False document lab raided
The SQ has raided a Montreal business that created false documents: passports, birth certificates, drivers’ licences, health cards and so forth, although how these items work when everything’s always checked against a database is unclear.
This story rang a bell. A year ago, a man was sentenced to 14 months for running a similar ID‑faking business downtown. Here’s La Presse’s version of that story and TVA reporting that he only served a quarter of his sentence.
Chris 10:04 on 2026-07-21 Permalink
Everything is absolutely not always checked against a database, especially not immediately.
Kate 11:06 on 2026-07-21 Permalink
If you’re stopped by police and asked for your licence, don’t they immediately check to see if you have outstanding fines or other problems? Wouldn’t work if the licence is fake.
Likewise with our new health records, they’d want to look up your RAMQ number, I would imagine.
Nicholas 11:18 on 2026-07-21 Permalink
Well local police will at most only have Quebec databases. For RAMQ if you want to get health care that is more likely to be checked in the database, so presumably you’d want to use someone else’s real info with a fake photo, as surely not everyone checks that, but it is riskier.
Chris 22:48 on 2026-07-21 Permalink
Kate, one doesn’t only show id to the government. bars don’t do database lookups for example and neither do lots of websites or companies.
CE 08:42 on 2026-07-22 Permalink
Some bars will scan your ID card to make sure it’s real. I’m not sure what kind of database they have access to but it seems to give them some sort of information.
Kate 09:48 on 2026-07-22 Permalink
Depending on the kind of card, there may be a feature in the printing that isn’t easily reproduced that can be detected by the scanner, something like a QR code. Wouldn’t need a database. I have no idea whether anyone does this, mind you.