| Pages in topic: [1 2] > | Is it appropriate for a translation agency to ask you to upload a copy of your passport? Thread poster: Alessandra D'Onghia
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I was creating an account on the webiste of a translation agency, I added all the info they asked (language pair, rates, CV ecc), and then the next page showing up reads: "Trust is essential and it's important that people are who they say they are. To verify your identity and receive projects from us, you will need to upload a copy of the picture page of your passport. Do not edit, touch up or alter this image in any way."
Now, is this appropriate? I don't think it is, since they ca... See more I was creating an account on the webiste of a translation agency, I added all the info they asked (language pair, rates, CV ecc), and then the next page showing up reads: "Trust is essential and it's important that people are who they say they are. To verify your identity and receive projects from us, you will need to upload a copy of the picture page of your passport. Do not edit, touch up or alter this image in any way."
Now, is this appropriate? I don't think it is, since they can easily steal people identity this way.
What do you think? Have you ever been asked by a translation agency to send your ID/passport? ▲ Collapse
| | | | Thayenga 
Germany
Local time: 01:53
Member (2009)
English to German
+ ...
| It is - to a certrain degree | Jun 20, 2023 |
Recently more and more agencies are asking for an ID/passport of their translators in order to avoid scammers and/or money-launders.
You can upload a copy of your passport, but please ensure to blacken all sensitive information such as date and place of birth and, most importantly, your passport's number. No agency needs to have that for any reason. Nor is it entitled to ask for it, let alone demand that the passport number is legible.
| | | | | First make them prove they are who they say they are and are actually a translation agency | Jun 20, 2023 |
and then refuse to upload your passport. No way in this day and age.
Imo.
| | | | Samuel Murray
Netherlands
Local time: 01:53
Member (2006)
English to Afrikaans
+ ...
Alessandra D'Onghia wrote:
"...you will need to upload a copy of the picture page of your passport. Do not edit, touch up or alter this image in any way."
If by "this image" they mean the photograph of you, then yes, there is no problem with this. However, you must obscure private information such as your date and place of birth and the passport number. If by "this image" they mean the copy of the whole page, then no: you should not share such private identifying information with anyone.
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William Tierney
United States
Local time: 19:53
Member (2002)
Arabic to English
| We all should be convinced | Jun 20, 2023 |
The agency has a legitimate concern to verify that someone claiming to be a Phd from Oxford is not a taxi driver from Bombay. I post my business license and insurance verification on my website and make it part of my advertising and verification, since there have been more than a few people who take a professional translator's identity and then hand in unedited machine translations.
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Like Thayenga, I’m aware that a number of agencies are requiring some sort of identification from potential freelancers. So far, I haven’t been asked. Anyway, my passport is no longer valid and as I no longer need it to travel in the EU it’s more than likely that I’ll not ask for a new one any time soon (my traveling years are gone and I have no intention of traveling outside the EU). However, if I’m really interested in working with someone, I’ll have no problem scanning my ID card.... See more Like Thayenga, I’m aware that a number of agencies are requiring some sort of identification from potential freelancers. So far, I haven’t been asked. Anyway, my passport is no longer valid and as I no longer need it to travel in the EU it’s more than likely that I’ll not ask for a new one any time soon (my traveling years are gone and I have no intention of traveling outside the EU). However, if I’m really interested in working with someone, I’ll have no problem scanning my ID card.
[Edited at 2023-06-20 16:19 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | expressisverbis
Portugal
Local time: 00:53
Member (2015)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
| Documents... | Jun 20, 2023 |
Whenever any agency (that makes me immediately suspicious) contacts me for the first time and asks me for this type of document, I simply do not reply, or, when I have time and even feel like writing, I reply saying that it is highly confidential information to be spread in this way.
Also, if they need to verify that the translator is real and not "someone created in an AI lab", my phone contact details are in my email signature.
Nothing better than a phone call to gain some trust ... See more Whenever any agency (that makes me immediately suspicious) contacts me for the first time and asks me for this type of document, I simply do not reply, or, when I have time and even feel like writing, I reply saying that it is highly confidential information to be spread in this way.
Also, if they need to verify that the translator is real and not "someone created in an AI lab", my phone contact details are in my email signature.
Nothing better than a phone call to gain some trust and that is if the company is really acting in good faith.
Within the same "message category", a few days ago I received this from a translation company that I have never heard of:
"Dear Linguist
I hope this email finds you well.
As part of our commitment to maintaining a high level of data protection and ensuring the confidentiality of our customer’s sensitive information, we are in the process of updating our records.
In line with this, we kindly request that you provide us with your current DBS certificate (Criminal Check).
To ensure a smooth and efficient process, we kindly request that you provide us with an electronic copy of your current DBS certificate (or an equivalent alternative certificate).
Should you have any concerns or queries regarding this request, please contact me.
We sincerely appreciate your cooperation in this matter.
Please ignore this message if you have already provided us with a copy of your DBS certificate."
I could even understand the request if they told me that the type of documents to be translated were very important and highly sensitive, or even provide me with some more information... but no.
Needless to say, I didn't even reply. That email went straight to the bin. ▲ Collapse
| | | | | I have and I did | Jun 20, 2023 |
Alessandra D'Onghia wrote:
What do you think? Have you ever been asked by a translation agency to send your ID/passport?
I have been asked and I did send the page. However
1. I had been working for the agency for several years at that point, and we have continued to work together since, so I knew they were legit; and
2. IIRC the passport was almost/already expired at that point, which was not a problem since they just needed to verify my identity;
3. I blacked out information they did not need and there was no problem with that.
I wouldn't send anything to a company I had never worked with or one that contacted me out of the blue.
