First Direct- Unable to verify identity

Marksfish

How exactly do banks verify a persons' identity electronically?

I ask because my Wife and I applied to First Direct to transfer our bank account from Norwich and Peterborough to them. The application came back as unable to verify my identity electronically, but my Wide's was fine. How can this be? All of my credit accounts and bank accounts report to the credit agencies, my utilities company even reports!! When my report was last checked in January, the accounts were in perfect order (as they have been for over 20 years).

We have recently got a new mortgage and a bank loan, both without any problems of not being able to verify, so I obviously exist!! (yes, I am on the electoral register too).

To add insult to injury, the ONLY verification they will accept is a passport/ driving license, signed by a solicitor!! Great, so I have to spend £30 upwards for some legal bod to spend less than 5 minutes looking at a picture and putting a rubber stamp to it, to get a bank account!!

Why is banking so different? I understand they have to verify identity for for money laundering, but why can I get a passport or driving license with my identity verified by a bank employee, policeman, etc?

grumbler

Why unable? Impossible to say. Some small error in your data maybe?
Why solicitor? It's a rhetoric question. Because they want and don't care how much it costs. Be happy that they don't ask for a notary.

A similar thread: Passport certification for First Direct

Marksfish

Tried searching for a similar thread, but nothing came up. Thanks.

plunt

sometimes the sensitivities in there checks are very high and therefore you fail the identity check. This has happened to me various time!

Regarding identity, you could just send your passport to them as recorded mail (costs around 5 pound, rather than 35 )

There is also the potential to go into an hsbc branch and ask a bank staff to verify. Not sure if first direct allows this but i know the post office does for their online only accounts!

Best of luck

P

dr_adidas01

There was a thread about this exact thing so you were slightly wrong with the not being a similar thread.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/4385649

giblet10

They couldn't verify my identity when I opened mine - so asked for my latest PAYE to be sent to them - which I did and everything was sorted very quickly from that point..

I do recall most other items on their list of acceptable documents had to be certified by a solicitor.

ColdIron

The tax coding notice was the easiest option for me. If you have to phone HMRC to request one you can dodge the 0845 charge by using the geographic number 0161 931 9070 and prefix it with 141