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He was homeless and likely lost his ID and the papers needed get a new one. Then the identity thief obtained an ID and birth certificate.

Unless you are suggesting that the government take biometrics. Except that wouldn't have helped in this case, cause the identity thief would have shown up with ID and gotten scanned.

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The government's failure there is that they issued a faulty ID to the conman, of course.

I think the victim should be entitled to damages from the state for that fault, and also for the false sentence he received.

He had his ID. They just didn’t believe him when he provided it.

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