topic Re: Providing Photo ID in Seller Central

Providing Photo ID

redwinemrt — Tue, 10 Dec 2024 18:16:11 GMT

eBay is asking for photo ID to continue selling, but I am very uncomfortable uploading my ID onto their system, where they'll store it for who knows how long. Does anyone know if they will accept a link to the photo on Dropbox or Google Drive instead?

Re: Providing Photo ID

papso22 — Tue, 10 Dec 2024 19:16:18 GMT

I imagine they will want to store it, I also imagine they only have one way, their way, to provide it.

Re: Providing Photo ID

vintique*violet — Tue, 10 Dec 2024 21:06:31 GMT

Photo I.D..?

The UK do not have a Government I.D... even though they ( gov) have tried ( and still are) to implement one ( identity card)

Inform eBay that no human being holds a Government photo I.D in the United Kingdom.

Accepted forms of I.D usually are a drivers license or passport - These MUST be valid and current.

If you possess neither - they cannot make you have them.

Inform eBay of such and say you will provide a different way to prove your identity( as a simple photograph does neither without other " criteria" even if it is a lovely one relaxing on the beach 😉 ) i.e. A government letter with your name and address. If need be call them and actually speak to a competent agent.

I actually did this, blanking out other personal details, and it was accepted.

If eBay keep going down this route they will find an empty platform with only A.I for company!

Edit .spelling.

Re: Providing Photo ID

battlezone — Wed, 11 Dec 2024 01:58:08 GMT

@redwinemrt wrote:
Does anyone know if they will accept a link to the photo on Dropbox or Google Drive instead?

But that won't stop them getting a copy.

As soon as anyone at eBay uses the link they'll be able to just save a copy, or pull it out of the web cache of whatever browser they're using.

Re: Providing Photo ID

marco@ebay — Wed, 11 Dec 2024 11:11:52 GMT

Hi redwinemrt, thanks for your post.

Links or copies wouldn't be sufficient, I'm afraid. You'd need to provide an actual photo of your ID, for further information you can click here.

Thank you,

Marco

Re: Providing Photo ID

bittyboy101 — Wed, 11 Dec 2024 16:08:18 GMT

I think Just a photo of your Passport or Driving Licence will do...

Re: Providing Photo ID

vintique*violet — Wed, 11 Dec 2024 16:36:24 GMT

Providing proof of identification

In some cases, we may need you to send us a photo of a valid form of identification. We’ll send you an email, as a reminder to let you know what we need, including instructions on how to upload the image.

We accept the following forms of valid identification:

Entity type	Document type
Individual	Valid Passport Valid Photocard Driver's License
Sole Trader	HMRC - Self Assessment HMRC document from the last tax year Tax Return within the last 2 years Identity documents for all listed stakeholders on the account (see above Individual)
Corporation	Companies House document HMRC - Self Assessment HMRC document within the last year Tax Return within the last 2 years Identity documents for all listed stakeholders on the account (see above Individual) Letter of Authorization (if the Primary Contact is not a Director, Partner, or Trustee)
Partnership	Partnership Agreement Tax return document from each partner from the last tax year Self-Assessment of Partnerships Identity documents for all listed stakeholders on the account (see above Individual) Letter of Authorization (if the Primary Contact is not a Director, Partner, or Trustee)
Publicly Traded Company	Companies House document HMRC - Self Assessment HMRC document within the last year Tax Return within the last 2 years Identity documents for all listed stakeholders on the account (see above Individual) Letter of Authorization (if the Primary Contact is not a Director, Partner, or Trustee)
Charity	Evidence of Charity Registration Letter of Authorization (if the Primary Contact is not a Director, Partner, or Trustee) Identity documents for all listed stakeholders on the account (see above Individual)

MAY NEED - Is a request... it is NOT a lawful requirement.

If eBay have all other identifications " ticked" ie. bank account, corresponding address etc etc, for you to have opened your account, why now are they ASKING for a photo?

Provide other proof as not everyone has valid Passports or Drivers Licenses and this is discrimination if they do not provide other ways of " proving who you are" it is also coercion if they are

preventing you from going about your daily business unless you provide xyz!, if you have already fulfilled those initial checks...incidentally you are not a photograph or a piece of paper, please know that.

It is actually laughable as even your registered birth certificate states "this is not proof of identity"...

The UK is NOT a country whereby citizens have Photo identity cards and should never be!

Re: Providing Photo ID

sommer-8075 — Sat, 10 May 2025 09:32:05 GMT

I'm having the same problem with using id on eBay. I just want to sell on eBay and I use to sell on eBay. Now i don't have id one id expired getting id is expensive these days. eBay worked wonders for me selling once for me with my own product that's why I want to sell on eBay reseller goods. I do reseller goods.

Re: Providing Photo ID

1956glyn — Sat, 10 May 2025 09:39:37 GMT

True getting official id can be expensive BUT saying that it saves an awful lot of hassle nowadays. I was sick of banging my head against a brick wall.....so just renewed my passport at a cost of about £100

Re: Providing Photo ID

ett1954 — Sat, 10 May 2025 09:43:41 GMT

As a reseller, I presume Sole Trader, you can use a relevant page from your most recent online self assessment as a form of identification.

Re: Providing Photo ID

lordwildfire99 — Sat, 21 Jun 2025 16:46:47 GMT

eBay is US-based - I think we should all be moving away from this crazy autocracy.

