Amazon Seller wants passport details

soolin

Feral_Moon wrote: »

Yes, it is true! Google if you don't believe me!

If they suspect you are using a false name they will close it. It's happened to thousands already, including myself.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2269103/Instagram-Facebook-spark-hacking-fears-security-blitz-demanding-users-send-copy-Government-ID.html

Likewise a good friend of mine- he commonly used a name that was not his birth certificate name. How facebook realised I have no idea- but they closed his account pending him changing the name and providing documents showing he was now using his legal name. Quite a shock to see a friend with a name you have never ever heard him associated with.

Double_V

I been using Amazon from last few years.
I received an email asking me to send them ID & address details.
WTH ?
E-mail seems to be generated from an official amazon account.
But this can easily be displayed.

What did you do ?

Pembroke

soolin wrote: »

I had my ID request last week, worried me a bit when they wanted my business registration document with HMRC as I've no idea what that is, but clicking for other options gave me the option to give my UTR instead which I did.

I also opted to scan and upload my driving license rather than passport as I had my license to hand.

I'm still apparently being reviewed.

I only sold 3 books last year and one so far this year...so I'm not unduly worried if I have got it wrong .

Good luck with that Soolin, I did all the passport and UTR number bit and they still want sight of the HMRC notice of being made self employed. I'm at a loss as to what to do as HMRC aren't answering my queries and Amazon won't accept that. Not sure what to do next.

Oh well it was only a few books. I would've liked to expand and sell more market place stuff but if they won't let me then I will have to try something else.

FlyingDonkeys

Fly on the Wall : Anyone using Ghostery. I have got fed up with all this tracking. Ads appearing everywhere, inbox full of nonsense.

soolin

Double_V wrote: »

I been using Amazon from last few years.
I received an email asking me to send them ID & address details.
WTH ?
E-mail seems to be generated from an official amazon account.
But this can easily be displayed.

What did you do ?

Several of us have posted what we have done on this thread.

Flyonthewall

FlyingDonkeys wrote: »

Fly on the Wall : Anyone using Ghostery. I have got fed up with all this tracking. Ads appearing everywhere, inbox full of nonsense.

Tracking certain things can help sites improve. Looking up ghostery, it says it tells you what sites are collecting. It doesn't stop you being tracked and you may be sending information to them meaning someone else has all your details.

For ads, you can use an adblocker. For spam emails, just be careful what you sign up to and use an second email address instead of your main one if you know you'll get emails you don't want. Them two really have nothing to do with your personal information and hackers though.

Flyonthewall

Double_V wrote: »

I been using Amazon from last few years.
I received an email asking me to send them ID & address details.
WTH ?
E-mail seems to be generated from an official amazon account.
But this can easily be displayed.

What did you do ?

I got it, went to Amazon and clicked on what it said. I didn't need to send them anything but I did have to do something. Read and agree to something, possibly updated/checked through my details. Can't remember but it was very quick and very simple. I'm not a business seller though so perhaps that's why, at least for now, they're happy with me doing that and not sending proof of ID.

FlyingDonkeys

Odd I am not a business seller. Sold 2 books in last 18 months.

Flyonthewall

FlyingDonkeys wrote: »

Odd I am not a business seller. Sold 2 books in last 18 months.

Maybe it's a mix of things? How long you've been a member, feedback, if you've been buying anything, what you've sold...maybe random checks. Who knows lol.

bxboards

I was in the first wave of verification which started last year and I found the process very intrusive.

There is no declaration of how and where the data is stored, who has access to it, and how long it will be held.

They also requested a passport or driving licence. Both of these are photo IDs and no use for any sort of validation unless the person accessing the ID is there is person. Amazon accepted that they would have no way of knowing if the photo on the passport was me. They accepted they did not need these and the vague 'EU regulations' do not mandate this as all.

Ultimately as they could give no tangible reasons why they needed this, and what they would do with this data and who would view it, and in what country the data would be stored, I did not comply. I reminded them they had been sending me items for over 15 years and I had been a seller for nearly the same length of time so they had a pretty good idea I was who I said I was!

I personally think this validation process needs to be challenged via the ICO and made a whole lot more transparent. I do not believe this team is in the UK.

I still sell on Amazon, and am now verified but no sensitive data was given to them. I wold not give this info to a US company who pretends to be in Luxembourg to avoid taxes - if they are dishonest about their sales data and location, do you trust them with your data? To sell a few books? Tell them to take a hike.