Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Diana X2]

i went to a PC bang yesterday to scan my passport and email it for some business back home. upon leaving, i realized that i hadn't deleted the file on the computer. i rushed back (very shortly after, literally less than 30 seconds) and found the PCbang guy (who knew i was scanning my passport because he helped me work the scanner and access the download etc) leaning over the terminal with some other guy... i don't know if i was being paranoid but they seemed to be talking excitedly. when i got closer i saw that they had my scan file open and were looking and and apparently talking about it. i came closely to them and pretty much grabbed the mouse saying, "delete, delete" and i tried to fiddle with it but they tried to push me away saing, "okay, okay"... this went on for a few minutes til i got more assertive... then, i found a way to delete it (i think!) and i left.... but... probably they can figure out a way to get it back, i'm sure... and i didn't know what else to do....

so anyway, what is the risk of someone having a scanned copy of one's passport? and why were these guys acting so fishy? any ideas? it was a really uncomfortable situation, had a bad feeling about it....

[Imrahil]

Why did you go to a pc bang to photo copy your passport? I am assuming you work at a hagwan, and if so, why not just photocopy it there where all the copiers are a thousand years old??

[DRAMA OVERKILL]

They were probably laughing at your picture or something. I wouldn't worry about it. Not much they could do with it.

[anyangoldboy]

[quote="Imrahil"]Why did you go to a pc bang to photo copy your passport? I am assuming you work at a hagwan, and if so, why not just photocopy it there where all the copiers are a thousand years old??[/quote]

He said he needed to email a copy of his passport home...Hagwon photocopiers dont have a scan...So he had to use a scanner..catch my drift???

To the op...DOnt worry they were most probably laughing at how different it looks and your picture...My passport looks funny too.

[Lekker]

that's pretty funny they were laughing. Nothing is going to happen. The world will still revolve. Your passport and identity are both safe as long as they are in your possession.

[Yesterday]

If Korean recuiters are the same as me - then they would have as I do -

that is 1000's of foreigner teacher applicants

resumes

passport scans

university degrees

TEFL/CELTA certitificates

photos

id card scans

all stored on my computer... (going back to 2002)...

I never delete them - that way I have a huge database of all foreigners in korea and I can check when I receive applications - whether the person has applied before...

I have never thought about doing anything "bad" with them...

so why worry about some PC bang retards laughing at your pic..

there isn't that much that Koreans (can do with your passport copy)...

I heard copies of Korean id cards are more valuable - because there are many illegal chinese immigrants here willing to buy them...

[Diana X2]

okay, thanks everyone, that's reassuring.

[ryouga013]

they aren't going to to much unless they go to a country that has rampant problems with not checking if something is real or not... or simply if they stay put and use it here

[RJjr]

I'd if they tried to copy and use my American passport to gain entry into America, since I myself always get detained, inspected, and questioned at US airports.

[Hollywoodaction]

Nothing will probably happen, but you do realize that even if you delete something in Windows it is still on the hard-drive and can be easily retrieved?

Just return to the PC bang, write down it's name and phone number. Write down the date and time that you were in the PC Bang and a short description of the two guys. Put it in a safe place so that you can give it to the cops if anything funky happens to your identity or if your personal info turns up on the net.