Governor Andrew Cuomo announced that more than 2,500 arrests have been made, and more than 5,000 people face administrative action related to fraud, as a result of the high-tech approach first put into action three years ago.
"Through this program, we are successfully taking dangerous drivers off our roads, helping to track down criminals, and protecting taxpayer dollars -- sending a clear message that New York State does not tolerate identity fraud and those who try will be caught," the governor said.
The facial-recognition software helps authorities track down those who try to obtain more than one driver's license or non-driver identification card. Usually, such persons do so to steal someone's identity, commit financial fraud or evade DMV sanctions, according to Cuomo's office.
The software takes the DMV's digital photographs and converts them into mathematical algorithms. Each new driver's license photo is scanned against others in the database, and is not approved until any possible matches have been reviewed and eliminated.
The program has resulted in the identification of more than 100 people "who had active felony warrants under one license record and established a new New York State ID under an alternate name that was warrant free," according to Cuomo's office. One such person was wanted for 17 years after allegedly robbing a Nassau County bank in 1993.
The state also reported that "two subjects who were on the terrorist watch list obtained additional licenses under new names."
No Comments
Leave a comment