[Johnny 1989]

I'm rather confused on this subject & I hope someone on here may be able to help. I'm planning on finally going onto a mobile contract & I hope to get a blackberry phone, thing, and I'm not quite sure what I need as proof of identity. I have been told everything from a drivers licence, to a gas bill to a credit card statement to a passport. Ive heard that they need one, two or three bits of identity, depending on the phone (why that should make a difference I don't know).

I asked someone in the Carphone Warehouse this evening as to what I needed & he said he needed a passport, debit/credit card & bank statement. I asked him if I could provide my bank statment with the details blacked out (I think "details" may be the wrong word, what I meant was money I earnt) and he said no.

What I need to know is, what is the proceedure and what is needed so that I can finally get off sodding Pay As You Go and onto Contract, does been overdrawn effect your right to get a contract?

Apologies if this is a bit garbled but I'm a bit wound up at the mo.

Thanks In Advance.

[josepi]

Don't do it!! I had a contract and they just screw you over any time they can, anything they can charge you for, they do!

Then again, if your mind is set then I would imagine as long as you bring in one name and one address ID thats all they should need, I don't see why they would need your bank statement at all. Your driving licence (card and paper bit) or gas/leccy bill should be enough for address and passport for your name. If they say they need anything else... I think they're lying! (and ask them WHY they need anything else if they say they do)

When you say overdrawn: do you mean authorised or non-authorised. Authorised: no problem. non-authorised: can effect your credit rating and therefore your chances of acceptance for a contract mobile phone. Hope some of that helped and that it wasn't garbled either!

[foot-loose]

I thought when you were getting a mobile phone contract, you were essentially getting some kind of credit deal which you are paying back over a certain length of time. They need to do credit checks on you I think.

From the Ts & Cs:

10.3 By making an offer to buy a Product, you specifically authorise us to transmit information (including any updated information) or to obtain information about you from third parties from time to time, including but not limited to your debit or credit card number or credit reports, to authenticate your identity, to validate your credit card, to obtain an initial credit card authorisation and to authorise individual purchase transactions.


I might be wrong though.

[josepi]

No, you are darn right!... I think That said, they shouldn't need to have your bank statement to do a credit check (as far as i am aware... not an expert on mobiles, but know a little bit about credit checking). They should be able to check it from your name and address ID, the only thing they should need bank details for is... well... payment... I think! (you may notice all conviction I had on this subject has drained away...)

[Johnny 1989]

Ah, problem I have is that I still live at home (if I could afford to move out I would, nothing to do with the house but the area is a complete shit house these days), I do have bills in my name but their all via direct debit & the bills would have to be printed out (would they allow these)?

I only want to cover up my "earnings" bit, personally I'd rather they didn't know what I earn or spend a month, the overdraft is authorised I should point out, so that should eradicate that problem.

The problem is that the phone I want is £200, which is unfortunately how much a decent one costs on Pay As You Go. Otherwise it's those horrible ugly things that do naff all. I want one that I can view emails & internet on the go, something which the standard mobiles aren't that great at doing, plus I'd rather have a full keyboard on a phone to be honest, and I hate touch phones so they're out the window.

Ah it's all bollocks really

[josepi]

Right with you on the 'living at home'

Ah, I see, you want one of those 'good phones' I hear so much about! Mine takes photos and I think videos too, but when it comes to the internet its one of these ones that just logs onto the internet, doesn't do anything, then charges you! bad times.

Bills printed out - probably not, cos it needs to prove your address, so i would imagine that means sent to you. If its anything like when I have to verify ID, you should be able to use your driving liscence (again both bits) - for your address ID and passport for your name ID. But i could be wrong on this I work in finance not mobile phones, but its all the same data protection act! Like Footloose said the only thing they check from finance side is your credit rating, so as long as thats alright - you should be ok. I genuinely see no reason why they would need to see your statement itself, but as said before, could be wrong good luck with the mobile purchase.

[Johnny 1989]

Right with you on the 'living at home'

Ah, I see, you want one of those 'good phones' I hear so much about! Mine takes photos and I think videos too, but when it comes to the internet its one of these ones that just logs onto the internet, doesn't do anything, then charges you! bad times.

