What are the risks when your ID-card is stolen?

The theft of an ID-card or another digital document means that the owner of the card is at risk of falling victim to identity theft: their document can be used to perform transactions, sign contracts, etc. by another person.

• Security: what kind of risks does the theft of a digital document entail?

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  If the person who has stolen/found your card does not know your PIN and/or PUK codes, they can only obtain information that is visually printed on the card (name, personal identification code, validity period of the card), except your photo and signature. If the person also has your PIN and/or PUK codes, they can use the card to access e-services and give digital signatures if the owner has not suspended the certificates.

  Never keep your PIN and/or PUK codes in the same place as your ID-card, for instance, in your wallet: learn them by heart instead. Codes are easier to remember if they mean something to you or are easily derived. Did you know that you can easily and conveniently choose your own ID-card PINs?

  What to do if your document gets stolen or lost depends on your chances of finding it.

  If you think that the document is simply lost and may soon turn up somewhere, you should suspend the document’s certificates. This way it can no longer be used for logging in to e-services, digitally signing documents, etc., but the document still functions as a physical identity document. This means that if the ID-card turns up again, you can still use it as a travel document, for instance. Suspended certificates can be reactivated at Police and Border Guard Board service points.

  If you are certain that your document has fallen into the hands of a criminal, you should immediately notify the police and have the document declared fully invalid: this terminates the validity of the certificates related to the document (i.e. it cannot be used in electronic channels) and the card as an identity document. If your ID-card is stolen while you are travelling, notify the police IMMEDIATELY: formalise the theft in writing and apply for a temporary travel document if necessary. Once the document is declared invalid, it can no longer be used, i.e. the certificates cannot be activated and you have to apply for a new document.