Although arriving at the legal drinking age of 21 might seem like light years away, you don’t want to let your sense of urgency to be able to legally purchase alcohol cloud your ability to exercise sound judgment. Just like drinking and driving, using a fake ID can have longstanding consequences for your life, especially when as it relates to putting your future livelihood at risk.
The person you offer your information to that’s supposed to create that fake ID for you is doing something illegal him or herself. Therefore, if you provide your real information to another individual to make a fake ID for you, then you risk having your personal data ending up being sold off to someone else who may then impersonate you. This identity theft can, in turn, result in your image and credit both being put at risk.
You also risk losing your own driver’s license in more jurisdictions once it’s proven that you enlisted someone else to make you a fake one.
It’s also important to note that, even if the fake ID contains your own personal data, with just a modification of your birth date, it is still illegal to use it. If caught, you could be charged with the crime of using a fake ID, fraud and for of alcohol possession by a minor charges as well. Depending on the circumstances surrounding your case, you could end up a felon if convicted of these crimes.
If you’re convicted of this type of crime under the age of 18, then you may be able to be have it later expunged from your juvenile record. For those older than that, criminal convictions have the potential to remain on your permanent record indefinitely. This can have a significant impact on your ability to get into certain colleges or to land jobs, especially the element of dishonesty associated with this crime.
As if the possession of a fake ID weren’t serious enough of a crime, driving drunk while underage makes the situation only worse. If you’ve been charged with any alcohol-related offense, then an Athens, Georgia, criminal defense attorney can advise you of the penalties you are facing.
Source: FindLaw, “Using a Fake ID? 5 Potential Legal Consequences =,” Betty Wang, accessed Sep. 15, 2017