Asian translation agency asking for my personal identification document Thread poster: PatriziaM.
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PatriziaM. 
Italy
Local time: 01:50
English to Italian
+ ...
Hi,
I have a question for freelance translators working for Asian agencies. Did they ask for your personal identification document?
A translation agency from Hong Kong has just asked me to provide my personal identification document (with photo) such as ID card/Passport/Driving License for PayPal’s reference.
Is this a standard practice? I'm concerned about identity theft and I don't want to be incautious.
[Edited at 2022-01-19 14:13 GMT]
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PatriziaM. wrote:
Hi,
I have a question for freelance translators working for Asian agencies. Do they asked for your personal identification document?
A translation agency from Hong Kong has just asked me to provide my personal identification document (with photo) such as ID card/Passport/Driving License for PayPal’s reference.
Is this a standard practice? I'm concerned about identity theft and I don't want to be incautious.
For PaylPals reference? It doesn't seem credible. They can send you money without problems without you ID.
I wouldn't if I were you.
[Edited at 2022-01-19 11:39 GMT]
| | | | Lingua 5B
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Local time: 01:50
Member (2009)
English to Croatian
+ ...
PatriziaM. wrote:
Hi,
I have a question for freelance translators working for Asian agencies. Do they asked for your personal identification document?
A translation agency from Hong Kong has just asked me to provide my personal identification document (with photo) such as ID card/Passport/Driving License for PayPal’s reference.
Is this a standard practice? I'm concerned about identity theft and I don't want to be incautious.
This is very likely scam. Block them and don’t engage.
| | | | Thayenga
Germany
Local time: 01:50
Member (2009)
English to German
+ ...
| This type of request | Jan 19, 2022 |
Some agencies do require a copy of your ID to prevent scammers from contacting them. So this might be a valid request.
Provided you are interested in working with that agency and if PayPal really needs your ID (doubtful), you should ask them if they really need it from that agency, that is, from a payer. Probably not.
In case an agency should need your ID to verify you as a real person and if they are a legitimate company with a good, traceable reputation, then... See more Some agencies do require a copy of your ID to prevent scammers from contacting them. So this might be a valid request.
Provided you are interested in working with that agency and if PayPal really needs your ID (doubtful), you should ask them if they really need it from that agency, that is, from a payer. Probably not.
In case an agency should need your ID to verify you as a real person and if they are a legitimate company with a good, traceable reputation, then only send a copy of your ID. Definitely make sure that you insert a non-removable stamp or text field stating DUPLICATE in a couple of places, and ensure that your ID number is made illegible. Send it in a password protected, non-printable PDF. ▲ Collapse
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| Never asked me | Jan 19, 2022 |
PatriziaM. wrote:
Hi,
I have a question for freelance translators working for Asian agencies. Did they ask for your personal identification document?
A translation agency from Hong Kong has just asked me to provide my personal identification document (with photo) such as ID card/Passport/Driving License for PayPal’s reference.
Is this a standard practice? I'm concerned about identity theft and I don't want to be incautious.
[Edited at 2022-01-19 14:13 GMT]
Hi,
In fact, I work always with Asian translation agencies and they have never asked me to supply any identity document.
The only things they ask the first time, is our experience proof and certification if any and, of course, our banking info.
Have a nice day,
| | | | LIZ LI
China
Local time: 07:50
French to Chinese
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| Common practice in CN | Jan 20, 2022 |
It may sound strange in most places, but a common practice in mainland China.
Most agencies need your identity for fiscal reasons (assuming that you don't live in China and won't pay any tax here because of some sort of double treaty between your country & China).
The local tax bureau will come after them if they don't provide any solid proof of you not paying the tax.
So, it doesn't sound like a scam to me.
But Hong Kong has its own administration and fiscal syst... See more It may sound strange in most places, but a common practice in mainland China.
Most agencies need your identity for fiscal reasons (assuming that you don't live in China and won't pay any tax here because of some sort of double treaty between your country & China).
The local tax bureau will come after them if they don't provide any solid proof of you not paying the tax.
So, it doesn't sound like a scam to me.
But Hong Kong has its own administration and fiscal system, and there's no VAT applied locally, like Dubai.
My guess: it's a Chinese LSP trying to recruit you with its HK branch.
By the way, it's impossible to "steal" your identity within mainland China, where everything is literally traceable.
Anyway, you have the right to not believe in it. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Michael Newton
United States
Local time: 19:50
Japanese to English
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I have worked for agencies in Japan, Hong Kong and Mainland China and no one has ever asked me for this type of identification.
