It could lead to your identity being stolen or even being stranded abroad. And the Foreign Office has issued a warning to prevent holidaymakers falling victim to the potential scam.
Hotels across the world, including in popular holiday destinations for Brits in Spain, are legally required to take down the passport details of tourists. Some travellers leave their passports at reception when checking into their hotel.
But, as reported by Bristol Live, the Foreign Office warned how leaving your passport or other travel documents with staff for long periods of time could be risky. Guests should always wait until the hotel staff have registered your passport details or taken a photocopy of your passport but don’t leave it at reception to collect later.
There are growing concerns about identity theft and a passport contains everything a criminal would need to create a fraudulent identity. So the advice is to make sure you don't leave it alone with a stranger at the hotel desk - no matter how safe they say it will be with them.
Guests should hand it over to hotel staff so they can make a quick note of the information they need to record by law, but there is no need to leave it with staff for any long periods of time, including overnight. It's well worth waiting a while longer down at the desk so you can ensure your passport or identity isn't stolen.
