By Kati Weis | CBS News Colorado
The Investigators with CBS News Colorado have uncovered a scheme that’s taking advantage of migrants in Denver, and potentially causing innocent Americans to fall victim to identity theft, all while city, state, and federal government agencies miss out on income tax revenue.
Criminals are printing and selling fake identification documents – like social security and permanent resident cards – to migrants who are desperate for documentation, so they are able to find work.
Nearly 40,000 migrants from South and Central America have crossed rivers and jungles to come to Denver in recent months, seeking better lives. Many of those migrants told CBS News Colorado they felt they had no other choice but to buy the fake documents, because otherwise, they can’t secure a job to feed their families.