My advice: don't! Your ID can be used for all sorts of nefarious purposes.
| | | | | Don't do that | Jan 20, 2022 |
I had a similar request from an Indian LSP that I rejected. Better safe than sorry. While I recognize this can be a common requirement in China or elsewhere as described above, the possibility of a scam is so much higher.
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S_G_C
Romania
Local time: 02:50
English to Romanian
I think I know what agency it is.
Don't engage.
There's more to come after asking you for such a document.
| | | | Sara Staccone
Italy
Local time: 01:50
Member (2021)
English to Italian
+ ...
| Had the same happen to me lately, but with a UK agency | Apr 2, 2022 |
The same was asked of me a few days ago by a recruiter working for an agency based in the UK (the e-mail address checked out; not 100% sure about the recruiter themselves). They wanted an ID and a "proof of address" (= an utility bill with my name and address on it) in order to add me to their database. It sounded kinda sketchy to me, considering I had already worked for them recently and no such request had been made back then, so I replied saying I wasn't sure why all of a sudden they needed a... See more The same was asked of me a few days ago by a recruiter working for an agency based in the UK (the e-mail address checked out; not 100% sure about the recruiter themselves). They wanted an ID and a "proof of address" (= an utility bill with my name and address on it) in order to add me to their database. It sounded kinda sketchy to me, considering I had already worked for them recently and no such request had been made back then, so I replied saying I wasn't sure why all of a sudden they needed all these documents, and I haven't heard from this person since. When in doubt, I'd rather trust my gut.
[Modificato alle 2022-04-02 14:58 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | Michael Newton
United States
Local time: 19:50
Japanese to English
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| Personal identification document | Apr 3, 2022 |
I recently responded to a proz. "opportunity" from an Ireland-based company for translation of Japanese financial documents. I passed the test, signed the NDA and filled in the payment information. Then they told me they needed a "bank statement or a cancelled check" from my bank, because their vetting process was "strict and detailed" and they were "worried about money laundering" (By the way, how is a lowly translator going to engage in money-laundering?!). Eventually I sent them a recent bank... See more I recently responded to a proz. "opportunity" from an Ireland-based company for translation of Japanese financial documents. I passed the test, signed the NDA and filled in the payment information. Then they told me they needed a "bank statement or a cancelled check" from my bank, because their vetting process was "strict and detailed" and they were "worried about money laundering" (By the way, how is a lowly translator going to engage in money-laundering?!). Eventually I sent them a recent bank statement with the sums of money crossed out. Then they told me they needed a "vendor TIN (tax identification number)". They wanted a business identification tax number. I told them the only tax ID number an independent contractor could provide was a SSN (social security number). This is common for USA-based agencies. They said that, "as an American company, we need your business/vendor tax identification number". They would not relent. How, as an American company, even one based in Ireland, can they not know this? I told my bank about this and was advised to close my account and open a new one. They were suspicious by the submission about the requirement of a bank statement and a cancelled check. The moral of the story is, if it looks like a scam, talks like a scam and smells like a scam, it probably is a scam. Be very careful of the documents you submit. Even a photograph can be used for underhanded purposes. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Elena Feriani
Italy
Local time: 01:50
Member
French to Italian
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| I just sent the picture of my ID | Apr 4, 2022 |
I just sent the picture of my ID to a British agency with a perfect score in the Blue Board and 49 5-star reviews in the past 12 months. They asked me to "either send us a full document or show us a piece of valid ID on a video call (by Zoom)". They added that this is necessary because some clients require them "to carry out the full ID check on anyone who is involved in the service supply chain".
I trusted them because of the BB ratings.
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Tianqi Sun
China
Local time: 07:50
Member (2021)
English to Chinese
+ ...
PatriziaM. wrote:
Hi,
I have a question for freelance translators working for Asian agencies. Did they ask for your personal identification document?
A translation agency from Hong Kong has just asked me to provide my personal identification document (with photo) such as ID card/Passport/Driving License for PayPal’s reference.
Is this a standard practice? I'm concerned about identity theft and I don't want to be incautious.
[Edited at 2022-01-19 14:13 GMT]
I am an English-Chinese translator for a CSA top 100 Japanese company that requires ID card/Passport/Driving License.
In Asia, reputable agencies require you to provide ID card/Passport/Driving License.
All you have to do is to confirm if the agency is a reputable agency.
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