By Juan Montoya
They're on to you.
Brownsville Police Department officers and municipal court staff have been warned about the proliferation of forged Tamaulipas State licenses often bought online through sites such as La Pulga Online in Brownsville.So they're putting out the word: Buyer Beware!
For $150, your photo and personal details, one of these outfits can get you what police say are good quality forgeries.
However, they say that as good as they are, there are some safety and security measures that should make a buyer beware of plunking down the cash.
"The police officers on the street know how to spot these fake licenses," said a municipal court staffer. "They have come over and shown us what to look for. Remember that it is probably worse to try to pass off one of these as real to the court. That constitutes fraud."
In the past two days, municipal court personnel have detected at least two fake licenses from Tamaulipas in identification passed off as the real thing.
"The cost of a driver's license in the State of Tamaulipas is $610 pesos, or about $30 U.S. dollars," said a city worker. "They ask for the same identification there that they do over at the Texas Department of Public Safety. It's cheaper to get a real one than to sen for one."
A first-time fake ID offender may face a fine of up to $1,000 or more, but smaller fines of $500 or less are more common in misdemeanor offenses. Felony offenses can result in fines of as much as $100,000. Probation is also a common sentence for a fake ID conviction
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Local police are warning residents not to buy the bogus licenses because they are easily detected by a trained eye. In case they are presented with a license without the security devices, they can easily spot it.
"Expect it to be cut into pieces with a pair of scissors," said one. "They won't be returned."
"Expect it to be cut into pieces with a pair of scissors," said one. "They won't be returned."