Brazil would require a "CPF", which is a unique number assigned to individuals. If you are doing something simple such as an online purchase or monetary transfe

Brazil would require a "CPF", which is a unique number assigned to individuals. If you are doing something simple such as an online purchase or monetary transfers(to someone else's account), the number alone could be sufficient, coupled with other information like full name and address. Many places will not be happy with just the number and will require at minimum a scan of the actual document - if you are lucky. Most likely, if you need to send in a copy, that copy has to be notarized. Which means that you have appeared in person with the actual document and got it notarized. You'll then send it by mail or drop off in person. Sometimes this is not an option and you need to be present with the actual document - like if you were selling property or opening bank accounts, or even starting a business (which requires trips to many governmental agencies). If you are filing taxes, then CPF is required, as well as the ID card, voter registration card(voting is mandatory). They have started to combine documents, but even then the actual hardcopy is required in most cases. Medical care... well that's free so there's no fraud needed. If it's for private insurance, you'll have to have your insurance-issued card, plus your ID card. Unless it's an emergency, but even then you'll have to provide these sooner rather than later. Financial institutions like banks: you'll either use internet banking, in which case any credentials or devices needed will have been issued in person by a branch, or you'll have to go to a branch. If your physical documents get stolen or lost, you need to report to the police and get issued new ones. In that case, ID theft can happen if they were indeed stolen, but it's unlikely to have long-lasting implications if you have made the police report. This usually requires some corruption as some of those documents have photo ID. In that scenario, you may have to do some work to clear your name and it is not very different from US ID theft. The bureaucracy is ridiculous so often you can have issues doing things even if you are who you say you are . But actual ID theft is not that prevalent. If you search for 'identity theft' most of the results are about getting website credentials compromised. The main issue in the US is the use of a 'unique ID' which was never meant as ID, can't be changed and has no built-in security measures.