Being asked for my ID Card as part of a project application
Therrien Canada Local time: 16:30 Member (2010) English to French + ...
Jan 26
I was filling out the routine paperwork with a new client today. After wrapping up a rather extensive production, experience and education survey, NDA and SLA, the PM asked me to scan my ID card.
That's a first, for me.
I don't feel really safe with that, despite the fact the company has good ratings on different translator sites and sounds very professional.
What's your personal experience/viewpoint on that?
Thanks!
Alex
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Tom in London United Kingdom Local time: 21:30 Member (2008) Italian to English
not
Jan 26
Therrien wrote:
I was filling out the routine paperwork with a new client today. After wrapping up a rather extensive production, experience and education survey, NDA and SLA, the PM asked me to scan my ID card.
That's a first, for me.
I don't feel really safe with that, despite the fact the company has good ratings on different translator sites and sounds very professional.
What's your personal experience/viewpoint on that?
Thanks!
Alex
Tell him it's illegal to do that. I note that he has already wasted a lot of your time asking for a lot of personal information about you (without actually giving you any work). Now all he needs to complete the identity theft is a scan of your ID card. No way !
Never mind the good ratings and "sounding professional". There are plenty of ways to persuade people to give you a lot of good ratings and all expert tricksters are good at sounding professional.
Anyway, that's my opinion.
[Edited at 2012-01-26 08:31 GMT]
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Tomás Cano Binder, CT Spain Local time: 22:30 Member (2005) English to Spanish + ...
Do not provide the information
Jan 26
If they cannot believe that you are a genuine applicant, it is probably worth to let them go. I really don't quite understand why companies request that kind of information, which was never requested in the past.
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Tom in London United Kingdom Local time: 21:30 Member (2008) Italian to English
Yes
Jan 26
Tomás Cano Binder, CT wrote:
If they cannot believe that you are a genuine applicant, it is probably worth to let them go. I really don't quite understand why companies request that kind of information, which was never requested in the past.
I agree, and perhaps you should report this to Proz. It may be a cover for some sort of criminal activity.
[Edited at 2012-01-26 08:31 GMT]
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Maybe, the company wants to participate in a call for tenders and they are required to demonstrate that the translators (subcontractors) they work with, do exist. At least, this is what happens in Europe in a public procurement for translation. (and now I am speaking from experience).
Nonetheless, in this case, they should have informed you in advance.
If I were you, I would just ask them why they need the identity card and I would take a decision depending on the reply.
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Burrell United Kingdom Local time: 21:30 Member (2004) English to Latvian + ...
Return the favour
Jan 26
Ask them for their company registration document and the PMs ID card. If they stall, you have your answer and a very sound argument in any future discussions.
Having said that, I still would not send anybody my ID document scans.
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Tomás Cano Binder, CT Spain Local time: 22:30 Member (2005) English to Spanish + ...
Indeed!
Jan 26
Burrell wrote:
Ask them for their company registration document and the PMs ID card. If they stall, you have your answer and a very sound argument in any future discussions.
Indeed that makes sense. They need to verify that you really exist, so they have to do the same. You show me yours, I show you mine.
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Tomás Cano Binder, CT Spain Local time: 22:30 Member (2005) English to Spanish + ...
Absurd EU tenders
Jan 26
Angela Vasilescu (Autzulatos) wrote:
Maybe, the company wants to participate in a call for tenders and they are required to demonstrate that the translators (subcontractors) they work with, do exist. At least, this is what happens in Europe in a public procurement for translation. (and now I am speaking from experience).
OK, if the ID is necessary for an EU tender, we must ask the agency for an contract stating that they will ask us first whenever they receive actual work for that tender. The contract should also state that, should the tender be a fail, they will destroy all copies of any documents we might have provided as part of the tender process, along with all personal information (except name, telephone and email address perhaps) and will confirm such destruction in writing upon our request.
And still, even with a contract signed by company officials, I would only give a scan of my ID if they first gave me a scan of their incorporation documents and scans of the IDs of the company official(s) signing the contract.
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Samuel Murray Netherlands Local time: 22:30 Member (2006) English to Afrikaans + ...
Make copy, cross out, and scan
Jan 26
Therrien wrote:
After wrapping up a rather extensive production, experience and education survey, NDA and SLA, the PM asked me to scan my ID card.
Don't bat an eyelid. Make a copy of it, take a thick black pen and cross out any information you don't want them to see, then scan that crossed-out copy, and send it to them.
If you don't want people to see your ID card, then why do you have an ID card at all?
Samuel
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Samuel Murray Netherlands Local time: 22:30 Member (2006) English to Afrikaans + ...