Re: Providing Photo ID

sml192 — Sat, 21 Jun 2025 17:01:36 GMT

@lordwildfire99 wrote:
eBay is US-based -

What relevance does that have to the requirement to provide photo ID?

Re: Providing Photo ID

eternalgazeratstars — Sat, 21 Jun 2025 17:11:56 GMT

I fully understand your reluctance to do that. In this world, full-to-the-brim with scammers and hackers, anxiety attached to personal information is more than understandable - especially when you consider, that facial recognition software is used so much more now, for accessing all sorts of sensitive information. I think people who aren't cautious are asking for trouble. I don't know, if they will accept a link to a photo, but I found this online...

Yes, eBay can and sometimes does ask sellers for photo identification to verify their identity. This is a standard procedure, often implemented to comply with legal regulations, combat fraud, and ensure a secure marketplace. Providing photo ID can help prevent identity theft, money laundering, and other fraudulent activities on the platform.

Why eBay asks for photo ID:

Legal Compliance:

eBay needs to adhere to regulations like anti-money laundering and sanctions screening obligations.

Fraud Prevention:

Verifying identities helps prevent fraudulent activities, such as fake accounts and scams.

Safe Marketplace:

Ensuring sellers are who they claim to be contributes to a safer and more trustworthy environment for all users.

Payment Management:

ID verification is linked to managing payments and settlements.

Risk Assessment:

eBay uses ID verification to assess and mitigate potential risks associated with transactions.

How it can be secure:

Encrypted Storage:

eBay likely encrypts the sensitive data, including photo IDs, to protect it from unauthorized access.

Limited Access:

Access to this information is likely restricted to authorized personnel only.

Compliance with Privacy Policies:

eBay has privacy policies outlining how user data is handled and protected.

Industry Standards:

eBay follows industry-standard security practices for handling sensitive data.

Specific Guidelines:

eBay has guidelines for the types of documents accepted for ID verification and how they should be submitted.

What to do if asked for photo ID:

Verify the Request:

Check if the request is legitimate by logging into your eBay account directly (not through a link in an email) and looking for notifications about identity verification.

Provide Acceptable ID:

Follow eBay's instructions on which forms of ID are accepted (e.g., passport, driver's license, or other government-issued photo IDs).

Follow Instructions:

Ensure you are submitting clear, complete images of the documents, as requested by eBay.

Contact Support:

If you have concerns or need clarification, contact eBay customer support.

I hope this has been of some help - I think the best thing to do, is, ask to be put through to their Compliance Officer, to talk you through it, they'll maybe put your mind at rest & find a solution that suits you? I wish you all the best with it.

Re: Providing Photo ID

Anonymous — Sat, 23 Aug 2025 07:22:07 GMT

its just data harvesting and its 100% certain that their data storage is not safe especially when so many of their staff are working from home , i sell only a very few low value items , every day almost we hear of significant data breaches when allegedly state of the art systemns get hacked in to , i also need to know EXACTLY who is storing my data and where ? seeing as ebay already know my name and address and have accurate matching bank details asking for photo government id is overkill , my passport is for TRAVELLING and my DL is for DRIVING , i am also in UK and should not be subjected to draconian US legislation ( i do not agreew to being subjected to the so called 'Patriot' act , whats happening is in order to solve a small problem that involves a few fraudulent accounts EVERYONE must suffer

meanwhile

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/galleries/article-15025589/Google-breach-puts-2-5B-Gmail-users-risk.html

meanwhile

Re: Providing Photo ID

outlandish2016 — Thu, 11 Sep 2025 08:07:38 GMT

Hi! Did they accept a council tax bill?

Re: Providing Photo ID

Anonymous — Thu, 11 Sep 2025 09:27:44 GMT

i want to know where the data is being stored and processed and what insurance ebay has in place to compensate people if the data gets hacked which is almost a daily occurrence now , i have stopped using ebay because of this and hope you all do the same , its a massive over reach and has no security value

Re: Providing Photo ID

outlandish2016 — Thu, 11 Sep 2025 10:01:58 GMT

I agree. It’s absolutely disgusting. More and more Orwellian everyday. They want to control every aspect of our lives and have AI to assist them. I shudder at the future.

Re: Providing Photo ID

Anonymous — Thu, 11 Sep 2025 10:10:23 GMT

unfortunately far too many people will comply , ebay have my name , my UK bank account, my full address , my contact phone number , my accurate bank details that are identical to my delivery address and my account is in good standing with many satisfied customers of my low value items , i think the demand for ID is part of a co ordinated WEF push to demand everything as a default , passports are for travel, driving licences usually for driving , instead of asking hundreds of millions of people to provide confidential data why not simply have a fraud team focusing on dodgy accounts selling high value items , why must 100% of people get inconvenienced because 1% of people are dodgy ? but i guarantee that this issue is not over

Re: Providing Photo ID

catkincloud — Sat, 13 Dec 2025 23:56:39 GMT

Years on Ebay ,but I can't sell on Ebay now because I do not have a passport, or drive .I tried uploading various documents, eg,council tax bill etc,but all was rejected. I tried phoning them and got no where.So looking elsewhere to sell my items. Thanks for nothing Ebay 🫤

Re: Providing Photo ID

1956glyn — Sun, 14 Dec 2025 10:06:12 GMT

There are so many times nowadays in real life that one needs a driving licence or Passport as proof 😞

Like you i tried so many other options none of which were accepted. In the end i just renewed my passport and to be honest its now so much easier and hassle free.

Try buying a property without a passport or driving licence...........its impossible 😞