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Comment by RockRobotRock | Hacker News Reader

I had a fake ID, and it being scannable was a huge selling point. Convenience stores all scan, and don't seem to care if you look underage. I was only turned down two or three times, usually at bars and restaurants.

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The first thing I do with a real ID is widen the reference bars on the sides so the checkout scanner can't read it. If they want my birthday they can type it in manually, I don't need all my info in some store database.

Defacing a photo Id(driver's license or passport) is technically a crime.

The optimal level of crime is not zero.

While true, this is not the context that idea applies to.

I've heard the advice to use a passport card for this. It has your age, it has your name, but it does not have your address.

Of course passports are expensive and not everyone has them, but if you do, next time you renew, opt for the book+card option.

Interestingly, I've never had anyone scan my DL barcode. About 10% of them look at my ID and manually enter it. The rest look at my gray beard, ask me for my birthdate, and key in whatever random plausible date I give them. :) (There's one store where the gray beard is enough and they remotely approve me at the self checkout, no questions asked. The misery of it is that I only buy NA beer and that still requires an ID.)

At 7-11, they will not - cannot - do this. Their pos system requires a scannable license, and will block even a 50 year old from buying age restricted items. N=3 stores for me, and only tested in NY.

The other thing I remember was California fakes folding in half and not breaking

The flex of the plastic is always a good way to check. Although I've held a fake NY ID and a legit one at the same time and could not tell any difference. Even did a double blind test.

Weirdly when I first got my California DL I thought it felt fake compared to my home state because it was so much thinner. Maybe it’s better for the environment.

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