How Minors Using Fake IDs Affect Businesses
The growing trend of minors using counterfeit identification has seen a significant rise in recent years. This surge is driven by young individuals' desire to engage in activities and enjoy privileges typically reserved for adults. In a survey conducted by The Lantern in Ohio, an astonishing 69% of underage students admitted to either possessing or using a fake ID. These statistics raise serious concerns and emphasize the need to address this widespread issue promptly and effectively.
With the advancement of technology, spotting fake IDs has become increasingly difficult and while it may seem like a harmless act for minors to use fake ids for the sake of enjoyment, there are severe consequences to business and society that should be considered.
Legal Penalties
Businesses that cater to age-restricted products or services face legal penalties when found allowing minors on their premises. A Lower Mainland liquor store was fined $7,000 for selling alcohol to a minor during a sting operation conducted by the Minors as Agents Program (MAP).
Additionally, minors caught using fake IDs could face legal consequences, including fines, community service, probation, or even juvenile detention.
Loss of Licenses and Permits
Depending on the severity of the offense and local regulations, businesses may face temporary or permanent revocation of their licenses and permits. This outcome can effectively shut down operations.
Reputation Damage
Allowing minors to access age-gated businesses raises ethical concerns which can be detrimental to their reputation. Such incidents can lead to negative publicity, loss of customer trust, and a decline in patronage. .
Safety Concerns
When minors breach age-gated restrictions, they expose themselves to risks and potentially expose the business to liability if accidents or incidents occur.
A Robust Age Verification Process
To combat the use of fake IDs by minors, Patronscan offers advanced identity verification technology designed to swiftly authenticate IDs. With over 200,000,000 ids scanned since 2015, Patronscan analyzes over 8,000 data points to determine an ID's authenticity, flagging fake IDs irrespective to its level of sophistication.
Daniel Alemar, the owner of Highwater, recently stated, “By implementing Patronscan’s identity verification solution, we successfully detected minors who were trying to enter the bar using fake IDs."
Implementing a robust age verification process through our technology is an essential step that businesses should take to protect themselves, their patrons, and the integrity of age-gated environments. By leveraging Patronscan's advanced technology, establishments can ensure compliance, maintain their reputation, and create safer environments for all individuals involved.
Talk to one of our experts today and we will help you to keep your business safe: https://patronscan.com/talk-to-an-expert/
