RU Personal Data Security – A Guide for Immigrants
1 In Poland, in very exceptional cases (e.g., at a bank or a loan company), it is necessary to give consent for a scan or copy of a document (ID/passport) to be made. One should remain vigilant when someone wants to make such a scan/copy. It is advisable not to agree to have a scan or copy made when entering into everyday agreements, such as when renting a car.
2 In Poland, there is no practice of sending scans of documents (ID/passport) via the Internet for the purpose of handling any matters. If such a necessity arises, one should first verify the credibility of the website and the person requesting them.
3 One should never provide their personal data over the phone to someone who calls and requests it, even if that person claims to be calling from a bank or the police.
4 One should not entrust their documents to anyone, for example, for the purpose of handling formalities at an office or opening a bank account. Poles want to help as much as they can; some offer assistance in this way, however, handing documents to the wrong person can have very serious consequences, particularly financial ones. We recommend going together to the bank or office.
5 The loss of documents requires immediate reporting, primarily to the embassy or consulate, but also to the police (phone number 997) and, if we have a bank account, also to the bank. Immediately after losing documents, one should block the payment card.
6 In the event of clicking on a link received via SMS or email that redirected to the bank's website, where we provided data allowing us to log into our account, we should immediately contact the bank. For example, frequent messages may indicate the need to pay a small amount for courier delivery.
7 Caution should be exercised when making online purchases – do not click on links sent by sellers outside the auction portal that redirect to bank accounts. It is best to use large auction sites such as Allegro, OLX, which redirect us to payment options, or choose the cash on delivery option. One should use reputable online stores and it is advisable to read reviews about the store.
8 Caution should also be exercised when selling online. In Poland, there is a significant problem with potential buyers contacting sellers, for example, via SMS or WhatsApp, bypassing the auction portal and proposing to send a courier to collect the item, "to facilitate the procedure." Such proposals should never be accepted. One should not provide any personal data in such situations, especially data that allows logging into accounts or payment card information.
In case of any doubts regarding actions taken in Poland, particularly when there is suspicion of fraud after signing a contract, it should be noted that many lawyers in Poland offer free legal assistance to individuals who have arrived from Ukraine. Contact information for such individuals can be obtained both at the embassy or consulate, as well as from organizations that provide assistance to Ukrainian citizens. The Ukrainian embassy and consulates are listed on the website: https://poland.mfa.gov.ua/pl/embassy, embassy phone numbers: 226293446, 226224797, consulate in Kraków: 124296066, consulate in Gdańsk: 583460690, consulate in Lublin: 815318889, 815318801.
On the website: https://pomagamukrainie.gov.pl/, there is a tab „Legal Assistance”, as well as information about other entities that provide assistance in various ways. The District Chamber of Legal Advisors in Warsaw has launched a helpline operating from Monday to Friday (from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM): 887830950 https://www.oirpwarszawa.pl/telefoniczna-pomoc-prawna-pro-bono-dla-uchodzcow-z-ukrainy-izba-warszawska-uruchamia-specjalna-linie/. Assistance can also be obtained, for example, at the Ukrainian House in Warsaw - https://ukrainskidom.pl/
