Important changes regarding driver’s licenses in Florida have come into effect in the last few hours.
The Florida Department of Highway and Motor Vehicles has introduced new measures to combat identity theft through driver’s licenses and state identification cards.
Starting today, citizens who obtain, replace or renew these documents will notice a significant change designed to protect their personal information.
New security measures for driving licenses
The new state law, which went into effect July 31, requires that numbers assigned to driver’s licenses and identification cards include at least four randomly generated digits. This change is intended to add an additional layer of security to make it more difficult for these documents to be used fraudulently.
Opinions
Cinthya Lavin, a spokeswoman for the Better Business Bureau (BBB), welcomed the move: “It is positive that the importance of adding more layers of security to driver’s licenses is being recognized. This will provide greater protection against identity theft.”
Lavin noted that many people are unaware that driver’s licenses can be just as vulnerable to identity theft as Social Security numbers. Criminals can clone licenses, using stolen legitimate numbers to create counterfeit documents that may include other names and photos. With a cloned license, criminals can open bank accounts, access local government websites, and in some cases, even obtain the victim’s Social Security number.
Changes in number assignment
From now on, anyone who obtains, renews or replaces their license in Florida will receive a new number, which will only change if the person changes their last name. This is another step in the state’s efforts to improve the security of identity documents, along with other layers of protection already implemented in the new license or Real ID.
Additional protection
For those who desire an additional level of protection, there is the option to request a flag on their driving record. This flag, known as the Verify ID Flag, requires that the identity of the license holder be verified when the license is presented. Interested parties may request this additional protection by writing a letter to the following address:
Contact information:
Bureau of Motorist Services Support
Driver License Fraud Unit, Mail Stop 84
2900 Apalachee Parkway
Tallahassee, Florida 32399
These measures seek to ensure that Florida driver’s licenses are more secure and that citizens’ personal information is better protected against identity theft.
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