Proof of Identity Request by Bank

[gbjeppm]

All

I am sure there are some banking gurus on here, who may be able to help.

Yesterday a letter dropped on the doormat, asking for my wife to prove her identity to the bank, as they are "updating their records", requesting she go into a branch with passport etc and proof of address.

Now context here is that my wife has banked with said bank for over 15 years, I have banked with them longer, and we have a mix of joint current accounts and individual savings accounts.

Why would they be asking for this now? If they have lost their records its not really my issue.

What are the implications of not complying, maybe I am being a bit inflexible, I just don't see it as our problem, and therefore why do we need to go out of our way.

I did try and speak to the bank, but the department was not able to answer our questions right now, and will come back to us!!!

 

[brucemillar]

PM me your account number and sort code & name. I will look into this for you.




Just make sure that you do actually speak to the bank - I would prefer the face to face meeting. It could all be simple due diligence from your bank that should be encouraged. ID fraud is a massive issue in banking so I would try and be supportive. Also if it is a scam you get peace of mind following it through the correct channels.

Personally I would not deal with them over the phone to be 100% certain that your dealing with your bank.

 

[Deleted member 6183]

So you want your bank to look after your money in a secure way but you don't want to help them achieve this?

Just be grateful that they are taking ID theft/fraud seriously.

It is most unlikely that they have lost the records and most likely that they have intercepted an attempt to impersonate your wife.

Your call.

 

[gbjeppm]

PM me your account number and sort code & name. I will look into this for you.




Just make sure that you do actually speak to the bank - I would prefer the face to face meeting. It could all be simple due diligence from your bank that should be encouraged. ID fraud is a massive issue in banking so I would try and be supportive. Also if it is a scam you get peace of mind following it through the correct channels.

Personally I would not deal with them over the phone to be 100% certain that your dealing with your bank.

I know its the bank, and they are asking me to take proof of ID to a branch of HSBC.

 

[sparehead3]

The bank should have done this years ago. It is a requirement of at least the money laundering regulations 2007. http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2007/2157/pdfs/uksi_20072157_en.pdf.

If you don't comply then ultimately they will close her account and send her a cheque for the balance. Yes this is rude and unhelpful but they don't care about individual customers. None of them do.

 

[gbjeppm]

It is most unlikely that they have lost the records and most likely that they have intercepted an attempt to impersonate your wife.

Your call.

That may be the case, but for me it does not explain why they want proof of ID again, or how that would help in the scenario you describe.

 

[Druk]

When you go there and there's a big Nigerian guy sitting behind a pasting table.....don't speak to him.

 

[gbjeppm]

The bank should have done this years ago. It is a requirement of at least the money laundering regulations 2007. http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2007/2157/pdfs/uksi_20072157_en.pdf.

If you don't comply then ultimately they will close her account and send her a cheque for the balance. Yes this is rude and unhelpful but they don't care about individual customers. None of them do.

So the likely scenario is they are trying to comply to this. Is it possible that her accounts were opened in the first case without proof? To be honest it was 15 years ago, and I can't remember what was provided.

Why ask her, and not me? If it was the case that prior to 2007, none of this was required, then surely all the banks would be asking for people to do this.

Has anybody else on here been asked to do this for accounts opened prior to 2007?

 

[KillerHERTZ]

 

[flango]

So the likely scenario is they are trying to comply to this. Is it possible that her accounts were opened in the first case without proof? To be honest it was 15 years ago, and I can't remember what was provided.

Why ask her, and not me? If it was the case that prior to 2007, none of this was required, then surely all the banks would be asking for people to do this.

Has anybody else on here been asked to do this for accounts opened prior to 2007?

It's an HSBC thing I think both me and my daughter who bank with HSBC had the same request last year and just went to our local branch with passports and i've banked with them for over 25 years.

The result of not complying is delayed clearance of funds or transfers whilst identity checks are made and charged for, so I was told. It's a bit like an employer checking you actually have a driving license to drive a company car, banks have a duty to check the identity and current location of their customers, it would appear some do and some dont

 

[Charles Morgan]

It's how HSBC is choosing to interpret money laundering regulations. Having been fined gazillions for a lax regime (helping Mexican drug barons launder billions) they are over-compensating everywhere.

Frankly dealing with banks is a PITA, but my experience of me saying to my bank that they are wrong on numerous silly matters has resulted in absolutely no changes, so I would say, do what they ask, get it done, stop wasting time and emotional energy on something that you cannot change. Life is seriously too short for this.

 

[gbjeppm]

It's how HSBC is choosing to interpret money laundering regulations. Having been fined gazillions for a lax regime (helping Mexican drug barons launder billions) they are over-compensating everywhere.

Frankly dealing with banks is a PITA, but my experience of me saying to my bank that they are wrong on numerous silly matters has resulted in absolutely no changes, so I would say, do what they ask, get it done, stop wasting time and emotional energy on something that you cannot change. Life is seriously too short for this.

Charles, thanks, I know you are right, it just annoys me, but I am also all for an easy life.

 

[Dieselman]

I know its the bank, and they are asking me to take proof of ID to a branch of HSBC.

I've recently had this with another bank. They said it was a legal requirement for them to have confirmed my identity.

Just take the letter and some proof into the bank.

 

[Charles Morgan]

It annoys the hell out of me too!

A friend and former colleague, Sally Scutt, is Deputy Chief Executive of the British Bankers Association. She went on Moneybox some years ago when first appointed and was asked about yet another legion of idiocies the banks were perpetrating on their customers, and her response was quite courageous, paraphrased as - we all know the banks are absolutely useless at customer service, they make life totally impossible on a regular basis, but they seem to be incapable of changing and dealing with them is one of those horrible tasks we all have to endure. (I think she got a bit of a telling off when she returned).

 

[Sp!ke]

A number of years ago it used to be possible to open a deposit account with no ID and then say six months later switch the account to a current account and get credit etc without ever proving your identity.

If you fall into this camp, it may well be that the bank realised they have no proof of ID on file hence sending out the letter.

I think it is a good thing that the bank periodically do this.

 

[sparehead3]

Everyone has been asked to do this but virtually everyone will have done it many years ago now.

 

[Harrythedog]

Perhaps your wife is trying to get a 90% mortgage on the house before she leaves you next month...just saying

 

[gbjeppm]

Well it transpires that my account was converted to a joint account, and no ID was required in 1998 to do this. As she became a joint account holder, they then allowed her to set up some savings accounts, but have never had ID, and they are doing a tidy up.

That is a much better reason, than the stock letter which they sent.

Thanks for the replies, and the humour

 

[brucemillar]

Matt

This is good news. Might I suggest that you transfer your money into my wife's account for your future safety. My wife - Princess Umbongo - is looking after all my money for me. Well when I say my wife, I mean my wife to be. We will be getting married just as soon as she sorts out some family issues with her father - King Umbongo. She will then be able to come to this country and be with me. At this point she will transfer all our cash (and yours) back into the UK.

 

[Danny DeVito]

I'm in ireland. i have had 3 letters from my bank "update records...anti fraud" etc. it comes with a return envelope. it says use this letter as proof of address. It is all on proper paper and has my name and address but no account number. The return address is to CJB co.clare. which is not my banks usual address. It states that if i dont act the account will be suspended. It also has an option to log in and upload copy of drivers licence etc.

Now seriously would you reply to that ?

More good news apparently i won £286,000 from the spanish lottery. Notification to my house with name and address so it must be real.

Apart from that a lot of financial agencies here are acting on the criminal justice act to clamp down on money laundering