New AMEX application - will photo of ID be required?

[andyrb]

Compared to other issuers, AMEX was easy.

This is what surprised me when I applied a few years back. Just entered some income and expenditure figures, provide identity details and BAM approved.

However, I do remember reading something on the Amex site that they use a third-party service to verify the information you provide, in addition to any credit check. I'm guessing if they're satisfied what you've provided aligns with what the data hoarders have, you're sweet.

license

license

In Australia we use "licence" as the noun.

 

[DC3]

Online identity checks in Australia usually involved entering information from your drivers license, Medicare card etc. Never needed to send a scanned copy. So even if identification is needed you don't need to send a scan of your license.

Easy-peasy. How easy is that!

 

[Chicken]

Online identity checks in Australia usually involved entering information from your drivers license, Medicare card etc. Never needed to send a scanned copy. So even if identification is needed you don't need to send a scan of your license.

This, except when this is not the case. A friend of mine applied for HSBC bank account 3 weeks ago, and the HSBC app needed them to take a photo of their licence or passport.

When I applied for a bank account with Australian Unity 6 months ago, I also had to take a photo of my licence.

Which brings us back to AmEx. If the computer was to decide that it should ask for a copy, then it would ask you for a copy.

I explicitly asked what triggers the need to send a photo of ID, and how to avoid it. Tell me how the advice not to apply, and to upload photo of ID to a link, answers my question? How are they helpful advice to my question?

You can avoid it if you provide answers to the computer which the computer is happy with?

Seriously, if you don't want to provide ID when asked, you are not going to get much done in this country.

 

[general3]

You can avoid it if you provide answers to the computer which the computer is happy with?

This is what I'm trying to find out.
American Express won't say what the computer wants.

Seriously, if you don't want to provide ID when asked, you are not going to get much done in this country.

Untrue. I get plenty done without providing a photo of my ID. In fact, I have not had to provide a photo of my ID my entire life living in Australia, and I am determined to keep it that way. Have a look at ozbargain bank offers, plenty of people commenting that when the bank asked them for a photo of their ID, they decided not to proceed. I would wager that the majority of people applying for financial products will refuse to proceed when they are asked for a photo of their ID. The risks of having a photo of your ID hacked and stolen are far greater than whatever benefit the financial product is.

 

[Chicken]

American Express won't say what the computer wants.

Of course they won't. Like they were gonna make it public, so all the politically exposed people would know how to bypass the system?!

The risks of having a photo of your ID hacked

A lot of these systems don't store your passport as a photo, because a photo file like JPEG is useless. They use OCR to convert the details into text values

 

[general3]

Of course they won't. Like they were gonna make it public

They should, identity should be like maths, pass or fail, not "pass only if you show us your privates".

A lot of these systems don't store your passport as a photo, because a photo file like JPEG is useless. They use OCR to convert the details into text values

How naive can you get? What happens if you dispute your ID later, and they want to see if their OCR got it wrong? That's right, they pull up the photo JPEG of your ID, and compare with the OCR. Photos are kept, and are kept forever, to be used against you or leaked out eventually.

 

[Chicken]

They should, identity should be like maths, pass or fail, not "pass only if you show us your privates".

Haha, right, so instead of tripping people over when it is the right thing to do because they look questionable and deserve further checking, you are saying that it should tell you how to bypass the test?

Like, when the cops want to catch dealers in Fortitude Valley on a Saturday night, you are saying that they should not be wearing T shirt and cargo pants and Adidas, you are saying that they should identify themselves, wearing their police uniforms, to tell the whole Valley how to bypass / avoid them and not be caught.

You are funny

 

[Flyerwin]

In one sense, requiring a photo ID or 100 points of ID is to protect you by adding a further step to reduce the risk of identity theft by someone else who can open a credit account in your name and destroy your credit rating. Which has happened.

 

[general3]

, so instead of tripping people over when it is the right thing to do because they look questionable and deserve further checking, you are saying that it should tell you how to bypass the test?

They should lay out the rules upfront, not hide them. To use your examples. When speed cameras are at traffic lights, there's always a sign before you reach them, warning that the area has speed cameras. Or when you are about to get pulled over for random breath testing, you can see it up ahead, and get a chance to do a U turn before reaching it.

In one sense, requiring a photo ID or 100 points of ID is to protect you by adding a further step to reduce the risk of identity theft by someone else who can open a credit account in your name and destroy your credit rating.

What a weak argument. If that's the purpose, they need to do the same check for everyone, to protect everyone. But they don't.

 

[Hvr]

Or when you are about to get pulled over for random breath testing, you can see it up ahead, and get a chance to do a U turn before reaching it.

Oh I would love to see that. Surely a quick breath test isn't an imposition?

 

[Chicken]

when you are about to get pulled over for random breath testing, you can see it up ahead, and get a chance to do a U turn before reaching it.

Yes, please do this, and upload your dash cam for the "instant karma" compilation, so we could all watch you being chased by the cops, like this person!

 

[enstagest]

This makes no sense. Lets say you don't provide a photo of your ID and get approved with just the licence no. as you mention you're happy to give this out. Would this not prove that the photo of the licence is irrelevant as all a person needs in order to get approved and "steal" your identity is simply the licence no.

 

[general3]

This makes no sense. Lets say you don't provide a photo of your ID and get approved with just the licence no. as you mention you're happy to give this out. Would this not prove that the photo of the licence is irrelevant as all a person needs in order to get approved and "steal" your identity is simply the licence no.

What kind of twisted thinking is this. People aren't stealing my identity when they can get financial products with just the licence number. They are stealing my identity when they parade around a photo of my ID, claiming that to be them. The difference? I can approach the bank and tell them that wasn't me when they have no photo of my ID, and they will have to suck it up. But if they have a photo of my ID, they will claim that is proof of me, and the burden shifts on to me to prove it wasn't me. The latter is much harder to fight.

 

[enstagest]

What kind of twisted thinking is this. People aren't stealing my identity when they can get financial products with just the licence number. They are stealing my identity when they parade around a photo of my ID, claiming that to be them. The difference? I can approach the bank and tell them that wasn't me when they have no photo of my ID, and they will have to suck it up. But if they have a photo of my ID, they will claim that is proof of me, and the burden shifts on to me to prove it wasn't me. The latter is much harder to fight.

thats not how ID theft works but ok. I work in credit and what people do is use your licence no. on a fake licence with their own picture on it. Also so long as you provide a stat dec with police report no., no bank will hold you liable for it even with a picture of your ID.

 

[Chicken]

use your licence no. on a fake licence with their own picture on it.

I don't think OP knows about underage kids buying fake IDs so they could go to clubs and pubs on weekends ...

 

[andyrb]

This thread just keeps on giving.

It does sound like the OP has some serious paranoia going on. I do agree there's nothing wrong with being protective of your PII, but he's just taking it next level.

 

[_TheTraveller_]

I'm not sure if this thread is worth further discussion considering no one will be able to tell OP what circumstances is a photo of their ID is required. If you're not ready to verify your identity when requested then the financial provider is under no obligation to extend credit to you. Simple as that.

If the potential risk of being requested for ID is too much then do not apply. Otherwise;

• Apply
• You may or may not be requested for a photo of the ID
• If requested, you may choose not to provide your ID and withdraw your application

It's really that simple.

I understand that people are protective of their identity and I am to some degree but this thread almost comes across like someone attempting to sign up with someone else's identity (aka fraud/id theft).