Identity checking, are banks allowed to retain copies of evidence like your driving licence

grumbler

I agree pretty much on everything except "this case demonstrates". There is no any indication that the licence was foreign or forged.

Section62

grumbler said:

I agree pretty much on everything except "this case demonstrates". There is no any indication that the licence was foreign or forged.

I haven't suggested it was foreign or forged.

"This case demonstrates" that banks keeping copies of ID documents presented to them as part of an application would allow them (and law enforcement agencies) to go back and check those documents if it subsequently transpires there was something wrong with them or the person who opened the account isn't who they claimed to be, or some other illegality is involved.

At the point in time someone is making an application and/or is asked to produce ID, the person looking at the document on behalf of the bank/FI is not going to know for certain whether the document is genuine or not.

...unless of course they bring in 'live' checking of ID documents during the application process so the databases of DVLA (and others) are opened up to bank staff to check the document is genuine... or skip the document stage completely and have ID checks performed in real time from governmental and other databases.  I've got a feeling people would have greater concerns over the security of their personal information if a system like that was introduced, rather than banks etc securely keeping a photocopy of the presented ID documents.

NeedSomeHRadvice

Last time I looked into something like this, it was enough to just show your passport and another staff member could verify that they had seen it and record any info such as passport number as proof. They do not need to photocopy or retain a copy! But since they won't allow you to withdraw money, they got you over a barrel and they know it. Comply or no money, so most people crumble.

eDicky

For accounts I've held in East Asia, when my passport that they had on record was past its expiry date the bank requested sight of and to take a copy of my new one. I never considered it unreasonable.