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| I would say no .... | Jun 20, 2023 |
....and I would refuse to give any agency my personal data. On the other hand, I like to camp, and each time I enter a camping to pitch my tent, the reception asks my passport, makes a photocopy of it, and somehow I don't have problems with that, just to mention the same act in a different situation.
Isn't that strange? (just to give an example)
[Edited at 2023-06-20 21:24 GMT]
[Edited at 2023-06-20 21:25 GMT]
| | | | Gitte Hovedskov (X)
Denmark
Local time: 01:53
English to Danish
+ ...
| No, it is not | Jun 21, 2023 |
I am so glad you raised this question. I ran into the same issue a while back, but in my case it was a request from a company I had worked with for five years and with whom I had an excellent working relationship. I could not understand why they suddenly needed to verify my identity (except for some changes in their payment system, which evidently required certain information to be added to a database).
I refused to submit a copy of my passport, pointing out that my company is VAT r... See more I am so glad you raised this question. I ran into the same issue a while back, but in my case it was a request from a company I had worked with for five years and with whom I had an excellent working relationship. I could not understand why they suddenly needed to verify my identity (except for some changes in their payment system, which evidently required certain information to be added to a database).
I refused to submit a copy of my passport, pointing out that my company is VAT registered and can be verified in VIES online. In my view, my passport is highly personal ID, not business ID, so I didn't want to share the details with them, or anybody, really. They didn't budge. In the end, we parted ways, and I was really sorry to see this client go. ▲ Collapse
| | | | IrinaN
United States
Local time: 18:53
English to Russian
+ ...
| Not our problem | Jun 21, 2023 |
William Tierney wrote:
The agency has a legitimate concern to verify that someone claiming to be a Phd from Oxford is not a taxi driver from Bombay........people who take a professional translator's identity and then hand in unedited machine translations.
We must go many extra miles to verify what sort of agency we plan to deal with. So do they. They don't share much except for "we work with 489 countries, 3576 major clients and God Almighty on Sundays". If they have no idea how to detect a good, professional translator then it's their problem. 99.99% of those agencies have no problem offering Oxford graduates taxi driver rates anyway.
In the past I have submitted my untouched current passport copy via dedicated secured links in response to the requests of the end clients I didn't need to research, but I'll laugh in the face of any agency that would present me with the requirement above before having me on a short list pending verification of my credentials, showing me proven and traceable project(s) at hand and proof of actually existing major end client, seriously and specifically interested in my persona:-) after reading my resume, for starters. This how it has always been in the past. In such cases I'll do the unpaid test without a beep, if required. In fact, I'd always been a test advocate for a worthy client.
My passport just to keep it in the database in case they'll come up with something for unknown but largely predictable:-) rates in a barely foreseeable future... Drink some CoolAid, bozos
| | | | | I know, but... | Jun 22, 2023 |
Robert Rietvelt wrote:
....and I would refuse to give any agency my personal data. On the other hand, I like to camp, and each time I enter a camping to pitch my tent, the reception asks my passport, makes a photocopy of it, and somehow I don't have problems with that, just to mention the same act in a different situation.
Isn't that strange? (just to give an example)
[Edited at 2023-06-20 21:24 GMT]
[Edited at 2023-06-20 21:25 GMT]
...somehow I know for sure that specific company/hotel, I have proofs it is using the copy of my ID/passport for work purposes (I know, the staff can easily use it to steal my identity anyway), but it's slightly different.
Instead, when you are asked to send the copy on a website, you never know who's behind the website. Besides, this agency asks for my passport during registration, not even after the test or when I'm signing a contract with them.
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Sara González
Spain
Local time: 01:53
Member (2023)
English to Spanish
| I have a similar situation | Sep 29, 2023 |
Hi!
I was checking information regarding this topic because something similar is happening to me at this moment.
I have an agency that just contacted me (after like 6 month of my initial e-mail). We talked about rates and payment conditions, and then, they ask for an "ID proof" like passport or citizenship card to prove I'm native. And honestly, I don't feel comfortable sharing that kind of information online, even if the agency has a high score here.
I lik... See more Hi!
I was checking information regarding this topic because something similar is happening to me at this moment.
I have an agency that just contacted me (after like 6 month of my initial e-mail). We talked about rates and payment conditions, and then, they ask for an "ID proof" like passport or citizenship card to prove I'm native. And honestly, I don't feel comfortable sharing that kind of information online, even if the agency has a high score here.
I like being cautious with this kind of things and I wouldn't share it, and reading most of the answers here, that seems to be the most common option. But anyway, does anyone have any advice? ▲ Collapse
| | | | | I did send it but | Sep 29, 2023 |
I did send the copy of my passport, but I cancelled the passport number and the place of birth. This way they can't even generate automatically my personal ID number online.
David González wrote:
Hi!
I was checking information regarding this topic because something similar is happening to me at this moment.
I have an agency that just contacted me (after like 6 month of my initial e-mail). We talked about rates and payment conditions, and then, they ask for an "ID proof" like passport or citizenship card to prove I'm native. And honestly, I don't feel comfortable sharing that kind of information online, even if the agency has a high score here.
I like being cautious with this kind of things and I wouldn't share it, and reading most of the answers here, that seems to be the most common option. But anyway, does anyone have any advice?
| | | | Daniel Frisano
Italy
Local time: 01:53
Member (2008)
English to Italian
+ ...
| By the way... | Sep 29, 2023 |
Creating and managing an account on the website of a translation agency is supposedly *their* admin work.
Think about it: if no effort is required on the agency side to create providers' accounts, they will probably keep dozens of profiles for each language pair, and you can easily guess which selection criteria they will use afterwards to assign a project: cheaper and/or quicker to reply.
All very professional, right?
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