Bold Wahoos Break out the fakes

Every new school year brings with it certain back-to-school essentials: laptop, backpack, notebooks and, of course, a fake ID for Corner bar-hopping. Corner bars have been packed the last few weekends, and bouncers have been beefing up to scrutinize the good, the bad and the ugly of Wahoos’ fake IDs.
A Corner bar ABC manager, who declined to be named, says he’s seen all variety of fake IDs in his five years behind the bar. “You can definitely tell when they’re professionally made, and when some guy tried to make them on his computer,” he says. Bad lamination, Social Security numbers that are all zeroes, or a picture that doesn’t remotely look like you are some sure give-aways.
A good fake will have a hologram that matches the state it’s supposedly from, the ABC manager says, as well as other safety features that would normally appear. New Jersey and New York’s simplistic designs are favorites for copycats. Some states, like Florida, are redoing their driver’s licenses to make them harder to counterfeit.
So, where can you get your hands on one of these freedom-giving gems? “Most of them are made by other students, who are fairly good at it,” says the mystery manager. “I’ve heard that they are upwards of $75 or $80.” So, ask around your dorm. But remember: If you think you’re ready to join the underage drinking herd, there can be consequences.
Beth Straeten, spokesperson for Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control, says using a fake ID is a Class 1 misdemeanor, which could land you up to a year in jail or up to a $2,500 fine. Talk about a buzz kill!
But if the siren song of cheap PBR pitchers seems worth the risk, there’s a high likelihood that, with a good fake, you’ll get in. Most bouncers on the Corner will let real-looking fakes slide, because when police bust a place, according to our bar manager, “it’s not on you as a bar, it’s on them because they’re carrying a fake ID.” In other words, if bar managers can convince police that they thought the ID was legit, prosecution of the establishment is unlikely.
At any rate, it’s worth a try. Straeten confirmed that bars are not allowed to confiscate IDs, because citizen employees could “put themselves in a dangerous situation.” Bar managers are, however, supposed to contact ABC when they see a fake—which could leave you standing on the sidewalk in your “going-out shirt,” smelling of Axe Body Spray, waiting for the Boozer Cruiser. But, as any experienced Corner-hopper will tell you, most bars will just tell you to get lost.