🧼ID Theft Protection: The Simple Watermark Trick You Need to Know
type
status
date
slug
summary
tags
category
icon
password
Tweet
ID Theft Protection: The Simple Watermark Trick You Need to Know
TLDR: I made a privacy-first web app for watermarking. It doesn't upload your file anywhere. 
Privacy-first Watermarker
Introduction
Hey everyone! I want to share a concern I've had lately. When traveling, hotels routinely ask for passport copies for identification. While this is standard practice, it's always made me uneasy. I worry about how these photos are stored and their potential misuse. After some research, I found effective ways to prevent hotels from reusing passport photos, particularly through watermarking.
Risks of Hotels Reusing Passport Photos
Hotels may keep passport photos to streamline future check-ins and reduce paperwork. However, this creates significant security risks. If your passport photo is shared or reused without authorization, it could enable identity theft. Your image combined with passport details could be used for fraud, fake IDs, or unauthorized account access—a frightening prospect.
How I Avoid Passport Photo Reuse
I take two key steps to protect myself. First, I ask about the hotel's data protection policies and storage practices, favoring those with strict measures. Second, I provide a passport photocopy with sensitive details obscured rather than sharing the original document.
Using Watermarks for Added Security
One excellent security measure I discovered is watermarking passport photos. This simple technique adds crucial protection. The watermark can show the date, hotel name, or purpose (like "For Hotel Check-in Only"). This makes the photo less attractive to identity thieves since it clearly shows restricted use. I learned about this from a friend, and research confirmed it's a widely recommended practice.
Here are some examples
The connexionfrance.com article links to a web app run by the French government. I tried it, but here's what I found...
That's right—they upload your file to their servers. While you might trust the French government, I decided to create my own solution...
Privacy First Watermarker Web App
I built this Privacy-first Watermarker. It's straightforward, effective, and works on mobile browsers. Feel free to share it, and let me know if you spot any bugs or have suggestions.
Here's a demo with WiFi turned off.
Conclusion
Protecting your passport information while traveling is essential for identity security. By understanding the risks of passport photo reuse and taking preventive measures, you can significantly reduce your vulnerability to identity theft. Watermarking adds an extra security layer that helps safeguard your personal information. Stay alert and travel safely—a small effort in protection goes a long way!