Can AI make a fake ID or document good enough to fool checks?

Reviewed by Colin Balfe on Oct 27, 2026 · Updated Oct 27, 2026 · Graded on a five-step evidence ladder

Partly

The answer

Partly. AI-generated or AI-edited ID images have got past online checks that rely on a photo of a document, and US regulators report a rise in them, but they are not physical documents and checks that read an ID's chip or happen in person are much harder to beat.

First shown: Feb 5, 2024. 404 Media bought an image of a fake British passport for $15 from OnlyFake, a site claiming to use 'neural networks', and used it to get through the identity check at crypto exchange OKX. (404 Media)

What it means

Many banks, crypto exchanges and apps check who you are by asking you to upload a photo of your ID and sometimes a selfie. That makes the check only as strong as its ability to tell a real photo of a real document from a convincing image. AI image tools can now produce such images, or edit a real one.

In February 2024 404 Media reported on OnlyFake, a site selling images of fake IDs for $15 that it said were made with 'neural networks'. A reporter used one of its fake passports to pass the identity check at the OKX exchange. Its Ukrainian creator pleaded guilty in New York in February 2026 to selling more than 10,000 digital fake IDs that people used to get around bank and crypto identity checks.

Regulators see the same trend. FinCEN, the US financial crime agency, said in November 2024 that since 2023 banks had filed more suspicious-activity reports describing deepfake media, most often fake identity documents, including AI-edited or AI-generated images of driver's licenses and passport cards combined with stolen personal details. Identity-check firm Entrust said digital document forgeries rose 244% in a year and in 2024 overtook physical counterfeits for the first time, at 57% of the document fraud it saw.

There are limits. These are images, not physical cards: an April 2025 replica passport made with ChatGPT, for example, had no working chip, so checks that read an ID's chip would likely catch it, and ChatGPT soon refused similar requests. FinCEN's advice to banks is to cross-check details, use reverse image searches and add stronger multi-factor checks rather than rely on one photo.

The evidence ladder

Every capability on this site is graded on the same five steps, from a single demonstration to real-world consequences.

Step	Status	When	Evidence
Demonstrated shown at least once	yes	Feb 5, 2024	A 404 Media reporter used a $15 OnlyFake passport image to pass OKX's identity verification; OnlyFake's 'neural network' claim was its own. (404 Media)
Reproduced independently repeated	yes	Nov 13, 2024	FinCEN said some financial institutions had seen generative AI used to alter or create images of driver's licenses and passport cards to open accounts. (FinCEN alert)
Accessible available to ordinary people, or criminals	yes	Apr 6, 2025	A researcher said he made a replica of his own passport with ChatGPT-4o in about five minutes; he predicted rather than showed that it would pass checks, and ChatGPT soon refused similar prompts. OnlyFake sold images for $15. (Security Affairs)
Reliable works most of the time for a defined task	partly	Nov 19, 2024	Entrust says digital forgeries made up 57% of the document fraud it saw in 2024, up 244% in a year; checks that read a document's chip or happen in person are not beaten by an image alone. (Entrust)
Consequences real-world use or harm documented	yes	Feb 26, 2026	OnlyFake's creator pleaded guilty in New York to selling at least about 10,000 digital fake IDs used to get around bank and crypto identity checks, agreeing to forfeit $1.2 million. (US Department of Justice)

From the record

2024-02-05 404 Media used a $15 fake passport image from OnlyFake to pass the identity check at crypto exchange OKX. (404 Media)
2024-11-13 FinCEN issued an alert on deepfake fraud against financial institutions, saying fake identity documents were the most common problem reported. (FinCEN)
2026-02-26 OnlyFake's creator pleaded guilty to selling more than 10,000 digital fake IDs; sentencing was set for June 2026. (US Department of Justice)
2026-08-04 OpenAI said a Cambodia-based scam network had used its models to make fake images of passports, legal notices and stock purchase confirmations. (The Record)

What it means for you

A photo of an ID, or a screenshot of an official-looking document, is weak proof that someone is who they say. For you, the bigger risk is that your stolen personal details get paired with an AI-made image to open accounts in your name.

What to do

Don't trust a photo of an IDIf someone online sends a picture of their passport or licence to prove who they are, treat it as unproven.
Guard your own ID imagesOnly send copies of your ID to organisations you contacted yourself through their official site or app.
Freeze your creditIn the US and UK, a credit freeze or protective registration makes it harder to open accounts in your name.
Watch for unknown accountsCheck credit reports and bank alerts for accounts or applications you didn't make, and report them quickly.

Questions people ask

Can AI make a physical fake ID?

The documented cases are images, not physical cards. They target online checks that ask you to upload a photo of your document.

Have AI fake IDs actually fooled a bank or exchange?

Yes. 404 Media passed OKX's check with a $15 OnlyFake image in 2024, and US prosecutors say OnlyFake IDs were used to get around bank and crypto checks.

How do banks catch AI-generated IDs?

FinCEN suggests cross-checking details, reverse image searches, checking image data, deepfake detection tools and stronger multi-factor checks.

Is selling AI-made fake IDs illegal?

Yes. OnlyFake's creator pleaded guilty in 2026 to conspiracy to commit fraud involving identification documents, which carries up to 15 years.

Sources

Spot an error or something out of date? Tell us; corrections are made and logged. Written with AI assistance from public sources; every fact checked and approved by Colin Balfe. General information, not legal, medical or financial advice.