July 28, 2025, 8:53 am | Read time: 4 minutes
It is now common to identify and verify oneself online–even when booking vacation accommodations. However, many are unaware that this process involves sharing very sensitive data, which increases the risk of exposure. TECHBOOK reveals how to identify yourself securely and protect against data misuse.
Summer, sun, vacation joy–but before heading off on a well-deserved holiday, there is much to prepare. Tasks range from charging the e-reader to the tech packing list for the smartphone to booking accommodations. At check-in, you usually have to show your ID or passport, but increasingly, landlords ask for identity verification in advance. The same goes for Airbnb: To use the platform, you must first verify online. However, you should never hand over ID documents lightly, not even as a copy. If you do send your passport–even just as a photo–to the accommodation, certain data on the ID should be redacted.
Identity Theft as a Growing Problem
There are frequent large-scale hacker attacks on hotel chains, car rental companies, and travel agencies, where perpetrators steal sensitive personal data and documents. Criminals can use this data to create false identities for fraudulent purposes. In some countries, it is possible to open an account with just a copy of an ID. If this is then used for money laundering, the person whose identity was stolen for this maneuver can be prosecuted.
To minimize the personal risk of becoming a victim of identity theft, you should only release the data that is truly necessary. If you must upload a copy of an ID to a trusted portal, certain data should be redacted, and the copy should be clearly marked as such.
For example, the Consumer Center of Lower Saxony recommends: “Sensitive and unnecessary data can be redacted. This includes the ID number, place of birth, and date of birth, as these are generally not needed. But you can also redact eye color, height, nationality, and address.” The access number (CAN), issuing authority, birth name (if applicable), signature, and security thread should also be obscured unless otherwise required.
Also interesting: How to find surveillance cameras in vacation rentals
With These Tips, You Can Protect Yourself From Identity Theft
Documents You Should Always Have on Hand
ID Regulations at Airbnb
Companies like Airbnb require a valid ID document to identify users in advance. Once the company has confirmed and recorded the identity, it should delete the ID documents. In Germany, only a few entities are authorized to store ID documents permanently, such as insurers and financial service providers.
The Federal Ministry of the Interior also emphasizes: “ID data that is not needed for identification can and should be redacted on the copy by the ID holder. This applies especially to the access number printed on the ID and the document number, unless legal regulations require this information, such as the Money Laundering Act.” If a landlord asks for an excessive amount of data, you should be suspicious.
Although not all data is necessary for identification, in practice, you often cannot redact the ID at will. On its website, Airbnb states regarding identity verification: “Government-issued IDs, such as passports or driver’s licenses, are official documents containing standardized information like the official name, date of birth, and a photo, which we can use to confirm that you are who you say you are.” The company also explicitly notes that users with a German ID should obscure the serial number and access number.
However, the Consumer Center of Lower Saxony criticizes: “If you redact other data, the portal does not accept it. Your identity verification fails, and there is a risk of cancellation of booked or reserved accommodations.” In this context, data such as place of birth, signature, and physical details are not actually necessary.
Redact ID and Add Watermark
Sensitive data on the ID copy can be easily redacted. Directly on the smartphone, there are various tools in image editing to paint over or cut out image sections. On a PC, digital copies can be easily censored with Paint (Windows), Preview (Mac), or similar image editing programs.
In addition to the redacted areas, you should also use a watermark to indicate that the document is a copy. In this context, a watermark means a clearly visible field on the ID document that states the purpose, recipient, and date of the copy. This type of visible watermark can also be created using image editing software on a smartphone or PC.
It is important to apply both measures–redaction and watermarking–together. Beyond that, you should always check who is requesting a copy of the ID and whether the scope of the requested data is appropriate. Once this step is done, the vacation can begin.