Optus asked to pay for passport replacements after agreeing to drivers licenses | Hacker News Reader

Optus asked to pay for passport replacements after agreeing to drivers licenses

abc.net.au

4 pointsfblp5 comments

Question:

What is the actual issue with driving license (or passport) numbers?

I mean, these documents contain a number of "fixed" personal data, name, surname, place and date of birth, a photo, etc., and the Authority issuing them attributes to them a number/serial and a date of emission.

The issue is with the personal data, what is the advantage of (or what problem is it solving) issuing a new document with exactly the same data but with a different number/serial and a new date?

Where I live in Europe the number itself is used as identification on contracts, and you can take for example debt on your person just with the number + some basic info (name, address, date of birth - public information). When your number is stolen you need a new one.

I don't know which country you refer, usually (here in Italy) to sign a contract you need to be identified, i.e. to produce the actual piece of ID and (still usually) a photocopy of the piece of ID is annexed to the contract.

Particularly when money is involved, but - only as examples - if you want to buy a phone SIM you need to present the actual document.

That's usual here too, but the people who want your debt don't care too much about the proper ways, so in practice knowing the number is enough.

I did it myself - simply called a bank, told them my number and the basic info and that was it. The contract arrived by post (to an address completely different from my official permanent residence), I signed it and uploaded a photo. I was surprised but that's how it works out in practice.

Fortunately we don't need ID to get a SIM here.

I see, you are talking about remote contracts, here you need to upload a scan (or photo) of the actual document + (not all but many will) have a video call where you must show yourself holding the same document you already uploaded.

AFAIK the "other party" has no way to check that the ID is not fake, nor a way to verify that the document number corresponds to you, so - in theory - you could print a fake id with a random number and it would work the same.

Little by little they are introducing a form of digital ID (SPID, provided by authorized third parties) that while not yet ubuquitous is starting to get traction (it is already needed to deal with most government offices remotely) also in private sectors.

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