Leave the Fake IDs at Home This Summer

Summer concert season is in full swing and so is New York’s crackdown on fake IDs and underage drinking. This week, Governor Cuomo announced the continuation of the effort to prevent underage access to alcohol at concerts and bars across New York.

“When alcohol finds its way into the hands of young people, far too often it ends in tragedy,” Cuomo said.

Investigators from the Department of Motor Vehicles, State Liquor Authority, State Parks Police and local law enforcement issued 139 tickets to minors for fake IDs and underage drinking in April and May. 14 of those were in Central New York at the Jason Aldean and Zac Brown Band concerts at Lakeview Amphitheater.

The repercussions for a minor caught with a fake ID include a ticket and the risk of getting their real license revoked for up to a year.

The ongoing effort is part of the Operation Prevent campaign and will include sweeps at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Jones Beach, Canalside in Buffalo, CMAC in Canandaigua, Lakeview Amphitheater and other popular concert venues and bars.

Mark J.F. Schroeder, the DMV Commissioner and Chair of the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee, said investigators are well-equipped to spot fake IDs, whether the licenses are from New York or another state.

“We understand that there is a strong temptation for young people to drink at these events and that is why we focus on both enforcement and education, throughout the year,” Schroeder said. “Our message is simple—underage drinking, especially drinking and driving, is never the right choice.”