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Los Angeles Times
06-05-2025
- Politics
- Los Angeles Times
The Real ID deadline is finally here. How bad will it get airport as long-delay rules hit?
After nearly two decades of delays and warnings, implementation of the federal government's Real ID program is set to begin Wednesday at airports around the nation amid questions about how the change will impact air travel. The requirement that travelers present a Real ID card as well as regular identifications marks one of the biggest changes to airport security, but officials on Tuesday said the roll-out will be gradual. Travelers will be allowed to fly without the Real ID but should expect additional questioning but generally will be able to board fights. Travelers without a Real ID or a Transportation Security Administration-acceptable form of identification 'may be diverted to a different line, have an extra step,' at TSA checkpoints, said Kristi Noem, head of the Department of Homeland Security on Tuesday. 'We will make sure that it is as seamless as possible and that travelers will get to stay on their intended itinerary,' Noem said. 'What will happen tomorrow is folks will come through the line, and [they] will issue their ID and show it. If it's not compliant, they may be diverted to a different line, have an extra step, but people will be allowed to fly.' John Breyault, vice president for the National Consumers League, warned travelers to expect that a high number of people will be diverted for additional screening. How that will impact wait times will depend on how many TSA officers will be assigned to perform the additional screening, he said. Currently, 81% of travelers have the Real ID, according to the Department of Homeland Security. 'If 1 in 5 people are diverted to secondary screening at TSA, it will be a complete disaster at some airports around the country,' Aaron Reichlin-Melnick, senior fellow of the American Immigration Council posted on X. Whether you have a Real ID or not, Breyault suggested fliers arrive even earlier at the airport for the next few days and weeks to avoid missing a flight. 'Even in the best of times, we say, arrive at the airport an hour and a half early for domestic flights,' he said. 'I would say in the interest of just being as risk free as possible, two hours, at least, seems like a good rule of thumb.' If you're traveling with a group with a mix of Real ID and non Real ID holders, factor in even more time depending on the number of people you're traveling with. Congress passed the Real ID Act in 2005 to improve security and minimize fraud in the aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. The original deadline to have a Real ID to allow Americans to travel domestically or enter federal facilities such as military bases or federal courthouses was May 2008. Funding challenges, concerns over travel interruptions and the pandemic delayed the government from implementing the Real ID requirement for almost two decades. 'We are telling people that this law will be enforced, and it will allow us to know individuals in this country, who they are and that they're authorized to travel,' Noem said Tuesday. As of Jan. 1, more than 18.5 million California residents now have their Real ID, compared with last year's January count of 16.9 million according to recent data from the California Department of Motor Vehicles. More than 35 million Californians have either an ID, both an ID and a driver's license, or an ID for people under the age of 16. If you don't have a Real ID or you applied for one but it won't arrive by the May 7 deadline, the TSA will accept other forms of identification at screening checkpoints. The TSA accepts: U.S. passport U.S. passport card Department of Homeland Security trusted traveler cards (Global Entry, NEXUS, SENTRI, FAST) U.S. Department of Defense ID, including IDs issued to dependents Permanent resident card Border crossing card An acceptable photo ID issued by a federally recognized Tribal Nation/Indian Tribe, including Enhanced Tribal Cards. HSPD-12 Personal identity verification card Foreign government-issued passport Canadian provincial driver's license or Indian and Northern Affairs Canada card Transportation worker identification credential U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Employment Authorization Card (I-766) U.S. Merchant Mariner Credential Veteran Health Identification Card A TSA officer may ask you to complete an identity verification process which includes collecting information such as your name and current address to confirm your identify, according to the TSA website. It is unclear how that information is verified. If your identity is confirmed, you will be allowed to enter the screening checkpoint, where you may be subject to additional screening. You will not be allowed to enter the security checkpoint if you decline to provide acceptable identification, you don't cooperate with the identity verification process or your identity