JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A major deadline for U.S. citizens is quickly approaching, and scammers are ready to take advantage.
RELATED: Answering your questions about becoming Real ID compliant
Starting May 7, travelers will need to be REAL ID compliant to board domestic flights and access certain federal facilities. For example, in Florida, if your ID does not have a gold star, you are not REAL ID-compliant.
The REAL ID Act, passed by Congress in 2005, was a response to the 9/11 Commission’s recommendation that the federal government establish standards for issuing identification sources, such as driver’s licenses. This legislation set minimum security standards for state-issued driver’s licenses and ID cards.
Jason Belcher, president of the Better Business Bureau of Northeast Florida, said, “You have to have it if you want to fly after May 7 or enter federal installations.”
Under the REAL ID Act, certain federal agencies cannot accept licenses and identification cards from states that do not meet these standards for official purposes. These purposes include:
- Accessing certain federal facilities
- Boarding federally regulated commercial aircraft
- Entering nuclear power plants
However, scammers are aware of the incoming deadline, and they’re using it to make attempts at stealing your personal information.
“The government is not going to send you a text, email or a call about your REAL ID status,” Belcher notes. “They’re not going to do that. That’s not how it works.”
Belcher says an important step to take is always checking the web address. Official sites end in .gov, not .com. And thanks to AI, fake sites look more real than ever.
“It used to be that you had to have computer skills to set up a website that looked authentic,” Belcher explained. “Now, AI can do it for you, so even people who aren’t computer literate can have an AI program do that for them, and it looks legitimate.”
He continued to say that if you receive a call pertaining to a REAL ID, red flags should immediately go off.
“They’re not going to contact you. If you get a call or text or email, there’s a 99.999% chance that it’s not legitimate,” he said.
Bottom line: Be cautious, double-check links, and if you haven’t gotten your REAL ID yet, act now.
Additionally, Enhanced Driver’s Licenses (EDLs) issued by Washington, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, and Vermont are acceptable alternatives. Most EDLs do not feature the star marking, but they are still valid for official REAL ID purposes.
Travelers are encouraged to ensure they have the necessary identification before the deadline to avoid disruptions in their travel plans.
