How Cybersecurity Professionals Are Fighting  REAL ID Scams

How has a 20-year-old U.S. law about state ID cards led to phishing opportunities for digital scammers? Cybersecurity experts tracking phishing scams say that fraudsters are targeting individuals who need compliant IDs and urge the public to beware.

What is REAL ID?

The REAL ID Act, passed in 2005, was designed to enhance national security by setting stricter standards for state-issued IDs. As of 2025, licenses and ID cards that do not meet the REAL ID standard are no longer acceptable forms of identification to board domestic flights or access certain federal facilities. REAL IDs, while they maintain the same general appearance of a standard driver’s license, feature a unique marking in the top right corner of the card and have enhanced security aspects like holograms, barcodes, and other anti-fraud measures to prevent counterfeiting. REAL IDs can only be obtained in-person at a state driver’s licensing agency with required documentation, typically proof of identity, social security number, and residency.

What Do REAL ID Scams Look Like?

As the deadline neared for REAL ID compliance, scammers seized the opportunity to exploit public confusion and urgency. Cybersecurity experts reported a surge in phishing scams targeting individuals seeking REAL IDs.

The initial deadline has now passed, but millions of Americans still don’t have a REAL ID, leaving the door open for continued scam efforts, which typically fall into a few categories:

• Phishing emails and texts: These messages appear to come from official sources and often include urgent language like “Action Required” or “Your REAL ID is at risk.” 
• Fake websites: Some scammers create entire websites that look like legitimate government pages. These sites may ask users to enter personal information or upload documents, which are then harvested for identity theft.
• Phone scams: In some cases, fraudsters call victims pretending to be government representatives, asking for verification of personal details under the guise of processing a REAL ID application.

These scams are especially effective because they exploit trust in government institutions and capitalize on both a lack of familiarity with the REAL ID process and a sense of urgency caused by the deadline. These factors are compounded with threats of penalties and fines if they aren’t compliant.

“We know any time people are up against a deadline, they will try to find an expedited way to get the process done. And that’s when the scams pop up.” —Amy Nofziger, Director of Victim Support, AARP Fraud Watch Network 

How to Avoid Getting Scammed

Cybersecurity professionals and consumer protection agencies continue to recommend several steps to avoid becoming a victim.

• Remember that REAL IDs must be obtained in person. There is no online application or expedited service. If someone offers to help you get a REAL ID online, it’s a scam.
• Avoid clicking on links in unsolicited emails or texts. If you receive a message about your REAL ID, verify it by contacting your DMV directly using a trusted phone number or website, or in-person.
• If you receive a suspicious message, report it to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. You can also forward scam texts to 7726 (SPAM) and report phishing emails to your provider.

How Cybersecurity Experts Fight Back

Cybersecurity companies like GuidePoint Security use a combination of threat intelligence, machine learning, and human analysis to track and neutralize these scams. Their teams monitor phishing campaigns in real time, identifying patterns in domain registrations, email headers, and malware payloads. Once a scam is identified, they work with ISPs and law enforcement to shut down malicious sites and trace the source of the attacks.

Microsoft Defender software uses AI to detect phishing attempts by analyzing email metadata, link behavior, and sender reputation. Organizations can also configure anti-phishing policies to block suspicious messages before they reach users.

REAL ID scams are part of a broader trend in cybercrime. According to the FBI, Americans over 60 lost more than $3.4 billion to scams in 2023, a figure that continues to rise as fraudsters adopt more sophisticated tactics. With the rise of AI-generated content and deepfakes, impersonation scams are becoming harder to detect and more convincing than ever, highlighting the important and always-growing role well-trained and innovative cybersecurity professionals play in keeping our information and systems safe.

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