cannot be confirmed. To get a Real ID, you have to apply for it through your local Department of Motor Vehicles office. From now until June 27, 18 DMV offices will open at 7 a.m., an hour earlier, on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays to serve only people with appointments to obtain a Real ID. To start the process, you should visit the DMV website and review the document checklist for what you'll need to prove your identity and residency. You can fill out an application online, upload the required documents and schedule an appointment at your local DMV office. These DMV offices will open an hour early: Pleasanton (6300 W. Las Positas Blvd.) Fremont (4287 Central Ave.) Folsom (323 E. Bidwell St., Suite A) Carmichael (5209 North Ave.) Thousand Oaks (1810 E. Avenida de los Arboles) Van Nuys (14920 Vanowen St.) Arleta (14400 Van Nuys Blvd.) Glendale (1335 W. Glenoaks Blvd.) Pasadena (49 S. Rosemead Blvd.) Culver City (11400 W. Washington Blvd.) Westminster (13700 Hoover St.) Costa Mesa (650 W. 19th St.) San Clemente (2727 Via Cascadita) Rancho Cucamonga (8629 Hellman Ave.) San Diego Clairemont (4375 Derrick Drive) San Marcos (590 Rancheros Drive) El Cajon (1450 Graves Ave.) Poway (13461 Community Road)
Los Angeles Times
06-05-2025
- Politics
- Los Angeles Times
The Real ID deadline is finally here. How bad will it get at airports as long-delayed rules hit?
After nearly two decades of delays and warnings, implementation of the federal government's Real ID program is set to begin Wednesday at airports around the nation amid questions about how the change will impact air travel. The requirement that travelers present a Real ID card as well as regular identifications marks one of the biggest changes to airport security, but officials on Tuesday said the roll-out will be gradual. Travelers will be allowed to fly without the Real ID but should expect additional questioning but generally will be able to board fights. Travelers without a Real ID or a Transportation Security Administration-acceptable form of identification 'may be diverted to a different line, have an extra step,' at TSA checkpoints, said Kristi Noem, head of the Department of Homeland Security on Tuesday. 'We will make sure that it is as seamless as possible and that travelers will get to stay on their intended itinerary,' Noem said. 'What will happen tomorrow is folks will come through the line, and [they] will issue their ID and show it. If it's not compliant, they may be diverted to a different line, have an extra step, but people will be allowed to fly.' John Breyault, vice president for the National Consumers League, warned travelers to expect that a high number of people will be diverted for additional screening. How that will impact wait times will depend on how many TSA officers will be assigned to perform the additional screening, he said. Currently, 81% of travelers have the Real ID, according to the Department of Homeland Security. 'If 1 in 5 people are diverted to secondary screening at TSA, it will be a complete disaster at some airports around the country,' Aaron Reichlin-Melnick, senior fellow of the American Immigration Council posted on X. Whether you have a Real ID or not, Breyault suggested fliers arrive even earlier at the airport for the next few days and weeks to avoid missing a flight. 'Even in the best of times, we say, arrive at the airport an hour and a half early for domestic flights,' he said. 'I would say in the interest of just being as risk free as possible, two hours, at least, seems like a good rule of thumb.' If you're traveling with a group with a mix of Real ID and non Real ID holders, factor in even more time depending on the number of people you're traveling with. Congress passed the Real ID Act in 2005 to improve security and minimize fraud in the aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. The original deadline to have a Real ID to allow Americans to travel domestically or enter federal facilities such as military bases or federal courthouses was May 2008. Funding challenges, concerns over travel interruptions and the pandemic delayed the government from implementing the Real ID requirement for almost two decades. 'We are telling people that this law will be enforced, and it will allow us to know individuals in this country, who they are and that they're authorized to travel,' Noem said Tuesday. As of Jan. 1, more than 18.5 million California residents now have their Real ID, compared with last year's January count of 16.9 million according to recent data from the California Department of Motor Vehicles. More than 35 million Californians have either an ID, both an ID and a driver's license, or an ID for people under the age of 16. If you don't have a Real ID or you applied for one but it won't arrive by the May 7 deadline, the TSA will accept other forms of identification at screening checkpoints. The TSA accepts: U.S. passport U.S. passport card Department of Homeland Security trusted traveler cards (Global