Dear Angela,

I’m so thankful for your website and newsletter. I’m a beginning writer and have just received my first contract to ghostwrite for a website from a job listed in your newsletter and I’m so excited. But I’m uncomfortable with their request for me to send a copy of my driver’s license and social security card.

The contract looks fine and is very straightforward. She’s paying me per piece and I’ll have to handle my own taxes. When I told the buyer I was uncomfortable with sending these, she said she needed my social security number for tax purposes. I can understand that, but why the copy of the card? Also, she already has my address,etc. so why would she need a copy of my drivers license?

What do you think about this? Should I send her either of these items? Is this standard procedure when you’re writing for a website?

Tell her you are happy to provide your social security number in the form of a Form W-9 (the form the IRS requires when collecting taxpyer information), but that sending out copies of your social security card and driver’s license put you at risk for identity theft. If this isn’t good for her, you should decline the job. It might be a scam just to steal your identity.