BajaNomad - State Dep't priority: Catching passport imposters

State Dep't priority: Catching passport imposters

DENNIS - 2-9-2011 at 09:13 AM

State Dep't priority: Catching passport imposters
By Elizabeth Aguilera

Sign-on San Diego

Tuesday, February 8, 2011 at 5:07 p.m.

Twelve people were arrested for using fraudulently obtained or altered U.S. passports or visas during a two-day operation at the Calexico port of entry recently.

The Operation was coordinated by the Diplomatic Security Service, the law enforcement arm of the U.S. State Department, which has agents stationed at the San Ysidro Port of Entry.

“The gold standard is the U.S. Passport,” said Scott Campbell, resident agent in charge of the Diplomatic Security services San Diego office. “It enables you to live here, it enables you to certain benefits, it allows you to cross the border.”

“Operation Linebacker,” took place Feb. 1-2, in conjunction with U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California. The Operation confiscated five valid U.S. passports and seven B1/B2 Laser Visa Border Crossing Cards. Imposters could face up to 10 years in prison.

Customs and Border Protection officers encounter document fraud on a daily basis and seize thousands of documents annually including passports, visas, birth certificates and drivers licenses, said Billy Whitford, director of the Calexico Port of Entry.

In fiscal year 2009 Customs and Border Protection in San Diego seized 21,280 fraudulent documents. From Oct. 1 2009 through April 30, 2010 The San Ysidro port of entry confiscated 1,440 U.S. passports and 8,641 border crossing and legal permanent resident cards.

The special operation with DSS provided outside support for investigations into the document fraud and prosecution of nearly every case, Whitford said. Typically border officers process these cases for removal, hearing or prosecution.

Document fraud has been on the rise since it became mandatory for all border crossers to present documentation of U.S. residency in 2009. That year document fraud rose 12 percent nationally compared to 2008, Whitford said.

“Partnerships like the one with DSS are crucial,” Whitford said. “They provide investigative support and help facilitate the cases.”

Last year the Diplomatic Security Service office tallied 271 arrests, 40 to 50 of those were related to application fraud away from the border and the rest of the arrests were made at Ports of Entry, according to DSS data. Application fraud entails the use of a fake birth certificate or other document to obtain a passport. In 2009 the agency logged 194 arrests related to passport and visa fraud and the year prior 152 arrests were made.

The vast majority of the documents are lost or stolen and then sold through document brokers for $2,200 to $3,000, according to DSS. If a passport or visa has been reported stolen or lost a red flag would alert the officer when the document is used but few Americans report the theft or loss of these documents so officers must be scrutinizing, Campbell said.

Seizing passports at the border also prevents the imposter from using the valid passport to obtain other documents such as birth certificates and drivers licenses in a reverse form of identity theft.

The partnership was created in 2008 through a pilot program focused on visa and passport fraud at the border. The program was formalized in 2009 with a satellite office and three permanent agents at the San Ysidro border.

“We add a little extra focus and assist with arrests,” Campbell said. “It’s manpower intensive to do long interviews and transport and arrest.”

Last June another short-term operation by Diplomatic Security Services and Customs and Border Protection resulted in 108 arrests for passport and visa fraud.

DENNIS - 2-9-2011 at 09:16 AM

“The gold standard is the U.S. Passport,” said Scott Campbell, resident agent in charge of the Diplomatic Security services San Diego office. “It enables you to live here, it enables you to certain benefits, it allows you to cross the border.”
-------------------------------------------

Can anybody begin to understand what this person is saying? Does your Passport enable you to live in the US?
Does it allow you to cross the border?

We pay good money to hire marooons to say things like this.

Woooosh - 2-9-2011 at 12:15 PM

I was reading on another blog this morning that the "renting" of USA laser visas and passports is a thriving industry in TJ. If you look close enough, you have a shot making it across.

tjBill - 2-10-2011 at 12:46 AM

Quote:

The vast majority of the documents are lost or stolen and then sold through document brokers for $2,200 to $3,000, according to DSS.

So you're US passport is worth 2K - 3K for a thief. Carrying it is like putting 2K cash in your wallet.

I use my CA drivers license as ID in MX. Its also easier to replace if lost.

nbacc - 2-10-2011 at 06:44 AM

Is that why they asked me to take my sunglasses off when I came north through the border at Calexico? I did not mind but it was a first for all the times I have come through. Nancy

Woooosh - 2-10-2011 at 11:05 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by nbacc
Is that why they asked me to take my sunglasses off when I came north through the border at Calexico? I did not mind but it was a first for all the times I have come through. Nancy

Yup, a visual check to your passport photo. We always take our sunglasses off, wind all the windows down and turn down the stereo when we pull up to the booth. It doesn't hurt to be friendly and say hello and to look them in the eye either.

durrelllrobert - 2-10-2011 at 12:08 PM

when my US passport, along with a bunch of other stuff, was stolen from my car in MX and I reported it to PGJE the first thing they asked me was 'how much did you sell it for?". when I reported it to US Immigration they just replaced it without asking anything. :?:

Bajahowodd - 2-10-2011 at 03:23 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Woooosh

Quote:

Doing as Woooosh says will reduce the possibility of being sent to secondary. Sure, there are many factors involved. But eliminating a few just increases your chances of being waved on through.

That said, two years ago we returned from a Baja trip and were obligated to turn in our leased Toyota a couple of days later. I cannot say for sure, but inasmuch as I used to keep our passports in the drivers side door pocket, we soon found that we no longer had passports. Guessing that some detailer at Power Toyota made a killing on selling them.