I'm not even comfortable *showing* my ID to people, let alone letting them make a copy of it. Not only does it have a critical ID #, it has my DOB and address, useful info for identity theft. If someone wants to know where I live badly enough, they can find it, but they need to make an effort. If they made a big issue out of it, I'd probably flash it at them, while covering most info, but no way would I let anyone make a copy. (I used to carry a copy of my notary commission, to prove my current credentials, but I haven't bothered with that for at least the last two.)
While it's true that we have all kinds of personal information about them (verified by someone else, not us), we have no idea if they've ever had a background check done, let alone how long ago it's been. Not exactly the same as qualifying for a loan...
I had someone ask to see my ID fairly recently and I just presented them with my business card (which has a link to my website with my photo), and told them that I had to get a background check every year to do this work. I believe I also said that in California, notaries are fully vetted by the state (via FBI & DOJ), and the issuance of a notary stamp is strictly controlled, so just having an official stamp is proof. (That's true here.) I didn't flinch or hesitate, just continued setting up and they let it drop, thankfully.
Once we get going, if we proceed with confidence and get down to business, it's pretty obvious that this isn't our first rodeo. IME, people tend to relax quickly - especially if they want their loan!
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