The Federal Trade Commission’s tracking down marketers accused of selling so-called International Drivers’ Licenses on the black market, promising drivers with a suspended or revoked license a “legal” way to drive. Terry Dillinger, director of drivers services for the Iowa D-O-T, says there is a kind of license that is issued to foreigners who intend to drive in other countries. He says an International Driving Permit is an interpretation of your home-country license, translated into the language of the country you’re going to visit. Dillinger says in Iowa, Triple-A is authorized to create that translation, so you go to the travel club’s office, pay a fee and have your Iowa driver’s license translated into whatever foreign language applies. He says with you can drive in the foreign country, and if pulled over you must show your original driver’s license and the translation so the officer can see what your license is valid for back in the state of Iowa. Dillinger says if your Iowa license had been suspended or revoked you couldn’t get an international license at all, let alone use it here or abroad to replace the license “lifted” by authorities.The International Driving Permit is not the item being sold over the Internet, and he says it doesn’t let a driver escape sanctions by their government, so the scam’s a waste of money.The DOT has a fraud-investigation unit in the motor Vehicle Enforcement office, and Dillinger says they’ve found site after site on the world wide web that makes that kind of bogus offer. The F-T-C says scammers have been charging up to 375 dollars for the fake permits, while real ones cost just ten dollars.
