trying to open an account!

Paul_Varjak

ejones999 wrote:

I am suprised at this because my bank specifically excludes mobile phone bills from acceptable addres confirmation.
Eric

But it isn't a PAYG phone, it's a contract phone!

grumbler

Paul_Varjak wrote:

But it isn't a PAYG phone, it's a contract phone!

Just an example: Lloyds TSB:

Proof of your address:
Such as a recent utility bill – e.g. gas, electricity or telephone (not a mobile phone bill) or local authority tax bill, mortgage statement or bank or building society statement.

They do not make difference between PAYG and contract.

Katgoddess

When I opened my bank account with Barclays 7 years ago when I was 18, my dad (who banks with them) came with me and said this is my daughter she wants to open a current account and they let me just like that! I presume the money laundering laws came in after that.

ED

9/11 caused regulations to become stringent ever since 2001. In my opinion, these regulations created not only inconvenience and worry for potential customers of banks and building societies, but also actually put them at very great danger of "identity theft".

Anyone here know of a campaign for members of the public to urge banks and bdg socities to come up with a better method for potential customers to proove iD and address? Theft in the post is rife in some areas. I recently became a victim of this, losing a crucial item of iD + statements from 2 banks, when a building society in Furness posted them back to me.

In my opinion, it should be possible for potential customers of "Obscure Bdg Society X" to visit any major high street bank, show original iD document + address proof, these are then photocopied and authenticated by "Major Bank X" and despatched (perhaps via online encrypted method) to "Obscure Bdg Society X". Government should pay for this. Clearly, the high street banks would need motivating via payment for staff time and resources. The customer should not have to pay for a professional person to authenticate numerous copies of Driving Licence, etc, as currently prevails.

Anybody got such a proposal underway...or can anyone on MSE suggest a better idea?

frepol

Anybody got such a proposal underway...or can anyone on MSE suggest a better idea?

National ID card maybe?

grumbler

frepol wrote:

National ID card maybe?

Do not know about National ID card, but the UK Citizencard has been discussed in this THREAD.

mountainofdebt

Natwest was the obvious choice when my son (12) wanted to open an account as me and his dad each have an account with them as well as the joint account and the business account.

Despite me having my cash card with me and the relevant documents for my son, they still wanted proof of my address.

ED

grumbler - thanks for the link. Sadly, however, any kind of card is still at risk of theft or loss in the post. Presumably if an Identity Card or Citizencard is imposed by the authorities, the holder would be very handicapped while it was in the post to a distantly located building society, unable to do any banking, medical treatment, proove iD to Police, etc.

lipidicman

Exactly why I never send ID in the post. If you are applying by post they could do an electoral roll check like they do for current accounts. Abbey once told me that opening current accounts is easier since they do a credit check and can check the electoral roll and therefore require less ID.

I always think that it is funny that banks write to you at your home address and tell you that they need to see confirmation of your address! How about the letter they have just sent (and you received) Some of the things they ask for as ID would be so easy to get hold of. Like a bill in your name - electric companies would probably put 'mickey mouse' on one if you asked them.

ED

Mickey Mouse signed a cheque of a letters-page contributor to a recent edition of the Telegraph newspaper, and the bank passed it. Likewise they processed his cheques dated for the year 1066 and numerous other implausible dates. Hopefully this was long ago in the past...

lipidicman - I totaly agree with your comments about banks and bdg societies requiring proof of identity + address. Hence my desire to join in with customers campaigning to show proof locally, for accounts they wish to open with distantly located building societies, banks, share-dealing services, etc. If no-one is running such a campaign, maybe MSE will start one...?