Entry, NEXUS, SENTRI, FAST) U.S. Department of Defense ID, including IDs issued to dependents Permanent resident card Border crossing card An acceptable photo ID issued by a federally recognized Tribal Nation/Indian Tribe, including Enhanced Tribal Cards. HSPD-12 Personal identity verification card Foreign government-issued passport Canadian provincial driver's license or Indian and Northern Affairs Canada card Transportation worker identification credential U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Employment Authorization Card (I-766) U.S. Merchant Mariner Credential Veteran Health Identification Card A TSA officer may ask you to complete an identity verification process which includes collecting information such as your name and current address to confirm your identify, according to the TSA website. It is unclear how that information is verified. If your identity is confirmed, you will be allowed to enter the screening checkpoint, where you may be subject to additional screening. You will not be allowed to enter the security checkpoint if you decline to provide acceptable identification, you don't cooperate with the identity verification process or your identity cannot be confirmed. To get a Real ID, you have to apply for it through your local Department of Motor Vehicles office. From now until June 27, 18 DMV offices will open at 7 a.m., an hour earlier, on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays to serve only people with appointments to obtain a Real ID. To start the process, you should visit the DMV website and review the document checklist for what you'll need to prove your identity and residency. You can fill out an application online, upload the required documents and schedule an appointment at your local DMV office. These DMV offices will open an hour early: Pleasanton (6300 W. Las Positas Blvd.) Fremont (4287 Central Ave.) Folsom (323 E. Bidwell St., Suite A) Carmichael (5209 North Ave.) Thousand Oaks (1810 E. Avenida de los Arboles) Van Nuys (14920 Vanowen St.) Arleta (14400 Van Nuys Blvd.) Glendale (1335 W. Glenoaks Blvd.) Pasadena (49 S. Rosemead Blvd.) Culver City (11400 W. Washington Blvd.) Westminster (13700 Hoover St.) Costa Mesa (650 W. 19th St.) San Clemente (2727 Via Cascadita) Rancho Cucamonga (8629 Hellman Ave.) San Diego Clairemont (4375 Derrick Drive) San Marcos (590 Rancheros Drive) El Cajon (1450 Graves Ave.) Poway (13461 Community Road)
NBC News
27-04-2025
- NBC News
As Real ID deadline for U.S. air travel approaches, there are ‘workarounds,' experts say
The deadline for U.S. travelers to get a Real ID is fast approaching — and those who don't have one may not be able to board flights within the U.S. The Real ID card is an optional, upgraded driver's license or state identification card that is issued by a state driver's licensing agency and marked with a star. The good news: There are other forms of identification U.S. travelers can use — such as a valid U.S. passport, passport card, permanent resident card, or certain Department of Homeland Security trusted traveler cards — if they can't get a Real ID by the deadline, May 7. 'There are workarounds people can use,' said John Breyault, a travel expert at the National Consumers League, a consumer advocacy group. 'Most people already have the ability to travel, whether they have a Real ID or not.' About 19% of travelers don't yet have a Real ID-compliant type of identification, according to Transportation Security Administration data as of Thursday. Passengers who arrive at the airport without an acceptable form of ID 'can expect to face delays, additional screening and the possibility of not being permitted into the security checkpoint,' according to the TSA. Even passengers who have a Real ID card or other acceptable ID should aim to be at the airport at least 1½ hours ahead of their flight, due to likely delays in airport security lines as enforcement gets underway, Breyault said. What is the Real ID law? Congress passed the Real ID Act in 2005. The law set minimum security standards for state-issued driver's licenses and ID cards. The federal government will require Americans who access federal facilities to have a Real ID starting May 7. That includes travelers who go through TSA airport security checkpoints and board commercial airplanes, even for domestic flights. The rule applies to all airline passengers 18 years and older, including TSA PreCheck members. How to get around the Real ID rule Travelers can skirt the requirement to present a Real ID card if they have other types of approved identification. Experts said the most common among them are: a passport or passport card; a Global Entry card; an enhanced driver's license issued by Washington state, Michigan, Minnesota, New York or Vermont; or a permanent resident card, also known as a green card. Here's a list of all acceptable alternatives, according to the TSA: State-issued enhanced driver's license U.S. passport U.S. passport card Department of Homeland Security-issued