ABC Catalyst: Passport problems – how easy it to spot a false identity?

[albatross710]

Spotted this interesting story on Catalyst. the program shows the passport security features, the use of facial recognition and the rollout of new facial recognition terminals for incoming pax at BNE.

Interesting to see how they cross match each new passport application with previous 20,000,000 previous passport photos making it hard to create a new identity.

See the article and transcript : Catalyst: Passport Problem - ABC TV Science

Try your facial matching skills, how would you go identifying people to their passports? http://www.abc.net.au/catalyst/stories/4185383.htm

Alby

 

[Timtammi]

Wow, that is quite hard. I only got 4 right!

 

[Limewood]

Talking about passport problems a friend sent me this today..

AUSTRALIAN LETTER - I think the sender might have been upset! This is an actual letter sent to the DFAT (Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade) Immigration Minister. The Government tried desperately to censure the author, but got nowhere because every legal person who read it couldn’t stop laughing ! Dear Mr Minister, I'm in the process of renewing my passport, and still cannot believe this. How is it that K-Mart has my address and telephone number, and knows that I bought a television set and golf clubs and condoms from them back in 1997, and yet the Federal Government is still asking me where I was born and on what date ? For Christ sakes, do you guys do this by hand ? My birth date you have in my Medicare information, and it is on all the income tax forms I've filed for the past 40 years. It is also on my driver's licence, on the last eight passports I've ever had, on all those stupid customs declaration forms I've had to fill out before being allowed off planes over the past 30 years. It's also on all those insufferable census forms that I've filled out every 5 years since 1966. Also... would somebody please take note, once and for all, that my mother's name is Audrey, my father's name is Jack, and I'd be absolutely bloody astounded if that ever changed between now and when I drop dead !!! ****! What do you people do with all this information we keep having to provide? I apologize, Mr. Minister. But I'm really pissed off this morning. Between you and me, I've had enough of all this BS! You send the application to my house, then you ask me for my bloody address! What the hell is going on with your mob? Have you got a gang of mindless Neanderthal coughholes working there! And another thing, look at my damn picture. Do I look like Bin Laden? I can't even grow a beard for God's sakes. I just want to go to New Zealand and see my new granddaughter. (Yes, my son interbred with a Kiwi girl). And would someone please tell me, why would you give a **** whether or not I plan on visiting a farm in the next 15 days? In the unlikely event I ever got the urge to do something weird to a sheep or a horse, believe you me, I'd sure as hell not want to tell anyone! Well, I have to go now, 'cause I have to go to the other side of Sydney , and get another bloody copy of my birth certificate - and to part with another $80 for the privilege of accessing MY OWN INFORMATION! Would it be so complicated to have all the services in the same spot, to assist in the issuance of a new passport on the same day? Nooooo…that'd be too bloody easy and makes far too much sense. You would much prefer to have us running all over the bloody place like chickens with our heads cut off, and then having to find some 'high-society' wanker to confirm that it's really me in the goddam_ photo! You know the photo... the one where we're not allowed to smile?...you bloody morons. Signed - An Irate Australian Citizen. P.S. Remember what I said above about the picture, and getting someone in 'high-society' to confirm that it's me? Well, my family has been in this country since before 1820! In 1856, one of my forefathers took up arms with Peter Lalor. (You do remember the Eureka Stockade!) I have also served in both the CMF and regular Army for something over 30 years (I went to Vietnam in 1967), and still have high security clearances. I'm also a personal friend of the president of the RSL...Lt General Peter Cosgrove who sends me a Christmas card each year. However, your rules require that I have to get someone "important" to verify who I am; you know...someone like my doctor - WHO WAS BORN AND RAISED IN BLOODY PAKISTAN!...a country where they either assassinate or hang their ex-Prime Ministers - and are suspended from the Commonwealth and United Nations for not having the "right sort of government".. You are all pen-pushing paper-shuffling bloody idiots!

​

 

[MEL_Traveller]

There are good reasons to asking people to repeat information. They may have moved address. Many people share the same name... first, middle and surname. DOB and maiden names may be important to ensure a passport is being issued to the correct individual, or to prevent passport fraud (especially since a passport is considered a primary form of identification).

It would take less time to fill out the form than send a letter to a minister.

 

[SuzieQ68]

Wooo, I managed to get 7 out of 8 .... maybe I should apply .... lol

 

[Limewood]

If one is renewing a passport, should not require original docs. again, if one had to do it at a PO rather than post in the person looking at the person would know if its him or her , possibly have have you changed address box.

 

[albatross710]

Wooo, I managed to get 7 out of 8 .... maybe I should apply .... lol

SuzieQ68 can you share what sort of profession you might currently have? Does it already involve visual acuity or similar?

No need to give any information if you consider it inappropriate in a public forum.

I'm interested as I've been NLP profiling my own staff for the past 12 years. I'm interested to know how this relates.

Alby

 

[serfty]

If one is renewing a passport, should not require original docs. again, if one had to do it at a PO rather than post in the person looking at the person would know if its him or her , possibly have have you changed address box.

If your previous Oz passport is still valid or has been expired for under a year it is relatively easy to get a new one.

 

[SuzieQ68]

SuzieQ68 can you share what sort of profession you might currently have? Does it already involve visual acuity or similar?

No need to give any information if you consider it inappropriate in a public forum.

I'm interested as I've been NLP profiling my own staff for the past 12 years. I'm interested to know how this relates.

Alby

Hi Alby

Currently semi retired (by choice), however spent the last 25 years in the property development industry - working various roles, but mainly the legal side (contracts & fine print). I'm not a lawyer, just have a very strong attention to detail and tend to pick things up that others may miss. Would assume the attention to detail side was the reason I managed 7 out of 8. Have to say I was surprised, but very pleased!

If you'd like further info, please feel free to PM me.

Cheers, Suz

 

[kevrosmith]

I saw this on TV. Very interesting.

My score was 5 out of 8.

Re the letter: doesn't privacy legislation limit/restrict the flow of personal data, even between government agencies? I still remember the uproar when it was attempted to introduce the Australia Card in the '80s. As I understand it, use of personal identifiers (e.g. such as Tax File Number, Medicare number) is prohibited between government agencies... (?)

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I saw this on TV. Very interesting.

My score was 5 out of 8.

Re the letter: doesn't privacy legislation limit/restrict the flow of personal data, even between government agencies? I still remember the uproar when it was attempted to introduce the Australia Card in the '80s. As I understand it, use of personal identifiers (e.g. such as Tax File Number, Medicare number) is prohibited between government agencies... (?)

It's assuming all government departments and their agencies use the same systems, and even if they share some commonality, that staff are trained to use them.

I'm not sure the extent of data sharing. I'm sure there'd be provisions for sharing date in certain circumstances where an investigation is being undertaken for example. But general day-to-day? I doubt it, and why should staff spend time trawling other systems when the applicant can simply list what they need to?