Why a company might check your identity
Deleting the wrong person’s account can cause harm. A request from an unfamiliar email address may need verification. Article 12(6) allows additional information necessary to confirm identity where there are reasonable doubts. It does not require everyone to attach a passport.
Ask whether your existing login is enough
Open the service through its official website, rather than an unexpected email link. If you can still sign in, ask whether submitting the request inside that account or confirming through your registered email will resolve the doubt. These are possible alternatives, not methods every company must accept.
Ask these questions before sending a document
What uncertainty needs to be resolved? Which fields are necessary? Is there a secure upload channel? Who can access the copy, and when will it be deleted? If the company still needs a document, agree any redaction before uploading it. Never send your password or a one-time login code as identity evidence.
A reply you can adapt
I am following up on my deletion request for the account associated with [account reference]. Please explain what additional identity information is necessary and whether verification through my existing account would be sufficient. If a document is required, please confirm the required fields, secure submission method, and retention period.
Keep the request and the identity check together
Retain the original request, the date, and the verification exchange. Under Article 12, the organisation generally must respond without undue delay and within one month; extensions are possible in specified circumstances. Identity questions can affect handling, so ask for the expected response date rather than assuming a new deadline.
If the explanation remains unclear, ask the privacy contact to review it. You can contact a supervisory authority about unresolved concerns. Verified identity does not guarantee erasure: some records may qualify for legal retention or other exceptions.