trusted traveler cards (Global Entry, NEXUS, SENTRI, FAST) U.S. Department of Defense ID, including IDs issued to dependents Permanent resident card Border crossing card An acceptable photo ID issued by a federally recognized Tribal Nation/Indian Tribe, including Enhanced Tribal Cards (ETCs). HSPD-12 PIV card Foreign government-issued passport Canadian provincial driver's license or Indian and Northern Affairs Canada card Transportation worker identification credential U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Employment Authorization Card (I-766) U.S. Merchant Mariner Credential Veteran Health Identification Card (VHIC) 'Get that Real ID' It may be somewhat riskier to travel with an alternative document such as a passport for domestic flights, said Sally French, a travel expert at NerdWallet. 'A passport is much more complicated to replace than a driver's license, and it's more expensive,' French said. 'Get that Real ID.' A traditional passport book costs $130 to renew. Real ID fees vary by state but are generally less costly, experts said. They typically aren't more expensive than a standard driver's license. For example, in California it costs $45 to renew a standard driver's license or $39 to renew a regular ID card; in Virginia, there's a $10 one-time Real ID fee, plus a driver's license fee, usually $32. Desperate travelers can also gamble by showing up at the airport without a Real ID-compliant form of identification on May 7 and beyond, and hope airport agents show some mercy, French said. It's a 'much longer screening' process and isn't guaranteed, French said. It's a 'Hail Mary,' she said.
CNBC
27-04-2025
- CNBC
As Real ID deadline for U.S. air travel approaches, there are 'workarounds,' experts say
The deadline for U.S. travelers to get a Real ID is fast approaching — and those who don't have one may not be able to board flights within the U.S. The Real ID card is an optional, upgraded driver's license or state identification card that is issued by a state driver's licensing agency and marked with a star. The good news: There are other forms of identification U.S. travelers can use — such as a valid U.S. passport, passport card, permanent resident card, or certain Department of Homeland Security trusted traveler cards — if they can't get a Real ID by the deadline, May 7. "There are workarounds people can use," said John Breyault, a travel expert at the National Consumers League, a consumer advocacy group. "Most people already have the ability to travel, whether they have a Real ID or not." About 19% of travelers don't yet have a Real ID-compliant type of identification, according to Transportation Security Administration data as of Thursday. Passengers who arrive at the airport without an acceptable form of ID "can expect to face delays, additional screening and the possibility of not being permitted into the security checkpoint," according to the TSA. Even passengers who have a Real ID card or other acceptable ID should aim to be at the airport at least 1½ hours ahead of their flight, due to likely delays in airport security lines as enforcement gets underway, Breyault said. Congress passed the Real ID Act in 2005. The law set minimum security standards for state-issued driver's licenses and ID cards. The federal government will require Americans who access federal facilities to have a Real ID starting May 7. That includes travelers who go through TSA airport security checkpoints and board commercial airplanes, even for domestic flights. The rule applies to all airline passengers 18 years and older, including TSA PreCheck members. Travelers can skirt the requirement to present a Real ID card if they have other types of approved identification. Experts said the most common among them are: a passport or passport card; a Global Entry card; an enhanced driver's license issued by Washington state, Michigan, Minnesota, New York or Vermont; or a permanent resident card, also known as a green card. Here's a list of all acceptable alternatives, according to the TSA: It may be somewhat riskier to travel with an alternative document such as a passport for domestic flights, said Sally French, a travel expert at NerdWallet. "A passport is much more complicated to replace than a driver's license, and it's more expensive," French said. "Get that Real ID." A traditional passport book costs $130 to renew. Real ID fees vary by state but are generally less costly, experts said. They typically aren't more expensive than a standard driver's license. For example, in California it costs $45 to renew a standard driver's license or $39 to renew a regular ID card; in Virginia, there's a $10 one-time Real ID fee, plus a driver's license fee, usually $32. Desperate travelers can also gamble by showing up at the airport without a Real ID-compliant form of identification on May 7 and beyond, and hope airport agents show some mercy, French said. It's a "much longer screening" process and isn't guaranteed, French said. It's a "Hail Mary," she said.
