8,200 Michigan residents got 'fake' driver’s IDs in the mail. They all had one unsettling detail in common
Lenita Nelson wished the MSOS informed her instead of seeing the mistake on social media
A vendor printing error on August 26, 2026, affected not one but 8,200 Michigan residents who waited for their driver's licenses and state IDs. On September 9, 2026, Click On Detroit Local 4 WDIV reported that thousands of Michiganders received their licenses and IDs, but everyone's licenses and IDs had the same misprints and one bizarre detail. The Michigan Secretary of State (MSOS) had to issue a public statement. The video received 25,675 views, 169 likes, and 83 comments.
Stock photo man
Every Michigan resident who received their new driver's license and state ID found a strange man's photo in the lower right-hand corner instead of their own photo. On top of that, everyone's birthday was set to January 12, 1967, and the back of the card was supposed to have the cardholder's name, but it had generic placeholders. It literally read, "LAST NAME, FIRST NAME," and "MIDDLE."
No official announcement
Michelle Thomas, one of the affected residents, told the news outlet, "I went to the Secretary of State to apply for my license. I was excited like, 'Oh, I’m about to finally get my license.' I looked at my license and saw that this man was on here, and I automatically knew it wasn’t right. I was like, 'Who is this guy?'"
Lora Walker, another resident, spoke to 13 On Your Side, "I thought maybe two had gotten stuck together. Maybe they had my license with someone else’s picture and birthdate...My friends and family, we all had a good laugh at it, but at the end of the day, it’s a crucial mistake." Most people were upset that the MSOS did not address the issue officially. Many had to find out their IDs were misprinted through social media. Lenita Nelson said, "They could’ve sent out a blast email or something and said, 'Hey, make sure you look and check.'"
The underlying issue
The MSOS addressed the issue and revealed that the error stemmed from their printing vendor, Idemia. They also assured Michiganders that the man on their card was a stock photo and not an actual Michigan resident. MSOS sent out the correct cards in the mail to all 8,200 residents. However, anyone waiting for their card can visit the MSOS office offline or online to request a temporary new ID. They also clarified that residents with unexpired IDs can still use them.
California REAL ID drama
This isn't the first time citizens were affected by a misprint. Back on January 2, around 325,000 Californians had to replace their REAL ID licenses. The problem stemmed from a "legacy system issue from 2006," reported the New York Post. Around 1.5% of California REAL ID holders were affected by the incident.
DMV Director Steve Gorden said, "We proactively reviewed our records, identified a legacy system issue from 2006, and are notifying impacted customers with clear guidance on how to maintain a valid California-issued credential.
For nearly 99% of REAL ID holders, no action is required. The DMV remains committed to serving all Californians and ensuring REAL ID credentials meet federal standards." The officials also clarified that only documented Californians received a REAL ID.
Sure it's valid?
Viewers took the matter seriously and pointed out how flawed the system was. Several people also blamed Jocelyn Benson, the Secretary of State of Michigan. @jackpinewood9344 commented, "And Benson wants to be my governor! You had one job!" @cynthias7299 said, "Still valid? B*llsh*t! Hand that to a police officer and there's a good chance you'll be charged with having a fake ID and possibly arrested."
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