M&S BANK cardholder verification

loughlini

The plot thickens. It seems this is more than a card trick. There was a major editorial in today's Daily Mail (the authentic source of all financial information) regarding this ID checking by M&S Bank. It seems I was right to bring it to the attention of this forum. Many more people are upset and annoyed by the bank's actions. I hope M&S Bank will now see the error of their ways and issue every card holder with a free turkey and get a new Customer Service Manager.

GingerBob_3

Here's the link. It'll serve them right if they go out of business.


http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/cardsloans/article-4053068/We-cutting-M-S-credit-cards-Loyal-customers-threaten-boycott-store-intrusive-ID-checks.html

muhandis

Ah, so M&S is owned by HSBC. No wonder they're being absolute idiots. Vote with your feet and ditch them!

GingerBob wrote: »

Here's the link. It'll serve them right if they go out of business.

http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/cardsloans/article-4053068/We-cutting-M-S-credit-cards-Loyal-customers-threaten-boycott-store-intrusive-ID-checks.html

Uxb

I regularly get asked to supply full paper copy ID by post.
This is always certified copy of my passport plus an original bill/statement showing address. The list of documents acceptable is always stated as is the list of those able to certify said documents.
The people able to certify are invariably those in a regulated industry so can sign with their authorization number attached to their signature for future checking should the police come calling.

Recently these have included:
1. Investment opened decade or so plus ago when there was next to no ID verification. Wanted to make transaction on my investment. Company wrote back requiring full ID to current standards before transaction could be processed.

2. Some bank/building soc etc accounts openings (but not all) also require full paper copy ID to be supplied. On some I pass the electronic checks in background.

3. Old account made dormant by a Building Society after 2 years of non use approx. To re-activate it again full paper copy ID required to be submitted by myself.

4. Renewed National Archives/public record office ticket. Full ID to presented in person - my actual passport plus original of a bill showing address.

5. Executor requiring re-direction of the Deceased' mail to own address. As well as death cert being provided (quite reasonably!) again my full ID of certified passport copy and bill original showing my address to be provided with form.

Now I agree HSBC seems to be over doing it
As others have said this is because HSBC who run M&S's financial products have be caught out by the USA in dodgy practices. If HSBC do not mend their ways then they will be excluded from Dollar based markets by the USA regulators which would in effect mean they go bust....and we could then all bail them out!
So like a driver on 9 points HSBC is being very careful to comply exactly with the rules and to go nowhere near the (speed) limit. They are only interested in maintaining their banking licence with the USA and they will not be the slightest bothered if you or a few 1000's of people in the UK get uptight about it all - you are insignificant.

muhandis

So to summarise, HSBC/M&S don't give a furry rat's behind about us retail customers, I think we're all in agreement on that point!

Vote with your feet and switch. For those who want to compensate themselves at HSBC's expense, please make good use of the £100 FD (also owned by charlatans at HSBC) switching bonus and the £100 leaving bonus, or the £100 M&S current account bonus.

datostar

As this seems to be an HSBC imposition, why haven't the brainless wonders made it possible for account holders to visit an HSBC branch and have their identity and documentation verified by their expert staff?