To “verify your identity,” a site or contact asks you to upload a photo of your ID and a selfie of you holding it next to your face. It sounds like a normal security step — banks and exchanges really do this. But in the wrong hands, that exact combination is the master key to impersonating you. Our GetMyPassword team explains how to recognize a fake selfie and ID verification scam.
How the scam works
A scammer — posing as a dating match, a job recruiter, a crypto exchange, a marketplace buyer, or “support” — asks you to prove who you are by sending a photo of your driver’s license or passport plus a selfie holding it. Because legitimate services use this method, the request feels routine. But a fraudster can use that pair to pass identity checks in your name: opening bank or crypto accounts, taking out loans, or unlocking your existing accounts. Some scams add a “verification fee” on top, or use the documents for blackmail.
Red flags to watch for
- An ID-plus-selfie request from a person or chat, not an official app’s own verification flow.
- A dating match or “recruiter” asking you to verify yourself to them.
- Pressure or a sob story to justify why they need your documents.
- A “verification fee” or a link to an unofficial verification site.
- Requests sent over messaging apps or email rather than a secure in-app process.
How legitimate verification works
Real identity checks happen inside an official app or website you went to yourself, through a secure, encrypted flow — not by sending documents to a person in a chat. A genuine service does not have a match, buyer, or recruiter collect your ID, and it never charges a “verification fee” to a stranger. If you are signing up somewhere, you initiate the process; verification you did not start, requested by someone messaging you, is the warning sign. When unsure, log in to the official site directly and check whether any verification is actually required.
Real verification is something you start inside an official app — not something a stranger asks you to send them. Your ID and a selfie together are an identity in an envelope; hand them only to a process you began.
How to protect yourself
Never send a photo of your ID and a selfie to a person who contacted you, and only verify through official apps you opened yourself. If a site demands it, confirm the company is legitimate first. Should you have already shared them, consider a fraud alert and a credit freeze, and watch for accounts opened in your name. Protect your existing logins with two-factor authentication and a unique password from our password generator, so stolen documents alone cannot take over your accounts.
Frequently asked questions
Why do scammers want a selfie with my ID?
Because that pair can pass identity checks in your name, letting them open bank or crypto accounts, take out loans, or unlock your accounts. Legitimate services use the method too, which is what makes the scam request feel normal.
When is an ID-and-selfie request legitimate?
When you started the process yourself inside an official app or website, through a secure flow. It is a red flag when a dating match, buyer, recruiter, or “support” contact asks you to send documents to them over chat or email.
What if I already sent my ID and selfie?
Consider a fraud alert and a credit freeze, watch for accounts opened in your name, and report the identity theft. Secure your existing accounts with two-factor authentication and strong, unique passwords in case the documents are used to access them.