How to Spot a Fake Passport: What We Learned from the Metropolitan Police

At Class 1

Personnel, we pride ourselves on doing things by the book, especially when it comes to compliance and candidate verification. Recently, we had the opportunity to attend a highly informative session with a Metropolitan Police officer on how to identify fake passports and understand the motivations behind document fraud.

Why This Matters to Recruitment Agencies

In recruitment, verifying a candidate’s identity and right to work isn’t just a formality. It’s a legal requirement. A forged or altered passport can result in serious consequences for agencies, from hefty fines to reputational damage. That’s why this session was so relevant to the work we do every day at Class 1 Personnel.

What Makes a Passport Genuine?

The officer walked us through the key security features found in authentic passports. Some of the signs to look out for include:

• Holograms: Genuine passports have holographic elements that shift with movement.

• UV features: Under UV light, certain designs or text become visible.

• Watermarks and microtext: Tiny printed details that are difficult to replicate.

• Machine-readable zone (MRZ): A scannable code with strict formatting - any deviation is a red flag.

• Quality of materials: Poor photo placement, odd fonts, or incorrect stitching often point to forgery.

We were shown real-life examples of counterfeit documents. While some looked convincing at first glance, subtle mistakes quickly gave them away once we knew what to look for.

Why People Forge Documents

The motivations behind document fraud vary widely. During the session, we learned that individuals may use fake documents in order to:

• Gain employment or residency illegally

• Cover up a previous identity or criminal history

• Escape dangerous or unstable living situations

• Carry out fraud or organized crime

Regardless of the motive, using false documentation is a criminal offence, and one that employers must be alert to.

Our Role as Recruiters

At Class 1 Personnel, we understand that document verification is a crucial part of our responsibility - not just to our clients, but to the wider community. We are committed to:

• Performing thorough checks on all identification and right-to-work documents

• Using tools like UV lights and verification software to spot fraud

• Reporting any concerns or anomalies through proper legal channels

We believe vigilance is essential in maintaining safe and lawful workplaces.

This session was a powerful reminder that attention to detail matters. As recruiters, we are often the first line of defence against document fraud. Thanks to the insights from the Metropolitan Police, we’re more informed, and even more committed, to upholding the highest compliance standards at Class 1 Personnel.

If you’re a business looking for a recruitment partner that takes compliance seriously, get in touch with our team. We’d be happy to show you how we protect your business at every stage of the hiring process.