Bills printed out - probably not, cos it needs to prove your address, so i would imagine that means sent to you. If its anything like when I have to verify ID, you should be able to use your driving liscence (again both bits) - for your address ID and passport for your name ID. But i could be wrong on this I work in finance not mobile phones, but its all the same data protection act! Like Footloose said the only thing they check from finance side is your credit rating, so as long as thats alright - you should be ok. I genuinely see no reason why they would need to see your statement itself, but as said before, could be wrong good luck with the mobile purchase.

Ta, the printed bills do have my name & address on them (well they're more like invoices so probably wouldn't be any good), I'll ask around & see what some of the other shops say, perhaps I got someone at the Carphone Warehouse who misunderstood me a bit.

[Nicola_Red]

I don't drive and never travel abroad, and recently it's like you're not a real person if you don't have a driving licence or passport. I have a full birth certificate and various other things, but they never seem to be enough. I was even pretty much accused outright of lying about my alumni status in order to get reference access to my old uni library cos i didn't have either of those two things. Why would I pretend I went to a uni I didn't in order to just get into the library and look at books, not even take them out? And more to the point, I only went there six years ago, don't they have me on record? Sorry Johnny, I've digressed, it just makes me cross.

[DannyBoy]

Right with you on the 'living at home'

Ah, I see, you want one of those 'good phones' I hear so much about! Mine takes photos and I think videos too, but when it comes to the internet its one of these ones that just logs onto the internet, doesn't do anything, then charges you! bad times.

Bills printed out - probably not, cos it needs to prove your address, so i would imagine that means sent to you. If its anything like when I have to verify ID, you should be able to use your driving liscence (again both bits) - for your address ID and passport for your name ID. But i could be wrong on this I work in finance not mobile phones, but its all the same data protection act! Like Footloose said the only thing they check from finance side is your credit rating, so as long as thats alright - you should be ok. I genuinely see no reason why they would need to see your statement itself, but as said before, could be wrong good luck with the mobile purchase.

Ta, the printed bills do have my name & address on them (well they're more like invoices so probably wouldn't be any good), I'll ask around & see what some of the other shops say, perhaps I got someone at the Carphone Warehouse who misunderstood me a bit.

When you do get your contract phone give it a day or so and ring up the customer service people and check that they have you on the right price plan that you asked for etc, its happened to me TWICE the sales dudes put me on the HIGHER bill rate that i didn't ask for, don't know if its a commission thing or not for them.

[Bonanzoid]

I don't drive and never travel abroad, and recently it's like you're not a real person if you don't have a driving licence or passport. I have a full birth certificate and various other things, but they never seem to be enough. I was even pretty much accused outright of lying about my alumni status in order to get reference access to my old uni library cos i didn't have either of those two things. Why would I pretend I went to a uni I didn't in order to just get into the library and look at books, not even take them out? And more to the point, I only went there six years ago, don't they have me on record? Sorry Johnny, I've digressed, it just makes me cross.

Surely a provisional driving licence would suffice? It tends to.

[Nicola_Red]

I dunno. I had one once, when I was 18, not sure if I still have it.

[pjordan2000]

I got my contract from o2 Online. Got a good tariff and was all done instantly with no need for bank statements or anything as far as I can remember.

[Yudster]

I don't drive and never travel abroad, and recently it's like you're not a real person if you don't have a driving licence or passport. I have a full birth certificate and various other things, but they never seem to be enough. I was even pretty much accused outright of lying about my alumni status in order to get reference access to my old uni library cos i didn't have either of those two things. Why would I pretend I went to a uni I didn't in order to just get into the library and look at books, not even take them out? And more to the point, I only went there six years ago, don't they have me on record? Sorry Johnny, I've digressed, it just makes me cross.

Surely a provisional driving licence would suffice? It tends to.

It shouldn't have to though. I agree with Nic, why should anyone be regarded as somehow less than accredited simply because they choose to neither drive a car or travel abroad? It's completely ridiculous.

[Bonanzoid]

...you don't have to drive a car to get a provisional licence, just be 17.

[nicowoodcock]

And pay £50.

