Identity Document Fraud
Using forged, altered, or fraudulently obtained identity documents — passports, driving licences, utility bills — to pass verification checks for financial services, tenancy, or employment.
Also known as: document fraud, ID fraud, false identity documents, forged ID
Last reviewed: 1 June 2026
Identity document fraud encompasses the creation, alteration, or misuse of government-issued and other official documents to impersonate another person or fabricate a false identity. Methods range from low-tech alterations (overwriting details on a genuine document) to sophisticated counterfeits produced with specialist printing equipment, and the purchase of genuine documents originally issued to deceased individuals or willing sellers.
In the context of financial crime, identity document fraud enables fraudsters to open bank accounts, apply for credit, take out mortgages, rent properties, or claim benefits under a false name. It frequently underpins synthetic identity fraud, where a mix of real and fake details creates a 'Frankenstein' identity with a credit history.
Organisations conducting Know Your Customer (KYC) checks use layered verification: optical and UV document scanning, biometric matching (comparing a selfie to the document photo), database cross-referencing, and liveness detection. Individuals should protect physical documents carefully and request credit report freezes or CIFAS protective registration if they suspect their details have been compromised.
Examples
- A fraudster uses a digitally altered scan of a genuine driving licence bearing their photo but a stolen victim's name and address to pass an online identity check for a personal loan.