A Colorado woman is facing legal charges after allegedly using fake military IDs as part of an attempt to allegedly steal nearly $9,000.
The Shelby County Sheriff’s Office alleges that Jonica Woodward, 47, presented a military ID and a VA card in the name of an account holder at the Pinnacle Bank in Memphis, Colo. Authorities said bank employees became suspicious when Woodward presented a Pinnacle Loan advance form in the amount of $8,900, which she purportedly signed with the victim’s name but had an incorrect account number.
Bank employees pulled up a picture of the actual account holder’s driver’s license through their databases and discovered the suspect did not match the photo of the victim, authorities said.
Woodward is charged with criminal attempted theft of property of $2,500 or more but less than $10,000, as well as forgery, identity theft, criminal impersonation, and using false identification.
Fake Military ID Use Violates Federal Law
Federal law strictly prohibits copying, scanning, or photographing official U.S. military identification cards to prevent the creation of fake IDs and protect military personnel from identity theft.
Under 18 U.S.C. § 701, unauthorized replication of government identification cards is a criminal offense. This legal framework provides specific protections and guidelines for service members, businesses, and law enforcement.
In a video posted online, Staff Sgt. Alan Graves of U.S. Army Reserve public affairs said scammers posing as real businesses are increasingly using fake military IDs to steal. Actual military members need to be aware, he said.
“Right now, there are companies all over the world trying to get copies of your military ID by offering discounts on purchases made online,” Graves said. “Don’t do it. Don’t fall into this trap. Criminals and terrorist groups take these images to make fake copies of government IDs for acts against the U.S. military.”
He also warned active-duty service members and veterans to safeguard their IDs, especially common access cards or CACs. These are smart identification cards used by active-duty military, reserve members, civilian employees and contractors to provide secure access to defense buildings, computer networks, and official systems.
“Don’t allow anyone to scan, copy, or photograph your CAC,” he added. Also, don’t scan your CAC anywhere that is not for official government use,” Graves said. “Just don’t do it. Do your part. It’s that simple. It’s those small things that keep your ID safe.”
In Woodward’s case, authorities believe she was acting as an individual and not on behalf of a criminal enterprise.
Authorities said that Pinnacle Bank employees contacted the victim, whose identity was purportedly being stolen, and discovered that they were never in the military nor had they provided access or permission to anyone to withdraw money from the bank account.
She was scheduled to appear for a preliminary hearing in court on Aug. 6. The incident remains under investigation.
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