Just three days after Washington DC’s Dulles Airport started testing a new facial recognition technology, a man was stopped trying to get through an immigration checkpoint using a fake passport, as reported by TPG.
According to officials, the 26-year old unnamed man first arrived at IAD on Wednesday, via a flight from Sao Paolo, Brazil. After handing his fraudulent French passport over to an immigration officer at a customs checkpoint, it was determined that his face and the picture on his so-called legit passport did not match. This marks the first time that someone has been taken into custody for passport fraud that was caught using a biometrical facial recognition system.
To the naked eye, the pseudo passport would have likely passed by the officer with flying colors. The man was flagged for a secondary screening and became visibly nervous. After searching him, customs officers discovered a Republic of Congo ID card hidden inside his shoe.
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On Monday, 14 different airports started testing the facial recognition technology. Using an algorithm, the facial scanners are meant to match the biometric markers of a traveler’s face to their identifying travel documents—including passports and visas.
With a 99% accuracy rate, the technology is starting to turn up in various airports around the world. In about a year, Singapore’s Changi Airport is expected to install it throughout its terminals. According to airport representatives, the tech could also help in replacing passports and scanning terminals for those about to miss their flight.
In an effort to improve the flow of already congested security checkpoints, the new tech has a passenger processing time of 7-10 seconds—which seems significantly shorter than the current 1-2 minute timetable.
The Transportation Security Administration is hopeful that one day the technology could replace boarding passes. “CBP is assessing the use of biometric technology as part of a future end-to-end process, from check-in to departure, in which travelers use biometrics instead of their boarding pass or ID throughout the security and boarding processes,” said US federal customs officials.
This technology reaches far beyond its purpose in airports alone. Earlier this year, Marriott International tested their own facial recognition technology at two of their properties in China—allowing guests to check-in by scanning their ID card, taking a photo, and then inputting their information into a self-help machine.
Although the technology may not be completely fool-proof, it’s a tremendous stride taken in an effort to stop identity theft and many other potential threats before they have the chance of even beginning.
