Inspection Guide — Check IDs, Faces & Trunks
Inspection is the heart of Protect the Border. Every vehicle gets the same sequence — ID, face, car, trunk — and the order matters. Skipping a step is the most common mistake new players make.
The 5-step inspection loop
1. Meet the driver
Start the interaction when the vehicle arrives. Focus on the driver immediately. Do not click Approve or Reject instantly, even if the driver looks harmless.
2. Check the ID
Review the driver’s identification document. Verify:
- Name — readable and present
- Photo description — the ID describes the person you should be seeing
- Expiration date — valid and not expired
3. Compare the face
Look closely at the driver’s character model. Their physical appearance — hair, accessories, clothing — must match the description on the ID. A traveler whose look contradicts their document is the most common fake.
4. Inspect the vehicle
Visually scan the car’s exterior: damage levels, suspicious modifications, or discrepancies with the registration.
5. Check the trunk
Open the trunk and inspect the cargo. This is the decisive step. Look for illegal goods — weapons, drugs, contraband — that justify an arrest. Legal cargo means the traveler can be approved.
Making the call
| Situation | Correct action |
|---|---|
| Matching ID + legal cargo | Approve |
| Contraband in the trunk | Arrest |
| Fake or mismatched ID | Arrest (or bribe bait) |
| Suspicious traveler offers money | Your call — cash now, harder night later |
The bribe is the only decision with a real trade-off: it pays instantly but the traveler you let through makes night shifts worse. Exact bribe amounts and how much they affect night difficulty aren’t officially published — check back after in-game verification.
Co-op division of labor
In a 4-officer party, split the checkpoint:
- Document checker — handles ID + face verification
- Vehicle inspector — handles car + trunk searches
- Line guards — watch for trouble and prepare the night defense
This keeps the queue moving and makes night prep possible during daylight.
Common mistakes
- Approving on the face alone without trunk check — the cargo is the evidence
- Rejecting instantly on a nervous driver — nervousness is a tell, not proof
- Forgetting to clear the backlog before sunset — unprocessed travelers stack up while you’re fighting