Washington: Posing as someone else and using fake birth certificates and driver's licenses still can obtain official US passports.
For the second time in two years, government investigators exploited a gaping hole in the US security system by deliberately using fraudulent material to apply for US passports.
The investigation by the Government Accountability Office, detailed before a Senate committee on Thursday, underscores that despite security overhauls since the September 11, 2001, terror attacks on the United States, the State Department's system for issuing passports remains vulnerable to fraud.
The problem not only highlights potential national security lapses but also shows how illegally obtained US passports, one of the most sought-after travel documents in the world, could provide cover for drug dealers, murderers and others trying to avoid capture.
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Washington: Posing as someone else and using fake birth certificates and driver's licenses still can obtain official US passports.