Skip to main content

Biometrics scanner catches impostor at U.S. airport on just third day of use

Artem Oleshko/Shutterstock

A biometric facial comparison system flagged a traveler using a fake passport — less than three days after the system was installed. The U.S. Customs and Border Protection detained a traveler earlier this week after the facial recognition system brought up an ID that didn’t match the man’s passport at the Washington Dulles International Airport.

On Wednesday, the 26-year-old male was detained during the CBP’s primary inspections after arriving on a flight from Sao Paulo, Brazil. The new biometric system, which is in early testing in 14 international U.S. airports, matched the man’s face to an identity different from the passport he presented. During further examination, CBP officers found the actual ID from the Republic of Congo in his shoe.

Recommended Videos

The traveler is the first caught by the new biometrics system, which uses facial recognition to speed up the process of moving travelers through customs while also aiding the CBP. The biometrics system has only been operating at that airport since August 20 and is used for both entry and exit for international flights. CBP says that the biometrics system is faster and more efficient while also increasing security.

“Facial recognition technology is an important step forward for CBP in protecting the United States from all types of threats,” Casey Durst, CBP’s director of the Baltimore field office, said in a press release.  “Terrorists and criminals continually look for creative methods to enter the U.S. including using stolen genuine documents. The new facial recognition technology virtually eliminates the ability for someone to use a genuine document that was issued to someone else.”

The biometrics system is only in early adoption with around a dozen airports using the program. The CBP is using those early systems to consider expanding the use of biometrics, including using facial recognition instead of a boarding pass through security and boarding. Along with using biometrics within the process of going through customs, John F. Kennedy International Airport expanded testing to also include a Transportation Security Administration checkpoint.

CBP has not released the identity of the traveler using the fake passport and is continuing to investigate the incident. The border agency also says that the program limits personally identifiable information under privacy considerations while also using security safeguards.

Hillary K. Grigonis
Hillary never planned on becoming a photographer—and then she was handed a camera at her first writing job and she's been…
What is Microsoft Teams? How to use the collaboration app
A close-up of someone using Microsoft Teams on a laptop for a videoconference.

Online team collaboration is the new norm as companies spread their workforce across the globe. Gone are the days of primarily relying on group emails, as teams can now work together in real time using an instant chat-style interface, no matter where they are.

Using Microsoft Teams affords video conferencing, real-time discussions, document sharing and editing, and more for companies and corporations. It's one of many collaboration tools designed to bring company workers together in an online space. It’s not designed for communicating with family and friends, but for colleagues and clients.

Read more
How to create a new team in Microsoft Teams
Example of Teams chat.

Few communication applications are as versatile as Microsoft Teams. Along with allowing you to send quick messages to teammates or launch a video chat, the software is fully integrated with Office 365 so you can optimize its performance. If you know how to use Microsoft Teams, you'll know that one of its most useful features is the ability to create a new team.

Knowing how to make a new team and how to properly organize teams makes it easy for a company to enhance productivity and streamline communication. When used effectively, Microsoft Teams is useful for both in-office and remote workers, ensuring everyone stays on the same page regardless of location.

Read more
How much is Microsoft Office?

The Microsoft Office app on PC.

Microsoft Office, or Microsoft 365 as it's known today, is the full suite of Microsoft work-related applications. It includes iconic programs like Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook, as well as more modern additions like Teams and OneDrive. You can use a number of these for free in their web versions, or you can pay a monthly subscription to use their downloaded, local versions.

There is no single price for Microsoft 365, as it's only available on the software as a service (SAAS) model, but the monthly cost differs depending on whether you're a home user or business user, and whether you're looking to subscribe for just yourself, or an entire team.

Read more