John McGinn, Catherine Carey & David Godfrey
Document Examination Section
Identity Branch
Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC)
PO Box 25 Chan St, Belconnen, ACT, 2615 Australia

(1 Day session)

New identity document security features/technology and how to develop fraud awareness and detection capabilities in front-line staff

Document fraud can achieve identity fraud. Identity fraud enables people involved in activities of criminal or security concern to conceal their identity and evade detection. There is a sharper focus since September 11, 2001 on preventing and detecting identity fraud. That sharper focus has led (i) to improvements in passport and identity card security features and (ii) to programs that will heighten fraud awareness and detection capability among staff handling identity documents. Two complementary ½ day workshops on these themes are intended for up to 20 existing and new practitioners in the forensic document examination field.

Theme1:
TITLE: Developing fraud awareness and a document fraud detection capacity among non-practitioners: workplace application

The tens of thousands of people in public sector and private sector organisations in Australia and New Zealand who handle and rely upon clients’ documents to make decisions are not born with heightened fraud awareness. Nor do they automatically develop a foundation capability to check for and detect irregularities which might suggest document fraud. But this very important human element not only determines whether documents they refer for forensic examination will be fraud rich, it also risks the acceptance and non-referral for examination of vast quantities of fraudulent documents. Advances in technology to integrate security features in documents and advances in systems to check that these security features are reacting as expected can help. But unless the staff on the front line who handle the documents have both a fraud-alert frame of mind and some foundation skills in document fraud recognition these advances in technology and systems will be of limited efficacy.

The aim of this interactive discussion-style workshop is to introduce some models for use by forensic document examiners to foster the development of a fraud alert mind in font-line staff and to impart in them some foundation document fraud detection skills.

Theme 2:
TITLE: Your passport to new identity document security features and technology

In recent years issuing authorities have included biometric technology and polymer and polycarbonate substrates within passports and identity cards. As a result of the advances in document security, technology has also been developed to assist in the verification of proof of identity (POI) documents, particularly passports, and detection of fraud within them.

The aim of the workshop is to provide participants with an overview of recent POI document security features, how these features may be compromised and the technology available to support practitioners in the examination process.

The workshop will be conducted in a practical and interactive environment. Participants will be provided with opportunities to examine the latest examples of genuine, fraudulent and counterfeit security documents from a range of countries. A variety of equipment and research tools, such as iA–thenticate, Edison TD, DISCS, DEANS and hand held tools will be available to participants.