Ministry warns against sharing ID photos with unreliable sellers

The Ministry of Post and Telecommunications has warned citizens not to send photos of their national identity card, Edahabia card or passport to unreliable sellers or websites.

Algérie 360 reported that the ministry said a single photo of a national identity card can be enough for someone to use the holder's identity illegally.

The warning is aimed at holders of national identity cards, Edahabia cards and passports. The ministry is running the campaign, called "Verify and do not become a victim", on its official Facebook page.

The ministry said the card shows the name, first name, date of birth, photograph and identification number, which can be collected and used without the holder's consent.

The main risk is identity theft. A malicious person may also create fake social media profiles or try to carry out procedures in the holder's name.

Combined with other personal data, a copy of the card can make fraud attempts more elaborate, especially when fraudsters try to get around the identity checks used by some services.

The ministry also asks people to verify the identity of anyone they deal with before sharing official documents, and to avoid sharing personal details with untrustworthy parties.

The ministry gives three basic steps: stop, verify and not become a victim.

Before sending a document, the ministry advises checking the request, the recipient and whether the document is really needed. If in doubt, it is better not to send it.