This was one option to confirm my identity before opening a web hosting account. The host claims that this confirmation helps eliminate fraud. It seems like I'd be opening myself up to fraud if I did it this way. Their email asking me to fax or scan my license (or passport or green card) also asks for feedback on their confirmation process. I'd love to complain, but I can't find anything specific to support my feeling that this is a bad idea. Can someone tell me the specific risks and provide real-life examples? Note that I played it safe(r) and confirmed by phone instead. Thanks! nR.

Your driver's license isn't exactly what people look for when stealing identities. All it has is your name and address. Anyone can get that with a phone book.

Your Social Security number is what you need to protect.

Also, it's possible to intercept things through email, but it's not as common. If you want to feel safer, scan your license then take the image and encrypt it in a zip file.

Winzip can do that pretty easily:

http://www.winzip.com/index.htm

You can add whatever password you want to the file. Then just let them know what the password is.

It's a roundabout way of doing things, but it does add another level of security.

Edit:

Another option is to black out the Driver's License number. They don't need that information.

Apparently, it is more important than I thought. According to PC World, it is one of the two numbers you shouldn't reveal.

http://pcworld.about.com/od/privacysecur...