Yahoo
07-03-2025
- Yahoo
Chicago victims of credit card scam warn others to be on guard: ‘I was just blinded by my naivety'
Eliazar Rodriguez was running errands in Roscoe Village when he was stopped by two men with a laminated flyer outside a Starbucks. They said they were raising money for their little brother who was killed in a drive-by shooting and told Rodriguez that they were struggling to gather funeral funds. 'I said, 'I know what it's like to struggle, so I'm more than happy to help with what I have,'' Rodriguez said. He gave the men $15 through Apple Pay and wrote his name down on a sheet pledging his donation. One of the guys took Rodriguez's phone to make the transaction, showed him the screen to confirm that Rodriguez donated $15 and the two men went on their way. Next thing Rodriguez knew, he got an instant notification from his bank telling him he had a $3,000 charge for a carpet purchase. 'I was just blinded by my naivety and my wanting to do good and be kind to others, only to be kind of slapped in the face,' Rodriguez said. Rodriguez is not alone — he is one of dozens who have recently lost thousands of dollars to a scam going around Chicago where con artists will use a sad story to lure victims into paying them thousands of dollars when the victim thinks they are only paying a small amount of money. The Tribune spoke with multiple people victimized by this scam, and while some say that the con is nothing new, the rise in popularity of Apple Pay, PayPal and tap-to-pay credit card transactions has allowed scammers to take off with thousands of dollars from people on the street. 'Funnily enough, that same week, I saw the same two guys at a different part of Roscoe Village,' said Rodriguez, who was scammed in November. 'But instead of saying that they were trying to raise funds for their little brother shot in the drive by, they were now trying to raise funds for autism awareness.' Since June 2024, the Illinois attorney general's office said it has received 'approximately 10 complaints' from consumers who were approached by individuals requesting charitable donations on the street. In these cases, consumers allege that after making what they thought was a small donation to a charitable organization, donors later discovered they were charged hundreds or thousands of dollars. Credit card charity-based scams are common, according to John Breyault, a fraud expert with the National Consumers League. In 2023, credit cards were the most common payment method used in fraud reports, according to the Federal Trade Commission. There were over 114,000 cases of fraud involving credit card payments, followed by over 83,000 fraud cases involving debit cards and 65,000 cases involving a payment app or service. 'What's a little unusual to me, to be honest with you, is that they are actually approaching people on the street in real life,' Breyault said. 'That part is much less common.' Chicago has seen thousands of fraud cases involving a credit card, but it is unclear how many of those cases were related to this specific scam. According to Chicago police data analyzed by the Tribune, there were 2,537 reported cases of credit card fraud in 2024. Only 17 of those cases resulted in an arrest. 'Unfortunately, that is also not unusual,' Breyault said. 'One of the reasons that fraud is such a widespread crime is that it is relatively low risk for the criminals who perpetrate it.' And dealing with the banks and credit card companies can be a headache, according to victims who spoke to the Tribune. Generally speaking, if a person willingly hands over their card to a merchant but gets billed the wrong amount, then it will not be considered credit card fraud but rather credit card dispute, according to the Capital One. 'I felt like they didn't really know how to handle the situation, because ultimately, at least in the beginning, they said that it was my fault since I willingly gave my phone,' Rodriguez said. Fortunately, Rodriguez was able to get his money back two weeks later, thanks in part to Starbucks employees who could corroborate his claim and photos he had taken of the flyer and the location where he got scammed. But for some people, getting that money back can take months. That's what happened to Abigail Grady, who got scammed in late December in Lakeview East and did not get the issue fully resolved until February. When she was approached, two men ran across the street to tell her about how they were raising money for someone's younger brother who was hit by a car. She was initially going to give the men cash, but they said they could not accept cash. 'I think at some point I was like, 'OK, I'll donate like, $10' and the guy took out a card reader and he kept tapping my card, and the other guy is talking to me, chatting me up, saying how appreciative they are,' Grady said. Grady later realized that she had four separate charges of $3,000 on her card, meaning that she lost a total of $12,000. She contacted her bank, but without a receipt to back up her claim, the process was much longer and more strenuous than Grady would have liked. 