The offense of Tampering with Identification Number includes which action?

• A. Removing, altering, or obliterating the serial number or other permanent identification marking on tangible personal property
• B. Possessing valuable stolen property
• C. Selling goods without a license
• D. Using false identification for a transaction

Answer: (A)

Tampering with Identification Numbers targets the act of removing or altering the marks that identify a property’s origin or ownership. The key prohibited conduct is to remove, alter, or obliterate the serial number or other permanent identification on tangible personal property, making it harder to trace or link to a rightful owner or to a crime. This directly matches the offense because it focuses on the manipulation of identifying marks, not on possession, licensing, or using false IDs.

Why this is the best choice: it describes the exact behavior the statute aims to deter—to obscure identification on property by removing or changing its serial or permanent identification marks. The other options describe different crimes (possession of stolen property, selling goods without a license, or using false identification), which do not involve altering identification marks on property.