Passport scam?
Người gửi thông tin lên tuyến đoạn: Christina Schoolman
Christina Schoolman
Christina Schoolman  Identity Verified
Nhật
Japanese to English
Oct 17, 2024

I recently responded to a job posting, passed their initial test, and have now been sent an onboarding form to fill out. One of the required fields on the form asks for my passport number. I have never had to provide a passport number to sign up with a company (even when setting up payment information for direct deposits), and I wonder if this is common.

I would greatly appreciate any advice anyone might have, as I don't feel comfortable providing a passport number to just anyone.... See more
I recently responded to a job posting, passed their initial test, and have now been sent an onboarding form to fill out. One of the required fields on the form asks for my passport number. I have never had to provide a passport number to sign up with a company (even when setting up payment information for direct deposits), and I wonder if this is common.

I would greatly appreciate any advice anyone might have, as I don't feel comfortable providing a passport number to just anyone.

Thank you in advance!

[Edited at 2024-10-18 09:37 GMT]
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Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida  Identity Verified
Bồ Đào Nha
Local time: 19:51
Thành viên kể từ 2007
English to Portuguese
+ ...
@Christina Oct 17, 2024

The only times I remember being asked for my ID (my passport is no longer valid and within the EU I don't need it) in the translation context was when I entered in a Consultant Contract with the UN or a Translation Contract with the EC and I didn’t have to show it just to fill the blanks in a form. Anyway, I wouldn't have a problem if what's asked for is just the passport number, but I wouldn't send a copy of my passport.

expressisverbis
 
Carlos Alvarez
Carlos Alvarez  Identity Verified
Vương Quốc Anh
Local time: 19:51
Thành viên kể từ 2005
French to English
+ ...
I would refuse Oct 17, 2024

I would refuse to provide it. This has been discussed before on Proz, google "proz passport number".
Hope that helps.
Regards,

Carlos.


writeaway
Donatella Cifola
Faruk Atabeyli
 
Christina Schoolman
Christina Schoolman  Identity Verified
Nhật
Japanese to English
TOPIC STARTER
Thank you! Oct 17, 2024

Thank you for your advice. I wasn't sure if this was standard practice or not. I will contact the company and see what they need the passport number for and if I can go without giving that information.

 
philgoddard
philgoddard
Hoa Kỳ
German to English
+ ...
Again... Oct 17, 2024

... I don't see what this has to do with scams.

Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Kevin Fulton
expressisverbis
 
Dr. Matthias Schauen
Dr. Matthias Schauen  Identity Verified
Đức
Local time: 20:51
Thành viên kể từ 2007
English to German
The more red tape ... Oct 18, 2024

This might* be one of the cases confirming the often-repeated piece of wisdom regarding translation agencies (probably phrased much better elsewhere on proz.com) of "the more red tape, the less (lucrative/feasible/pleasant) jobs".
See for inst
... See more
This might* be one of the cases confirming the often-repeated piece of wisdom regarding translation agencies (probably phrased much better elsewhere on proz.com) of "the more red tape, the less (lucrative/feasible/pleasant) jobs".
See for instance https://www.proz.com/forum/business_issues/138113-a_scan_of_my_passport_needed_for_potential_collaboration.html



*Actually I am pretty sure that it is, but I pretend to not have read the name of the client in the thread title.

[Edited at 2024-10-18 09:00 GMT]
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Anton Konashenok
Kevin Fulton
B&B FinTrans
 
IrinaN
IrinaN
Hoa Kỳ
Local time: 13:51
English to Russian
+ ...
Who wants to know? Oct 18, 2024

To the best of my knowledge about Japanese bureaucracy, and similar to the US, if you reside in Japan and want to join a government-funded contract, this would be the only reason for a legitimate request. If you have an iron-clad proof that this is the case, then you are OK. On the other hand, you would have hardly had any questions - government-required process is clear and leaves no doubt from the start. Otherwise, forget it, especially for a foreign client, regardless of what they reply to yo... See more
To the best of my knowledge about Japanese bureaucracy, and similar to the US, if you reside in Japan and want to join a government-funded contract, this would be the only reason for a legitimate request. If you have an iron-clad proof that this is the case, then you are OK. On the other hand, you would have hardly had any questions - government-required process is clear and leaves no doubt from the start. Otherwise, forget it, especially for a foreign client, regardless of what they reply to your inquiry. They have no business to request it even for tax purposes. Your passport belongs to the government, not to you, and you simply can't send it out left and right.Collapse


 
AllegroTrans
AllegroTrans  Identity Verified
Vương Quốc Anh
Local time: 19:51
Thành viên kể từ 2011
French to English
+ ...
They do not need your passport number Oct 23, 2024

If you have provided your full contact details and satisfied them of your competence to translate, that's all they need.
Politely tell them that.


 
finnword1
finnword1
Hoa Kỳ
Local time: 14:51
English to Finnish
+ ...
Not needed Oct 25, 2024

Why would I need a passport in order to translate?

 


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