METHOD AND DEVICE FOR DETECTING FAKE SKIN PRINTS

The method aims at identifying a fake element (F1) reproducing a fake skin print positioned on the detection surface (13) of an optical device for detecting skin prints such as fingerprints. The method provides for sending (14) towards the abovementioned detection surface (13) an illumination beam (14) to be back-scattered and propagate through the fake element (F1) bearing the fake print. The beam in question is a shielded beam including an illuminated region (22) and a shielded region (23). A sensor (16) captures the shielded illumination beam after the back-scattering, generating a signal indicating the dimension (x0, x0') of the transition region (24) between the illuminated region (22) and the shielded region (23) present in the shielded beam after the back-scattering. The possible presence of a fake element (F1) reproducing a fake skin print is identified when the abovementioned transition region (24) has a dimension larger than a given reference value (x0).