When we talk about identity theft today, cybercrime immediately comes to mind, and with good reason, According to the latest report from ONDRP and Interpol, identity-related theft and fraud account for more than 20% of all recorded cybercrime worldwide. With the rise of digital services, popular series like Inventing Anna, and growing public awareness campaigns, citizens are becoming increasingly aware of these threats.
However, one major blind spot remains: physical identity documents. Identity cards, passports, and driver’s licenses - biometric or not - are broken, forged, or misused, fueling global trafficking networks and undermining public trust in institutions. In other cases, genuine documents are fraudulently used by others to cross borders or complete administrative procedures. Notably, until 2015 in France, there was no legal framework allowing the prosecution of individuals who used someone else’s genuine documents. A telling example of a systemic delay that becomes increasingly significant amid rising geopolitical tensions.
Identity and mobility: a major geopolitical issue
In a world shaped by large-scale population movements, driven by conflict, climate crises, or economic inequality, identity has become central to political and social debate.
• For governments, providing secure, verifiable, and inclusive identity is a condition of sovereignty.
• For citizens, it is a vital safeguard against exclusion and vulnerability.
Lacking a recognised identity means being invisible and stripped of rights. Conversely, a falsified identity can become a tool for organised crime or terrorism.
A shared responsibility
No single actor can address these challenges alone. Governments must set clear regulatory frameworks, modernise civil registries, and invest in document security. The misuse of someone else’s genuine documents, with or without their consent, must be legally sanctioned.
At the same time, as fraud techniques become increasingly sophisticated, particularly those aimed at disabling the chips in biometric passports, authorities must be equipped and trained to detect these cases effectively. Customs officials, law enforcement, administrative bodies, and even local municipalities are on the front line. Their role extends beyond simply issuing documents; it includes detecting forgeries and the fraudulent use of genuine IDs, ensuring continuous training, and fostering enhanced cooperation at both European and international levels. Document fraud is inherently cross-border, and only coordinated control systems can effectively reduce its impact.
Industry players also have a key role to play
Secure document manufacturers, encryption technology providers, and developers of biometric or digital authentication solutions all contribute to building trust. This includes developing reliable, ethical, and accessible technologies, from biometrics to encryption, and solutions capable of detecting tampering or deliberate chip damage that would prevent biometric verification at borders. This responsibility goes beyond technological innovation; it requires close collaboration with public authorities and ethical reflection on the use of biometric data, ensuring that security does not come at the expense of individual freedoms.
Finally, citizens themselves must adopt active vigilance, as each of us is the guardian of our own identity. Too often, official documents are carelessly stored, photographed, copied, or shared through insecure digital channels. Identity theft often starts with trivial actions: an ID card sent via unprotected email, a misplaced document, or oversharing personal information on social media. Raising awareness of the value of identity documents and limiting their exposure are key pillars of prevention.
Protecting identity is a collective effort
Only through the combined efforts of public institutions, private actors, security forces, and citizens can we rise to this challenge. In a world marked by globalisation and geopolitical tension, identity cannot be reduced to a number or a simple administrative tool; it is a universal value, a fundamental right, and a shared asset we must protect. It is up to all of us to ensure it remains a source of protection, not a vulnerability.
Find out more at https://www.linxens.com/en
Linxens unveils Hint:
Linxens has released Hint, a new solution designed to help border agencies and law-enforcement services detect falsified or tampered identity documents. Hint is the first feature on the market specifically developed to reveal attempts to damage the chip embedded in electronic identity documents.
For several years, numerous studies conducted by international organisations have highlighted that national identity documents, such as passports, identity cards, and driving licenses, are prime targets for fraudsters seeking to falsify identities.
As a result, over the past two decades, the ID industry has continuously introduced new security features into the physical document layers, typically made of secure paper or polycarbonate substrates. However, while the security of these physical layers continues to improve, the chip itself remains largely unprotected. Indeed, in countries that systematically analyse forged documents, nearly all counterfeit or fraudulent IDs show intentional chip damage; an emerging pattern driven by increasingly sophisticated criminal techniques.
How does Hint work?
Embedded directly inside the inlay layer of a secure document, the feature detects magnetic, electrical or physical attempts to disable or alter the chip. This enables border officers and police forces to identify tampered documents faster and with higher precision, strengthening identity verification at airports, border crossings and administrative checkpoints.
The feature can be integrated into any chip-enabled identity document, including electronic passports, national eID cards, residence permits and driver’s licenses.
“Chip-tampering is one of the biggest blind spots in identity security today. Almost every forged document we see in case studies shows deliberate damage to the chip, yet no existing feature was designed to reveal it,” said Jérôme Frou, vice president of Linxens Government. “Hint brings a level of protection the industry was missing. It gives border officers a clear, immediate signal when a document has been manipulated.”
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