Doesn't make that much sense
Jan 26
Tomás Cano Binder, CT wrote:
Burrell wrote:
Ask them for their company registration document and the PMs ID card. If they stall, you have your answer and a very sound argument in any future discussions.
Indeed that makes sense. They need to verify that you really exist, so they have to do the same. You show me yours, I show you mine.
The reason Alex is asked for her ID card is because the PM believes that there is a valid reason for it. If Alex were to ask the PM for his ID card, there would be no business-related valid reason for it -- it would be nothing more than spite. A business-related relevant document to ask from the PM would be things like company registration certificate, tax clearance certificate, etc, IF ALEX TRULY NEEDS IT.
Alex, do you register with this agency as yourself or as a business? If as yourself, then your ID card is your "business registration certificate" in a sense, isn't it? If as a business, and you won't want to show your ID card, offer to show your business registration papers instead.
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Sheila Wilson Spain Local time: 21:30 Member (2007) English + ...
proof of self-employed status
Jan 26
Samuel Murray wrote:
Alex, do you register with this agency as yourself or as a business? If as yourself, then your ID card is your "business registration certificate" in a sense, isn't it? If as a business, and you won't want to show your ID card, offer to show your business registration papers instead.
I can understand our clients' need to have proof that we are professionals who are working legally in our countries.
The problem comes about because, in many countries around the world, we're in a sort of "halfway house". We aren't just private citizens. We're business people. But we aren't limited companies or other "legal entities" either. Companies have their official registration documents; individuals have passports and/or ID cards; what do we have? Well, in some countries (and thankfully for me, France is one of them) you are required to register as self-employed and so you have registration papers to prove your status. In other countries this is not always the case: I believe that in the UK, the US and the Netherlands, and no doubt in many other countries, no registration is required, so there is nothing to prove that you are a professional rather than an individual working (possibly illegally) to earn a little pocket-money.
If you have any papers to prove you are working legally as a freelance translator in your country, Alex, then I think this would at least be an acceptable alternative to the client, if not far better.
Sheila
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Marina Steinbach United States Local time: 16:30 Member (2011) English to German + ...
Freelance Translator in the US
Jan 26
Sheila Wilson wrote:
I believe that in the UK, the US and the Netherlands, and no doubt in many other countries, no registration is required, so there is nothing to prove that you are a professional rather than an individual working (possibly illegally) to earn a little pocket-money.Sheila
I registered my translation services at my local county and pay taxes for this business type.
If asked for a proof of my self-employed position, I usually submit my Employer Identification Number (EIN), which I have received from the IRS.
No agency/client has ever asked me to submit a copy of my ID.
Marina
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kchansen Denmark Local time: 22:30 English to Danish
No way!
Jan 26
If an agency asked me for this kind of personal information, I would (politely) tell them to take a hike, unless I knew them VERY well in advance - as in, had worked at their location and knew the PM personally. I wouldn't trust strangers with, say, my CPR number (Danish equivalent to SSN number in the US). It could all too easily be used for identity theft.
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Give your customer your VAT tax ID number. According to new regulations (in force since mid-2010), self-employed persons in the EU cannot invoice business entities in other EU member states without putting their VAT ID on invoices they issue. This is mandatory even for folks who are exempt from VAT because they do not reach the threshold, which is different in every country. A prospective customer can verify your VAT ID anytime here: http://ec.europa.eu/taxation_customs/vies/
Tomas is absolutely right in saying that if the agency is preparing documentation for a tender, you should ask the agency for a contract:
... "stating that they will ask you first whenever they receive actual work for that tender. The contract should also state that, should the tender be a fail, they will destroy all copies of any
documents we might have provided as part of the tender process, along with all personal
information (except name, telephone and email address perhaps) and will confirm such
destruction in writing upon our request."
Not only your ID, I would also not give them a scanned copy of proof of education and/or qualifications. Do your customers ever ask their hairdresser, dentist, tailor or plumber for proof of professional qualifications?
Sheila said:
"If you have any papers to prove you are working legally as a freelance translator in your
country, Alex, then I think this would at least be an acceptable alternative to the client,
if not far better."
I think your VAT tax ID is proof enough.
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Sheila Wilson Spain Local time: 21:30 Member (2007) English + ...
Yes, but
Jan 26
JMDDipTrans wrote:
Sheila said:
"If you have any papers to prove you are working legally as a freelance translator in your
country, Alex, then I think this would at least be an acceptable alternative to the client,
if not far better."
I think your VAT tax ID is proof enough.
That's fine if you have one! However, not every freelancer within the EU has one, and I can't see any reason why the OP would have one in Canada.
Sheila
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