Have you ever made your ID  available to other people? Have you ever allowed other people to copy your ID? 

Inspector General for Personal Data Protection received information about improper registration of pre-paid SIM cards. Inspector reminds that the operators must not COPY or SCAN our ID. 

Do you know in what situations, according to binding law, is it possible to refuse the copying or producing the identity card? 

When we want to hire sports equipment such as a kayak or water bike, it is not sufficient to produce your ID or driving licence but sometimes you are asked to leave it as well. 

We have to realize that according to the Act from 6 August 2010 about identity cards, such practices are unlawful and carry a penalty of imprisonment up to  1 month or a fine. 

And what happens when we want to rent a flat? 

September is ahead of us - the high season of renting apartments by students. Landlords very often  demands a copy of ID in order to be protected against  possible damages in rented apartments. 

Remember, while signing the agreement it is only necessary to show ID and write down our personal data such as the name, the surname and the PESEL number, both of the tenant and the landlord. 

Presently, it is possible to sign the online loan agreement with the use of copied ID. The owner of ID might not even know about it. 

Do not leave ID at the hotel reception while we are checking in. It is enough to produce ID to the employee of the hotel. 

When do we have the duty to produce the identity card? 

We have to produce the ID to the policeman who can also take our ID to write down our personal details. The same situation concerns the Municipal and Border Guards. 

And what about the public transport controllers when we travel without the ticket? 

The transport law explicitly states that the controller has the right to demand the  production of the ID (or any document that confirms our identity) in the situation of issuing the request for payment. However, remember that the controller cannot take our ID and walk away. 

Remember that we can report all types of infringement to the Inspector General for Personal Data Protection. 

We remind our earlier article about stealing personal details, in which we present the consequences of such a theft. You will find also a few hints what to do when our personal details get into the wrong hands.