Pixmania Want Your Passport!!!

Basil_2

Placed an order on Sunday for a camera. They took the money straight away from my credit card. I then got an email asking me to send either via fax or as an attachment, a copy of either my passport or a bank statement or my driving licence as an "extra security measure".
Now, I buy from internet suppliers VERY regularly and I have NEVER been asked to supply this sort of detail.
I was just not comfortable sending this sort of information so I have cancelled the order.
Now, I am all for internet security and have been contacted by my credit card provider before now when I've placed large orders, but this just seems a bit strange to me and I have never come across it before.
What does everyone else think?

pob100

well, on one hand Pixmania have been around a while are pretty big, and legit.

On the other hand, asking for such documentation is just wrong.

DarkHorse

These companies are constantly getting ripped off, so they are just protecting themselfs.

hjb123

I can see the companies getting ripped off in ways but I really dont see why they need a copy of passport for a camera - maybe for a mobile telephone contract or something similar like that but not for buying a digital camera!

Astaroth

Because people fraudulantly use other peoples credit cards and get items delivered to non-existant addresses etc and so the company ends up with a lost camera, no money and a £5-£50 charge back fee for having take the fraudulant payment.

I ordered a £250 camera from them and didnt have to provide any proof of address/ identity (which is what they are looking for). I did order a turn table from Germany though and was asked to send a photocopy of my driving licence which I personally didnt have an issue with as I had "nothing to hide" and nothing on my driving licence (other than my photo or the licence number) was new to them

Kilty_2

At least they only asked for a copy of it, easymobile wanted originals from me :mad:.

Fifer

It is a complete PITA though. My FIL ordered a camera from Pixmania and recieved the same request for a faxed or scanned copy of his passport or Driving Licence. He doesn't have a fax or a scanner. Fortunately, we were able to scan his DL for him, but the whole exercise delayed delivery of the camera by five days. What are people supposed to do in such circumstances?

Perhaps if they made it plain at the point of ordering that such evidence would be required for new customers, then people would have the choice of using another supplier without any inconvenience, but FIL didn't recieve the request until 3 days after the order had been placed and accepted.

Hugo_Drax

Thomann (which does musical equpiment) in Germany asked for the same from me when I ordered for our college. Maybe it's a continental thing.

Additionally, there was no warning from Pixmania that it would ship from France. Took ages, despite the supposed 48-hour maximum delivery time. Won't use the firm again.

rhig

I'm a fan of Pixmania's prices but they need to make clear that they are not a British company. They charge in Sterling and no mention is made that you are being dealing with a foreign company unless you look into their details. They are asking for these documents to verify your identity and to reduce the chance of you charging back payment.

It is becoming more common to have to scan and send proof of identity when buying online now but merchants should be obliged to tell you this before the checkout process is complete. Most people don't have scanners and it is expensive to fax if you don't have your own machine.

withabix

Fifer wrote:

What are people supposed to do in such circumstances?

QUOTE]

Buy it from a shop instead?

Altarf

rhig wrote:

they need to make clear that they are not a British company.

Pixmania are now owned by DSG (Dixons, Currys, PC World, etc).