While fake IDs have begun to present large scale security issues on a national level, they still are a major problem for small businesses like restaurants, bars and convenience stores. Penalties for steep for establishments caught selling alcohol and tobacco to minors, and with ID card technology developing every day, it has become even more difficult to determine if an ID is real or forged.

Although it’s impossible to determine the authenticity of every ID card you come across, using your common sense, intuition and these tips can help you avoid the steep fines associated with fake IDs:

• Expiration – Check the expiration date on all ID cards. If it’s expired, don’t accept it.
• Alteration – Many times, especially among teens who want to purchase alcohol or tobacco, IDs will be altered in order to read a different birth date. A popular method for doing this is by pricking the surface of the ID with a pin tipped with bleach.
• Reference – The most popular form of faked IDs is a state ID, whether it be from your state or another state. Many state liquor commissions issue booklets with detailed images of each state license and ID card. Keep one of these on hand so your clerks, bouncers and bar tenders have an easy reference for suspicious out-of-state IDs. A large sized printout of your state’s drivers licenses and ID cards behind the register may also be handy for retail situations.
• Imperfections – Though technology may allow forgers to create perfect replicas of authentic IDs, mistakes are human. Be thorough when checking a suspicious ID – look for misspellings, blurry graphics, mixed up layouts, and differences between the person presenting the card and the information on the card.  A card may look perfect from the front, but always be sure to check the back of a suspicious ID.  Many times, the forgers spend all their effort perfecting the front and leave the back side of the ID sloppily done – a dead giveaway that it’s a fake.
• Holographs – Most official IDs now come with a holograph overlay for a layer of added security. There are card printers that can create the holographic overlay effect, but exact replication of an official ID may be difficult. Make sure the holographs are identical to an authentic ID – for a drivers license, they should bear the state’s seal, never an "authentic" or "lock and key" style holograph. Black lights are a handy way to easily check the authenticity of a holograph.
• Bar codes – All state-issued IDs have a bar code on the back which will match up to a state database. Consider investing in a bar code reader that can authenticate these bar codes. A clerk scans the ID and immediately, if valid, its information will be revealed. Forged ID cards will not be validated, neither will a stolen or otherwise altered ID.

Technology aside, the most important weapons you have in the fight against fake IDs are intuition and common sense. Don’t be afraid to ask for an alternate form of ID, like a valid credit card or student ID. Make sure your employees are aware of the implications of accepting a fake ID and have a clear policy on how to handle these situations.