ICA on 'fake' identity card: No such NRIC issued

SINGAPORE - The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) said on Friday that it has not issued any NRIC with the number S6963118A, after questions were raised online about an allegedly fake identity card, The Straits Times reported.

A post on popular online forum Hardware Zone showed that a man of Chinese nationality was using a blue IC with the number S6963118A.  The post alerted forum users to beware of the man who was "going around showing off his fake blue Singaporean NRIC," warning that the person could be using it to scam others.

The post had attracted more than 80 comments as of Friday, with some questioning how he had obtained a fake IC.

In response to media queries, ICA has responded that no such card was issued. 

According to the photo shown in the post, the blue identity card belongs to a man named Wang Rongbing, with his date of birth shown to  be March 15, 1988. Blue ICs are held by Singapore Permanent Residents.

In its statement, ICA said that under the National Registration Act, any person who knowingly has or makes use of a forged NRIC or a NRIC other than his own is guilty of an offence. If convicted, he or she can be fined up to $10,000 or jailed for a term not exceeding 10 years, or both.

ICA has a service called 'iEnquiry' on its website that lets members of the public verify if NRICs are valid. Anyone with more information can lodge a police report at any Neighbourhood Police Centre or Neighbourhood Police Post.

candicec@sph.com.sg