Author Topic: Police Begin Fingerprinting on Traffic Stops  (Read 10110 times)

Firethorn

  • friend
  • Senior Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 5,789
  • Where'd my explosive space modulator go?
Re: Police Begin Fingerprinting on Traffic Stops
« Reply #25 on: January 03, 2008, 04:53:33 AM »
Even I'll admit that there's a world of difference between fooling an unattended machine(such as some laptops, and various other authentication devices) with a fake finger, and fooling the cop with an inkpad.

K Frame

  • friend
  • Senior Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 44,219
  • I Am Inimical
Re: Police Begin Fingerprinting on Traffic Stops
« Reply #26 on: January 03, 2008, 04:56:30 AM »
Who says they're going to have ink pads?

Portable biometric scanners that can record a fingerprint are cheap and reliable.

Carbon Monoxide, sucking the life out of idiots, 'tards, and fools since man tamed fire.

Manedwolf

  • friend
  • Senior Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 14,516
Re: Police Begin Fingerprinting on Traffic Stops
« Reply #27 on: January 03, 2008, 05:19:37 AM »
Who says they're going to have ink pads?

Portable biometric scanners that can record a fingerprint are cheap and reliable.

On said Mythbusters, one of the methods used was Jamie applying a latex positive of the "stolen" print to his thumb, using just theatrical latex. If someone blended it to their skin color, what do you think the odds are that the bored government employee with the portable scanner is going to notice?

Just wondering.

Retinal scans are a lot harder to fake, and they can be portable, too, just a thing you look into.


MechAg94

  • friend
  • Senior Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 33,711
Re: Police Begin Fingerprinting on Traffic Stops
« Reply #28 on: January 03, 2008, 05:30:28 AM »
I saw at least part of that MythBusters show.  They were specifically looking at computer keyboard scanners.  The show I saw, the gummy bear and photocopy fingerprints didn't work.  I am not sure I remember the latex.  It was a lot harder to fake it than I thought it would be. 
“It is much more important to kill bad bills than to pass good ones.”  ― Calvin Coolidge

K Frame

  • friend
  • Senior Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 44,219
  • I Am Inimical
Re: Police Begin Fingerprinting on Traffic Stops
« Reply #29 on: January 03, 2008, 06:06:43 AM »
I'm not commenting on whether the scanner can be defeated or not.

Just on the fact that the inkpad, as an instrument of police work, is pretty much gone.
Carbon Monoxide, sucking the life out of idiots, 'tards, and fools since man tamed fire.

MechAg94

  • friend
  • Senior Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 33,711
Re: Police Begin Fingerprinting on Traffic Stops
« Reply #30 on: January 03, 2008, 06:35:14 AM »
I guess my question is this:  Is it easier to make a passable fake ID or use a fake SS number or is it easier to fake a supervised fingerprint scanner? 
“It is much more important to kill bad bills than to pass good ones.”  ― Calvin Coolidge

Firethorn

  • friend
  • Senior Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 5,789
  • Where'd my explosive space modulator go?
Re: Police Begin Fingerprinting on Traffic Stops
« Reply #31 on: January 03, 2008, 07:15:12 AM »
I guess my question is this:  Is it easier to make a passable fake ID or use a fake SS number or is it easier to fake a supervised fingerprint scanner? 

I'd be willing to state that generally speaking, yes, it's easier to make a passable fake ID.  It's at least a little harder to fake a fingerprint for a supervised scan.  Blending for color match and hiding any seams takes work and would have to be renewed regularly.  A fake ID takes a certain amount of equipment depending on the style of ID the state uses, but many places have them today.  Such a device can produce hundreds of fake IDs, whereas a fake fingerprint has to be personalized, and doesn't have the economy of scale.

I suggested the ink pad to limit 'invasion of privacy' allegations because the idea would be that the print wouldn't be entered into the system unless an identity question/problem arose.

Manedwolf

  • friend
  • Senior Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 14,516
Re: Police Begin Fingerprinting on Traffic Stops
« Reply #32 on: January 03, 2008, 07:21:45 AM »
I guess my question is this:  Is it easier to make a passable fake ID or use a fake SS number or is it easier to fake a supervised fingerprint scanner? 

Factor into that the basic fact that you leave fingerprints on every object you touch. You don't leave your SS everywhere.

MechAg94

  • friend
  • Senior Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 33,711
Re: Police Begin Fingerprinting on Traffic Stops
« Reply #33 on: January 03, 2008, 08:55:43 AM »
I would bet your SSN is more available that most people think.
“It is much more important to kill bad bills than to pass good ones.”  ― Calvin Coolidge

Manedwolf

  • friend
  • Senior Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 14,516
Re: Police Begin Fingerprinting on Traffic Stops
« Reply #34 on: January 03, 2008, 11:07:05 AM »
Did you happen to see the date on that article?

Police Begin Fingerprinting on Traffic Stops
Posted: Jan 6, 2005 06:52 PM

MechAg94

  • friend
  • Senior Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 33,711
Re: Police Begin Fingerprinting on Traffic Stops
« Reply #35 on: January 03, 2008, 11:57:22 AM »
Does that mean the police state was here and we didn't even know it?  Smiley
“It is much more important to kill bad bills than to pass good ones.”  ― Calvin Coolidge

Manedwolf

  • friend
  • Senior Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 14,516
Re: Police Begin Fingerprinting on Traffic Stops
« Reply #36 on: January 03, 2008, 12:08:33 PM »
Well, it is Wisconsin. Lots of people have been saying that Fark needs a "Madison" tag.   grin