[Yudster]

...you don't have to drive a car to get a provisional licence, just be 17.

But why should you need to? Why should something as arbitrary and voluntary as a driving licence be regarded as a necessary document in establishing your identity? Are we saying that holding a driving licence should be compulsory? Its madness I tell you, madness!

[Bonanzoid]

No it's not! You don't need to go near a car to get a provisional licence. I can see why you're objecting to the full licence thing, but a provisional counts for just as much when it comes to identification and you don't ever need to drive. I really don't understand your issue.

[foot-loose]

Woo

Bonanzoid VS Yudster

Round One.. DING DING!

[Sunny So Cal]

Footsy, you've never looked better.

As for the ID - I assume the issue is that a driver's licenCe is an official government document with a picture as a form of identification, same as a passport. If you have neither, how does the government know you are who you claim to be? How do they keep track of who's who? How do people you're applying for credit to, etc know that you didn't just steal someone's identity, or are falsely using someone's credit card? Here in the States there are birth certificates and Social Security Cards - neither (obviously) have your picture on them so they don't count as VALID PICTURE IDs - but (recently) those that don't have a DL or a passport can apply for a "Passport Card", which allows you to go to Mexico, Canada and the Caribbean, and is a valid picture ID. Nicola, you should look into getting any government issued picture ID, if they have them there. Or go get the provisional licenCe. In the long run it'll be a convenience for you. It's the way the world is now - especially post 9/11.

[foot-loose]

If I'd known that I suited a bikini, I'd have worn one years ago!

[Bonanzoid]

Even if it is considered a 'hassle' to get either a passport or a provisional licence, as Charlalala hinted at, they are the most commonly accepted forms of ID, so it's worth the 'hassle.' You'd never have any problems with ID with either one.

[Yudster]

It just seems arbitrary to me that you need to buy (at considerable cost) a document which you neither want nor need for its stated purpose in order to fulfil a requirement which that document was never designed to meet.

As for the ID - I assume the issue is that a driver's licenCe is an official government document with a picture as a form of identification, same as a passport. If you have neither, how does the government know you are who you claim to be? How do they keep track of who's who? How do people you're applying for credit to, etc know that you didn't just steal someone's identity, or are falsely using someone's credit card?

So far in the UK there is no compulsory ID card requirement. Until there is, I'm not sure why any company or corporation should assume that it has already happened. The issues mentioned here have all been managed quite happily up until now (although I'm certainly not saying a compulsory ID card wouldn't make it easier). But as of now we don't have a requirement for compulsory ID in this country, and companies who behave as though official yet non-compulsory documents designed for other purposes are needed to fill the gap are being discriminatory.

Not that I care, I have both.

[Nicola_Red]

If you have neither, how does the government know you are who you claim to be? How do they keep track of who's who? How do people you're applying for credit to, etc know that you didn't just steal someone's identity, or are falsely using someone's credit card?

I dunno. How did we manage back in the 50s and 60s, when many ordinary people couldn't afford to either drive or travel abroad? I appreciate that crimes like identity theft are on the increase these days, but I'm sure that even then people must have been required to prove who they were at some time in their lives - like when buying houses, for example. I'm with Yuds on this, I don't see why I should have to spend money which I can ill afford on documents I don't actually need.

[Sunny So Cal]

We don't have a compulsory card here in this country either. If you don't have a passport or a driver's license and will be traveling into Canada, certain parts of the Caribbean or Mexico, you are now required to show citizenship. Whereas before we could all co-mingle and go back and forth without hassle. Needless to say, we needed to plug those holes. It is not compulsory to walk about with one - only if you haven't the others and are planning to travel there. For the same reasons you'd need a valid picture ID there, we have here.

I've no idea how much it costs over there to get a DL, passport or a provisional license, however, if you're running into this quite frequently, and it's irritating you, surely the costs would be negligible?

[Yudster]

For the same reasons you'd need a valid picture ID there, we have here.

But the point is that at the moment it is deemed that we DON'T need one. If we did, there would be a compulsory scheme. There isn't. Finance corporations and banks etc aren't (yet) in a position to insist otherwise. Its discriminatory.