DVS, Clay County foil fraud ring targeting same-day IDs

At first, nothing seemed unusual about the seven people who came to the Clay County Department of Motor Vehicles in Moorhead last December to apply for same-day IDs. Moorhead was one of two locations participating in a Driver and Vehicle Services (DVS) pilot program that allowed customers to apply for their license or ID and have it printed out on the spot. 

But what seemed like a typical transaction turned out to be an attempt at a coordinated, multi-state act of identity fraud, which was thwarted thanks to the diligence of staff at the Clay County Department of Motor Vehicles and DVS. 

Staff became suspicious when they noticed seven more people arriving in the same white van a week later. Just like the first group, most of the applicants used Louisiana birth certificates as documentation, and applied only for photo IDs even if they had driving privileges. 

While they used legitimate birth certificates to apply, they lied about having Minneapolis addresses and being Minnesota residents. 

Concerned, a supervisor at the Moorhead office contacted DVS staff and worked with them to deny documents.   

Two of the people denied IDs in Moorhead then tried to get same-day IDs at Dakota County’s Lakeville License Center, the other location of the pilot program. Because DVS had already placed holds on the records to prevent applications at any location, the Lakeville office denied them service.   

A few days later the same white van showed up in Moorhead again, this time with Florida license plates. The Moorhead office worked with DVS to add holds on the records as they were being created. Staff also called police, who questioned the applicants and discovered they had all been approached in Louisiana about a “job opportunity” — an all-expenses paid trip to Minnesota to get same-day IDs. Upon returning to Louisiana and handing over the IDs, they were told they would each be paid $3,000.  

Thanks to the partnership between the Moorhead office and DVS, all the applicants were either denied or had their license canceled. 

“We’re really proud of the teamwork between our staff and our business partners that effectively blocked an organized attempt at criminal behavior,” said DVS Director Pong Xiong said. “A driver’s license or ID is such a crucial part of conducting the business of life — unfortunately, in the wrong hands it can be a major tool in a criminal’s arsenal.”  

The same-day license program has since been discontinued.  Xiong said the lessons learned from this and other pilots help us develop stronger programs that better serve Minnesotans. DVS also tracks identity scams happening in other states and are vigilant about taking steps to prevent them from happening here. 

“We understand the importance of safeguarding customer information,” Xiong said. “We take our role in protecting the integrity of driver’s licenses and IDs in Minnesota very seriously.”