Does crossing out the copy really protect you?

Partially, and it's worth knowing that. A handwritten note giving the recipient and the date doesn't technically prevent reuse; it makes it contestable and discourages use in front of an attentive organization. It isn't a guarantee, it's a trace.

I've already sent my ID document. What should I do now?

File a police report to date the facts, notify your bank, and watch your mail and statements for several months — use is rarely immediate. You can't make the copy disappear, but you can be in a position to show, later, that you reported its disclosure.

Can a real landlord or a real employer ask for these documents?

Yes, at a specific point in the relationship — after a viewing, after an interview, when putting together a file. What identifies fraud isn't the nature of the documents but the timing and channel: before any meeting, by instant message, and under urgency.

ID document fraud

In plain terms

A photo of your ID card, requested "for verification" by a listing, a rental, or an employer that doesn't exist. It's the missing piece needed to act in your name.

Definition

ID document fraud means obtaining a copy of an official document — ID card, passport, driver's license, proof of address, bank statement — under a plausible pretext, in order to build files in the person's name. It's the upstream step of identity theft: the document handed over is what makes the rest possible.

How it works

The pretext is always a situation where the request seems normal: a rental that requires a file, an employer preparing a contract, a platform "verifying" a seller, customer service asking for proof before a refund. The request arrives exactly when it's expected, which is the whole art of the method — no one is surprised that a landlord asks for an ID. The documents requested then naturally pile up: ID, proof of address, pay slips, bank statement — exactly the file a remote loan application requires. Two properties make this a serious case. An ID document can't be changed like a password: once shared, it stays usable until it's renewed, and the number keeps its value for a paper-based file. And the use comes much later, which breaks the link with the original request and makes the harm hard to trace back to its source.

Warning signs

ID requested before any real meeting, viewing, or interview
Sending requested by instant messaging, email, or a form outside the organization's official site
Cumulative request: identity, home address, pay slips, bank statement, in a single exchange
Urgency invoked — another candidate, an expiring deadline, a file to close today
A contact who reached out to you first and whose existence you haven't verified
A photo requested holding the document, or a video holding it

How to verify

Verify the organization before sending, never after: look it up yourself, call the number on its official site, and have the request and the person confirmed. Ask on what basis the document is required at this stage of the process — a legitimate contact answers without difficulty, and the irritation the question causes is itself informative.

What to do

Don't send an ID document to someone who contacted you first, or before the relationship is established some other way. When sending one really is necessary, provide a copy marked across it by hand with the recipient, the purpose, and the date, directly on the document without covering up needed information — this doesn't prevent reuse but makes it contestable. Don't cover so much that the document becomes unusable for a legitimate purpose, or you'll have to send a second one without the mark.

If it already happened

File a police report immediately, even with no harm confirmed yet: the report dates the disclosure and serves as a reference if a file appears later. Report the incident to the relevant authority. Watch your bank statements and mail in the months that follow, since use is often delayed, and notify your bank. If a loan or contract appears in your name, the identity theft fiche covers the next steps. Consider renewing the document involved, knowing the old number keeps some value for a paper-based file.

Frequently asked questions

Does crossing out the copy really protect you?: Partially, and it's worth knowing that. A handwritten note giving the recipient and the date doesn't technically prevent reuse; it makes it contestable and discourages use in front of an attentive organization. It isn't a guarantee, it's a trace.
I've already sent my ID document. What should I do now?: File a police report to date the facts, notify your bank, and watch your mail and statements for several months — use is rarely immediate. You can't make the copy disappear, but you can be in a position to show, later, that you reported its disclosure.
Can a real landlord or a real employer ask for these documents?: Yes, at a specific point in the relationship — after a viewing, after an interview, when putting together a file. What identifies fraud isn't the nature of the documents but the timing and channel: before any meeting, by instant message, and under urgency.

Official sources

Cybermalveillance.gouv.fr — Assistance and reporting (French government cybersecurity assistance service)

This article is part of the Data and digital identity family. Last updated: 2026-09-03.