"Can be used anywhere like an app at convenience stores and bars. Available for production 24 hours a day. Please inquire."

The creation and sale of sophisticated forged IDs are rampant on social networking services (SNS). These not only entice youth into delinquency and lead to serious crimes such as official document forgery, but recently have also been exploited for large-scale crimes like real estate scams, raising calls for urgent crackdowns.

SNS forged ID trading encouraging youth delinquency
Mobile ID forgery too... Concerns over criminal misuse

A notice stating 'No entry without ID card, driver's license, or passport' is posted on the entrance door of a store in Mapo-gu, Seoul. Photo by Jaehyun Park

On April 28, searching for keywords such as 'ID forgery' or 'ID card production' on platforms like X (formerly Twitter) and Telegram produced dozens of posts advertising the sale of forged IDs. These businesses claim that their IDs can perfectly deceive not only convenience stores, bars, and karaoke rooms, but also be used for concert ticket transfers or entry to pre-recorded TV broadcasts.

Upon inquiry via Telegram messages, it was found that the going rate was in the range of tens of thousands of won. One seller emphasized, "A physical ID is 250,000 won, and a driver's license is 300,000 won-lowest price in the industry." Some companies even guide buyers through delivery by courier, boasting that the holograms are replicated to closely resemble genuine IDs.

Used in Real Estate Fraud Following Convenience Stores and Bars

"Even the Holograms Are Replicated"... Difficult to Distinguish On Site

Mobile IDs can also be forged easily. Clicking a link sent by a fake mobile ID seller displays a screen that mimics the Government24 mobile ID interface. According to a company representative, "If you enter your name, issue date, resident registration number, and address, you can use it at convenience stores, bars, motels, and more at any time."

Such forged IDs stimulate the delinquent tendencies of youth, providing a means to purchase alcohol and cigarettes, among other acts of misconduct. Although recent legal revisions allow business owners to avoid penalties such as business suspension if they have fulfilled their duty to check identification, there are concerns that the forgery quality has become so high that it is difficult to detect on site. Park Myunggyu (age 70), who runs a convenience store in Mapo-gu, Seoul, said, "If someone is determined and brings in a forged ID that even replicates the hologram and texture, there is no way to verify it."

Openly traded on Telegram... Sold for tens of thousands of won
Risk of secondary crimes such as personal information leakage and voice phishing

When searching for keywords related to 'ID card forgery' on social networking services (SNS), sales accounts and posts uploaded by forgery companies appeared in a row. Screenshot of X (formerly Twitter).

The bigger problem is that these forged IDs are now being used as tools for fraud in real estate transactions. By creating fake IDs with the building owner's personal information and fabricating lease contracts, scammers request urgent sales through brokers and then disappear after taking the deposit. Following actual cases of victims falling prey to such schemes, the Korea Association of Realtors posted a notice on April 7 warning its members to be cautious.

Forgery and use are both serious crimes... Up to 10 years imprisonment

“Frequent leniency for juveniles lowers the threshold for crime”

Under current law, purchasing or using a forged ID constitutes a serious crime. The crime of forging official documents and the crime of using forged official documents are both punishable by up to 10 years in prison. Since there is no provision for a fine, a guilty verdict results in an immediate prison sentence, underscoring the gravity of the offense.

However, there are concerns that the crime threshold has been lowered for juveniles, as it is rare for them to receive prison sentences. Attorney Kwak Junho of Cheong Law Firm explained, "Although these are technically serious crimes that can result in prison sentences, juveniles are often let off with warnings or suspended indictments. For this reason, the threshold for crime has been lowered."

Official document forgery flooding... Calls to strengthen SNS crackdown
Fake ID market spreading... "Must stop before damage increases"

Government24 mobile ID screen (left) and forged mobile ID screen (right). The forged ID can be screen captured, but the Government24 ID cannot be captured. Photo by Jaehyun Park

There are also concerns about the potential for secondary crimes and damages stemming from the use of forged IDs. During the process of making these forged IDs, personal data such as one’s own or another person’s photo and resident registration number handed over to the producers can be exploited for crimes like voice phishing and romance scams. In fact, during the reporting process, one forgery business operating on Telegram was found to retaliate by publicly posting the name, address, date of birth, and resident registration number of a client who failed to pay on time in a group chat.

Kwak Daekyung, a professor at the College of Police & Criminal Justice at Dongguk University, pointed out, "If you use another person's personal information to produce or request a forged ID, you can be charged not only with forging official documents and using forged official documents, but also with violating the Personal Information Protection Act, resulting in more severe punishment. Secondary crimes such as romance scams may also occur."