I’m sure you know about WhatsApp, right? It’s one of the most used apps in the world to send messages, pictures, audios, and videos. Now, there’s a new feature that allows you to scan documents directly from the app, without downloading any other program or using the scanner on the mobile phone. This tool is very useful, mostly when we need to send important documents very fast.
However, not everything is as good as it seems. You need to be careful with the documents you scan and send via WhatsApp, because some papers contain personal, bank or legal data. And if this information is stolen, you could be a victim of frauds or identity thefts. This is why it’s important to know which types of documents you shouldn’t scan or frequently send through WhatsApp, and also how to protect them. So, let’s get started!
Personal documents you should protect
These documents are the ones that contain your most important data like: your full name, address, identity number, or your health. Let’s see some examples:
- National ID card (INE)
- Birth certificate
- CURP
- RFC
- Military card
- Passport
- Medical certificates
Even though WhatsApp allows you to scan and send these documents, the best thing is to do it only when it’s absolutely necessary and send them to people you truly rely on. Have in mind that if someone else gains access to these documents, they could steal your identity or use your personal data to perform fake transactions or registrations.
Bank data
You should also be careful about financial documents such as:
- Purchase receipts or tickets
- Bank statements
- Credit or debit cards
- Payment confirmations
- Financial certificates
- Loan or payment agreements
All this information can be used by scammers to get access to your accounts or do financial operations using your name. So, sending this type of files through WhatsApp can be risky, mostly if you don’t know the person who receives them.
Other documents
Apart from the documents we have previously mentioned, there are other documents you should also be careful about. These are some of these documents:
- Lawsuits, complaints, or legal filings
- Updates or communications about ongoing legal procedures
- School report cards, student IDs, or certificates
- Professional licenses or degree certificates
- Scholarship or payment records
Even though these may seem harmless, they often include personal or confidential data that could be used without your permission if they are shared carelessly through WhatsApp.
Careful with the documents you sent via WhatsApp
The main reason why it’s recommended to be cautious about scanned documents on WhatsApp is digital safety. Although the Meta app confirms it uses end-to-end encryption to protect messages and files, it’s not completely immune to hacking or scams. Some of the main dangers we can experience we find:
- Identity theft, when someone uses your information to impersonate you and carry out illegal actions.
- Fake procedures or scams, where criminals use your documents to deceive other people or commit fraud.
- Threats or blackmail through messages or calls, using your personal data to pressure you.
According to the Citizen Council for Security and Justice (CCPSJ), in 2024 there was a 672% increase in scams and hacking cases involving WhatsApp accounts. Many of these incidents happened because users shared personal documents without realizing how vulnerable they were.
How can you protect your documents?
In case you need to scan and send documents vis WhatsApp, you can do it but you’d better follow these suggestions:
- Only share documents with people you trust, and make sure their accounts are secure.
- Turn on disappearing messages so that files delete automatically after a certain time.
- Keep backup copies elsewhere, such as in your email or a secure folder on your phone, so you can delete them from WhatsApp when needed.
- Delete the files permanently from both WhatsApp and your device once you no longer need them.
This way you will be able to use the WhatsApp scanner in a responsible way and protect your data.