Sharing Copies of Your ID or Passport Safely

Why a plain copy is risky

A clean scan of an ID card or passport can be reused for something you never agreed to: opening an account, registering a SIM card or signing up to a service. Once you send a file you cannot take it back, so it is worth limiting what that copy can be used for.

Mark the copy with its purpose

Add a watermark across the page that names who the copy is for, the purpose and the date, for example “Copy for ABC Bank account opening – 07 Nov 2026 – not valid for any other use”. Place it so it crosses the card without hiding the photo or the number the receiver needs to read.

A watermarked copy is still accepted for its purpose, but it is far less useful to anyone else.

Hide what is not needed

If the receiver needs only your name and ID number, they rarely need your address, the barcode or the back of the card. Use Redact PDF to black out parts that are not required. Real redaction removes the content from the file, which is different from drawing a box on top that can be moved away.

Send it carefully

1. Send identity documents only to an address or number you have checked yourself, not to one given in an unexpected message.
2. For email, you can protect the PDF with a password and share the password by a different channel, such as a phone call.
3. Delete old copies from chats and downloads once the process is complete.
4. Never post a photo of an ID or boarding pass on social media; the barcode can contain personal details.