25 votes

An instant fake ID factory - An underground website called OnlyFake is claiming to use “neural networks” to generate realistic looking photos of fake IDs for just $15

Posted by Hollow
Tags: crime, fraud, forgery, identification.fake, websites, onlyfake, neural networks, author.joseph cox, source.404media, short read
https://www.404media.co/email/7ba8cca7-96d2-487d-a1e3-5cc0de98fc4e/

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Title
An Instant Fake ID Factory
Published
Feb 5 2024
Word count
294 words

8 comments

  1. Hollow
    Link

    In our own tests, OnlyFake created a highly convincing California driver's license, complete with whatever arbitrary name, biographical information, address, expiration date, and signature we wanted. The photo even gives the appearance that the ID card is laying on a fluffy carpet, as if someone has placed it on the floor and snapped a picture, which many sites require for verification purposes. 404 Media then used another fake ID generated by this site to successfully step through the identity verification process on OKX. OKX is a cryptocurrency exchange that has recently appeared in multiple court records because of its use by criminals.

    15 votes
  2. [4]
    Halfdan
    Link
    Wouldn't it cost roughly the same to have someone photoshop it?

    Wouldn't it cost roughly the same to have someone photoshop it?

    5 votes
    1. [3]
      Jedi
      Link Parent
      Photoshop itself costs more than that every month, I would hope someone willing to commit a crime would charge more than that.

      Photoshop itself costs more than that every month, I would hope someone willing to commit a crime would charge more than that.

      5 votes
      1. public
        Link Parent
        Is the GIMP truly that hard to use that even motivated criminals can’t figure it out?

        Is the GIMP truly that hard to use that even motivated criminals can’t figure it out?

        9 votes
      2. sparksbet
        Link Parent
        lmao as if the people photoshopping fale IDs are paying for photoshop

        lmao as if the people photoshopping fale IDs are paying for photoshop

        8 votes
  3. [2]
    snazz
    Link
    This is an interesting use of image generation technology. I doubt that it's really quite as revolutionary as the article implies, though. The price in the headline is about 1/3 the price of...

    This is an interesting use of image generation technology. I doubt that it's really quite as revolutionary as the article implies, though. The price in the headline is about 1/3 the price of buying an actual plastic one (in bulk), so the primary advantage of this would be being able to produce the images quicker and at a somewhat greater scale. I can't imagine a photo of an ID would be enough to open a bank account at very many banks since they usually do a soft credit pull. And then I'd think it would raise some red flags at the IRS when the bank sends the 1099-INT and nobody exists with that SSN.

    5 votes
    1. [2]
      Comment deleted by author
      Link Parent
      1. Octofox
        Link Parent
        I’d be surprised if they don’t have a system that actually verifies the ID details with a government database.

        I’d be surprised if they don’t have a system that actually verifies the ID details with a government database.

        7 votes
  4. teaearlgraycold
    Link
    I'd assumed these services would validate the IDs against a database.

    I'd assumed these services would validate the IDs against a database.

    3 votes