Security • Identity Theft
What Can Someone Do With a Photo of Your Driver's License?
More than you think. A single image can unlock your entire financial identity.
You sent a photo of your driver's license to what seemed like a legitimate request. A landlord, an employer, an online service. Now you're wondering: what's the worst that could happen?
Unfortunately, the answer is: a lot.
Your driver's license is one of the most powerful identity documents you own. It contains everything a criminal needs to become you — at least on paper.
What Your License Gives Them
A photo of your driver's license provides:
- Full legal name — exactly as it appears on official records
- Date of birth — a key verification question everywhere
- Home address — where you live and receive mail
- Driver's license number — a government-issued ID number
- Physical description — height, weight, eye color
- Your photo — for creating fake physical IDs
- Your signature — for forging documents
And if they have the back of your license, the PDF417 barcode contains all of this in machine-readable format, making it trivial to extract and use.
What Criminals Can Do
Open Credit Cards and Loans
With your name, DOB, address, and a government ID number, criminals can apply for credit cards, personal loans, and lines of credit. Many lenders only require this basic information for initial approval. You won't know until the debt collectors come calling.
File Fraudulent Tax Returns
Identity thieves file fake tax returns claiming refunds in your name. By the time you file your real return, the IRS has already sent "your" refund to someone else. Resolving this can take months or years.
Commit Medical Identity Theft
Someone uses your identity to obtain medical care, prescriptions, or submit false insurance claims. This can corrupt your medical records with someone else's conditions, allergies, or blood type — potentially dangerous if you need emergency care.
Create Fake Physical IDs
Your photo and information can be used to create convincing fake IDs. These might be used for fraud, illegal purchases, or given to someone who commits crimes — with your name attached to the arrest record.
Take Over Existing Accounts
Armed with your personal details, criminals can call your bank, phone company, or other services and "verify" their identity as you. They can change passwords, redirect mail, or drain accounts.
Pass Background Checks
Your clean identity becomes a tool for someone who can't pass their own background check. They get the job or apartment, then disappear — leaving you to explain why "you" stopped paying rent or got fired for theft.
The Long Tail of Identity Theft
The worst part? This doesn't happen immediately. Criminals often sit on stolen identity information for months or years, waiting for the right moment or selling it to others.
By the time you notice the damage, the trail is cold and the cleanup is expensive. The average identity theft victim spends over 200 hours resolving the aftermath.
Already shared an unredacted license? Consider placing a fraud alert or credit freeze with the three major credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, TransUnion). Monitor your credit reports closely for the next several years.
How to Protect Yourself
Before sharing your license:
- Ask what specific information is needed and why
- Redact everything that isn't explicitly required
- Always redact the barcode on the back
- Use pixel-level redaction that actually removes data
- Keep records of who you shared with and when
If you must share an unredacted license:
- Verify the recipient's identity through an independent channel
- Ask about their data retention and destruction policies
- Use secure, encrypted transmission methods
- Never send via regular email or text message
The 30-Second Solution
Most ID requests don't need your full, unredacted license. A few seconds of redaction can save you hundreds of hours of identity theft recovery.
When in doubt, redact it out.
Protect your identity before you share
Redact your driver's license in seconds. Pixel-level removal ensures your data can't be recovered.
Redact Your License Free →