The old adage of "if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is" is appropriate once again. The Internet is full of fantastic-sounding offers of licenses that can never be revoked or suspended, but such offers are full of misinformation and outright lies.

"Unfortunately, I get at least one call per week from the child of an unsuspecting older American, who was emailed a message that looked pretty official. The parent responds and often gives out a credit card number, thinking they need these permits when they travel abroad" says Bridgeport, Connecticut DUI attorney James O. Ruane. "I think it is a result of the proliferation of spam email and the increasing numbers of older adults who are expanding their horizons by learning about the Internet"

Thousands of fake International Driver Permits (IDPs) are sold each year to unsuspecting victims. Preying upon people with poor driving records, these scam artists falsely claim that their document will authorize buyers to drive legally in the U.S, even if they don't have a state-issued license or if their state-issued license has been suspended or revoked. These scam artists also claim that their document can be used to avoid points or fines affecting state-issued licenses and can be used as legal photo identification.

All of these claims are false, however.

If you are a U.S. resident, an IDP is not valid within the United States. IDPs are not intended to replace state-issued driver's licenses and should only be used as a supplement to a valid license when traveling to a foreign country. Contrary to what these scam artists would like you to believe, IDPs are not legal proof of identity.

Some issuers of fake IDPs use another country as the "residence" country in an attempt to avoid the restriction that IDPs cannot be used in your home country. This misrepresentation can lead to legal difficulties if you are ever pulled over by the police in the U.S. and show a false IDP from some other country. The IDP will show that you live in that other country, however your car registration will show you as a U.S. resident. Lying to the police about your place of residence is a crime and could result in legal action.

The IDP is a legitimate document when issued by the proper authorities but it is not an alternative to a state-issued license. An IDP is simply a translation of a regular license into another language—it is not a driver's license by itself but helps foreign police read licenses in other languages. When traveling to a foreign country, you must still carry a valid U.S. license, which is considered your true driver's license. Countries where English is the spoken language, such as Great Britain, Ireland, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, do not require an IDP. However, insurance companies in many other jurisdictions often require IDPs to cover foreign drivers of vehicles driven there.

When you purchase an IDP you do not get a new, separate driving record—your record stays with you, so an IDP cannot be used to hide violations or tickets. These infractions are still recorded on your regular driver's license.

A real IDP must be purchased in your home country and you must be over 18 years of age and hold a valid license issued by a U.S. state or territory in order to purchase an IDP. In the United States, only two organizations are allowed to sell IDPs: the American Automobile Association and the American Automobile Touring Alliance, which offers IDPs through its National Automobile Club. The cost for a real IDP is approximately $10.00.

IDP scams will only cease if the operators are forced to shut down by the authorities. If you have been a victim of this type of scam, you should report the incident to the office of your local U.S. Postal Inspector, the Better Business Bureau or your state or local Attorney General's office.