'And so essentially the (credit) card company was like, 'We can't do anything to help you. You have to talk to the claims team specifically,'' Grady said. 'So luckily I got connected with somebody really quickly that same day. And he essentially was like … 'Well, did you try and dispute it with them? And I was like, 'Well, I looked to see if they existed or who the LLC that was charged on my card was.'' The claims team then argued to the credit card company that Grady had tried to dispute the charge with the men who approached her, but was unsuccessful in her interaction. That argument was enough to convince the company, and Grady finally got the issue resolved. Some victims have been less successful. Claire DesHotels was approached by two men with a clipboard near her home in Roscoe Village in late October. The men told her they were going door-to-door to ask for funeral funds for a young boy who was killed and even showed DesHotels a newspaper clipping of the boy. Like other victims, DesHotels wrote down that she was giving the men $20 on a clipboard and completed a tap-to-pay transaction while the men asked her how her day was going. But minutes after the interaction, DesHotels realized she was out $2,400. She immediately contacted her credit card company, Barclays. The company initially canceled the transaction and put the alert under fraud review, but about two months later determined that the transaction was not fraud because DesHotels agreed to making the transaction and did not have a receipt to back up her claim. When the Tribune initially spoke with DesHotels, she was still figuring out how to get her money back. She was talking to her friend who is a lawyer for advice and even filed a police report in hopes that it would help her case. 'I'm getting married in September and my fiance and I are trying really hard to save for the wedding and it's like I don't have $2,400. I'm just living within my means myself,' DesHotels said. A spokesperson for Barclays initially said that the company is unable to disclose cardmember account details, but a day after the Tribune reached out, Barclays told DesHotels that they were going to fully credit her account for the $2,400. The first step someone should take after being scammed is contact their bank immediately. 'Most of what can be done to help people recover from these scams can only be done if you report it properly,' Breyault said. 'Don't wait a couple days or a week until you get in touch with your bank about this. Get in touch with them right away. And what I would say is, when you call, just explain the situation.' While it may seem that filing a police report does not often result in an arrest for credit card fraud, Breyault still recommends any scam victims to file a police report as soon as possible. The more reports police have, the more likely they will be able to spot trends and target areas where the con artists are working. That report can also serve as an important paper trail for people when talking to their banks about the transaction. Breyault also recommended people file a complaint to their state's attorney general. 'Typically, companies like PayPal and Venmo and others have to get a money transmitter license to operate in a particular state, and so that is usually regulated by the state, and the attorney general can help point you in the right direction on that,' Breyault said. The Illinois attorney general's office said they recommend anyone impacted by this scam to contact their local police department and to check online if a charitable organization is registered with the attorney general's office. Victims can also reach out to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, although the bureau may not be able to address claims right away due to the Trump administration's orders to halt operations at the agency. As far as precautions, Breyault said that if someone approaches you on the street asking for money for a charitable cause, it is better to not give money right away but rather to wait, ask for more information and then decide whether to donate. If a person is also asking you to donate specifically through Venmo, Apple Pay or a similar app, then Breyault said that is another red flag. 'By handing over a credit card or Apple Pay or paying through Venmo, it's really equivalent to handing someone cash,' Breyault said. For victims, Breyault said, there is often guilt. That was true for Rodriguez. 'I spent a lot of time just blaming myself and feeling a little stupid or very stupid and gullible for (ignoring) obvious red flags,' Rodriguez said. But Breyault emphasized that no one should blame themself for falling for a scam. 'One of the things that is vexing for many people like me who work in that space is that there's a lot of stigma attached to it. The people who are victims often feel like they fell for it, and the scammers bank on that,' Breyault said. 'This happens to lots of people. There's no sort of one profile that's immune to these types of scams. … And so one of my priorities is to make sure that everybody understands that everyone has a fraud story.'
