most magnetic stripe or barcode readers without removing the card from the holder.

As usual, samples are FREE.

When public security is no security

The Virginia Tech massacre, the Oklahoma City bombing, the school shootings at Columbine, 9/11 — these and other violent events have forever informed the dialogue related to security and access control at places of public assembly. But for the many operators of sports and recreation facilities who have seen their security budgets shrink in recent months, the conversation now also turns to money.

...and The Big Quote
"It really amazes me sometimes to see the lack of technology," Widgerson says. "Some people build these $25 million facilities and have no systems in place because they either didn't think of it or they didn't think it was important. I think you'd be out of your mind to not have some kind of technology to validate entry into your facilities." (the entire article here)

We say: Security is always important after something bad happens. It should be more important to deter anything bad happening.

Homeland Security: Rethinking What Works

"Any terrorist worth his or her salt can go out and get a fake ID in about 20 minutes, or they can show up under their own name if they're not a name of somebody that we've been monitoring abroad," he says. "And there are lots of people, unfortunately, who have been willing to be recruited whom we would never know about until the moment they actually commit an attack." (more here)

We still say: ID card security features are low cost compared to security failures and can easily be verified with proper security personnel training.

Look for the ID badge

MEMPHIS, TN - If you get a call from someone saying they're an MLGW employee and they need to come inside your home to check on something, hang up the phone.

On Sunday, November 30, 2008, MLGW officials and Memphis Police issued a public safety warning about a man posing as an MLGW worker.

"Look for I.D. badges," says Stanley. "Every employee has a badge. The truck will be clearly labeled with an MLGW logo so you're going to know it's an MLGW employee. And if you have any questions about it, don't let them in your house." (more here)

We say: Great! Better yet, add a security feature to the badge to make it anti-counterfeit and educate the public.