Banks and identity and argh
I'm been dragged back here by my compulsion to moan. I went to the bank today to see if I could change my classic account into a student one, as the large overdraft may come in handy later on. Despite the signs about it all over the place and the fact that Lloyds has been advertising it as often as they can, alarm bells rang in my head when the lady behind the counter said "Um... er..." and phoned up somebody to ask, "I am with somebody who wants to change their 'classic account' [with audible finger twitching] to a student account. Can he do that?"
Christ in a fridge.
She then found out, "Yes, you can if you bring us a UCAS letter." Good. "Do you have a passport or driver's license?" Ah. No, I haven't. I haven't been abroad for ten years and I have no desire to drive. And because of this they can't verify my identity or age. As for the former I have a birth certificate, several other photo ID cards, and about 20 letters from the bloody bank itself. I know it's not a passport or driver's license but I'm sure you can infer who I am from all that. I'm also on your database and you've dealt with my account changes in the past. The latter: several weeks ago you changed my under 18s account into a classic account, you idiots. This indicates that you already KNOW I'm 18. The fact that you did this also indicates that you KNOW WHO I AM. You KNOW I'm David K Barnes because you adjusted stuff on my "customer" database. You were also more than pleased to adjust my account last time and in fact the lady who did it said "If you want to do the student account then come in to see me and I'll do it straight away for you!" YOU KNOW I'M DAVID BARNES AND YOU KNOW I'M 18!!! Instead, "You'll have to get a parent to come in and 'introduce' you." Piss off. You were all right in changing my account and its details last time simply because I knew what my own address was. I said it would be difficult to bring a parent in as they work everyday and the person who does the account changing is only in on certain days. However, there's no other option as without a parent they can't verify that I'm 18.
"I've got two forms of photo ID here, my bank cards, I have a letter from your bank and I have got facial hair."
That didn't get me anywhere so I left.
Christ in a fridge.
She then found out, "Yes, you can if you bring us a UCAS letter." Good. "Do you have a passport or driver's license?" Ah. No, I haven't. I haven't been abroad for ten years and I have no desire to drive. And because of this they can't verify my identity or age. As for the former I have a birth certificate, several other photo ID cards, and about 20 letters from the bloody bank itself. I know it's not a passport or driver's license but I'm sure you can infer who I am from all that. I'm also on your database and you've dealt with my account changes in the past. The latter: several weeks ago you changed my under 18s account into a classic account, you idiots. This indicates that you already KNOW I'm 18. The fact that you did this also indicates that you KNOW WHO I AM. You KNOW I'm David K Barnes because you adjusted stuff on my "customer" database. You were also more than pleased to adjust my account last time and in fact the lady who did it said "If you want to do the student account then come in to see me and I'll do it straight away for you!" YOU KNOW I'M DAVID BARNES AND YOU KNOW I'M 18!!! Instead, "You'll have to get a parent to come in and 'introduce' you." Piss off. You were all right in changing my account and its details last time simply because I knew what my own address was. I said it would be difficult to bring a parent in as they work everyday and the person who does the account changing is only in on certain days. However, there's no other option as without a parent they can't verify that I'm 18.
"I've got two forms of photo ID here, my bank cards, I have a letter from your bank and I have got facial hair."
That didn't get me anywhere so I left.