American Express asking for ID documents

ForeverAwake

Hello everyone

I applied for a British Airways card with American Express after getting 9/10 chance on their eligibility checker and I got this letter back from their fraud protection department.

Has anyone ever been asked to send documents back to them after an application? Is it hopeful my application has been approved because otherwise they'd just send a decline letter and not go to the effort of asking for ID documents?

I'm planning to send the documents back as requested though. Here's the letter:

""""Thank you for your continued interest in American Express.

To complete processing of your application, I will need some more information from you. Government legislation now requires us to make further checks to verify the identity of the applicant in order to ensure it will not be used illegally.

Whilst I am sure this is not an issue in your case, you will appreciate that we are bound to comply with his regulation and that it is designed to protect legitimate users.

Please could you return this letter to me along with one of the following original documents:

To confirm your address we require:
- most recent utility bill or
- most recent council tax bill
- most recent bank or building society statement

To confirm your indenture we require:
- a copy of (valid) passport or EU ID-card

Thank you for your cooperation in this matter

American Express account protection services"""

What's people's thoughts on it and is it anything to worry about?

Thank you

[Deleted User]

It's very common.

GingerBob_3

ForeverAwake wrote: »

Hello everyone

I applied for a British Airways card with American Express after getting 9/10 chance on their eligibility checker and I got this letter back from their fraud protection department.

Has anyone ever been asked to send documents back to them after an application? Is it hopeful my application has been approved because otherwise they'd just send a decline letter and not go to the effort of asking for ID documents?

I'm planning to send the documents back as requested though. Here's the letter:

""""Thank you for your continued interest in American Express.

To complete processing of your application, I will need some more information from you. Government legislation now requires us to make further checks to verify the identity of the applicant in order to ensure it will not be used illegally.

Whilst I am sure this is not an issue in your case, you will appreciate that we are bound to comply with his regulation and that it is designed to protect legitimate users.

Please could you return this letter to me along with one of the following original documents:

To confirm your address we require:
- most recent utility bill or
- most recent council tax bill
- most recent bank or building society statement

To confirm your indenture we require:
- a copy of (valid) passport or EU ID-card

Thank you for your cooperation in this matter

American Express account protection services"""

What's people's thoughts on it and is it anything to worry about?

Thank you

Pretty much a lie. The government doesn't require credit card companies to obtain copies or originals of the mentioned documents. And what if you didn't have a passport?

Second highlighted statement; complete bunkum. If anything, it's designed to protect them, not you.


I'd abandon the application - just ignore them from now on - and apply for a card with no such inconveniences. There are plenty out there.

ForeverAwake

Just wondering why they're requesting these documents especially since I'm on the electoral roll. Is it likely I'll be approved for the card after sending them in?

[Deleted User]

If your ID matches up ok, you'll probably be fine.

[Deleted User]

GingerBob wrote: »

Pretty much a lie. The government doesn't require credit card companies to obtain copies or originals of the mentioned documents. And what if you didn't have a passport?

Second highlighted statement; complete bunkum. If anything, it's designed to protect them, not you.


I'd abandon the application - just ignore them from now on - and apply for a card with no such inconveniences. There are plenty out there.

So, credit companies, according to you, shouldn't be using the CRAs and now they shouldn't be using copies of official documents? How do you propose they check someones identity then? Call their mum?

Banks ARE required by law to satisfy themselves of the identity of a customer.

You really need to grow up and stop your tin foil hat anti-bank ranting.

Chappaz

ForeverAwake wrote: »

Just wondering why they're requesting these documents especially since I'm on the electoral roll. Is it likely I'll be approved for the card after sending them in?

It may be because, as the name implies, American Express is an American company.

As they are headquartered in the USA and offer their services internationally, they may have stricter checks in place to comply with UK and US laws.

GingerBob_3

camelot1971 wrote: »

So, credit companies, according to you, shouldn't be using the CRAs and now they shouldn't be using copies of official documents? How do you propose they check someones identity then? Call their mum?

Banks ARE required by law to satisfy themselves of the identity of a customer.

You really need to grow up and stop your tin foil hat anti-bank ranting.

Did I say that? I don't think I did, but if you know otherwise, show me the post where I said so. And when you've done that, trot off to your nearest dictionary and look up 'Ad hominem', then try and put it into practice.

Arleen

GingerBob wrote: »

Did I say that? I don't think I did, but if you know otherwise, show me the post where I said so. And when you've done that, trot off to your nearest dictionary and look up 'Ad hominem', then try and put it into practice.

So how according to Gingerbob should banks do theri anti-moneylaundering and anti-fraud checks? Do share with us, rather than getting all defensive when someone dares to challenge the all-mighty words of, all Hail, Gingerbob?

I think calling mum is the answer.

GingerBob_3

Arleen wrote: »

So how according to Gingerbob should banks do theri anti-moneylaundering and anti-fraud checks? Do share with us, rather than getting all defensive when someone dares to challenge the all-mighty words of, all Hail, Gingerbob?

I think calling mum is the answer.

No need to respond to my posts again. Due to the extreme banality of your posts I've put you on my ignore list.

Arleen

GingerBob wrote: »

No need to respond to my posts again. Due to the extreme banality of your posts I've put you on my ignore list.

This site has ignore list? Sweet, thanks for that and bye.