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Comment by tromp | Hacker News Reader

> On April 18, 2023, according to a police report, she’d gone into a Citizens Bank branch in New Rochelle in Westchester County, presented an ID with another woman’s name, and walked away with $3,500. A bank employee had become suspicious and called the account owner to confirm she’d made the withdrawal herself. She hadn’t.

What confuses me is that the bank has my photo ID already. So when someone comes in to make a large cash withdrawal using a fake ID with my name on it, doesn't the teller see my face on screen to match?

I find it hard to believe that the thiefs managed to find a mule that looks exactly like the victim.

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Why does your bank have your photo id? I've never heard of a bank record having a photo attached.

KYC? I wouldn't expect the teller to have it (if my bank even had branches) but certainly I've provided driving licence or passport as well as 'selfie' for KYC and to subsequently prove my identity.

That's changing, at least in the US. I don't know the timeline however. Also recently had to call my bank to verify some credit bureau type details they'd dug up on me.

You are saying know your customer requires the bank to keep a copy of your photo ID on file, and that it shows up on the teller's terminal when you go into a bank? That seems pretty insane to me that tellers would be able to look up any customer's photo ID, and it seems like a huge liability for the bank to keep those on file.

I've had my primary checking account since the 80s, the photo would not look anything like me. When I opened my passbook savings in the 70s I didn't even have a photo ID, just a socical security card.

No big company has faced any big liability in the US that I’m aware of. Experian comes to mind.

They originally sent a mail with that requirement, but changed it to the interview instead. I don’t know the internal policy. Presumably they thought they had enough from “public records” as they called it.

I agree with the ‘insane’ moniker… but realized a few years back we’re not in Kansas anymore.

Just went to a concert where you’re not allowed to attend w/o a internet connected terminal in your hand. ((boggle))

Banks are required to keep their KYC up to date. Regulations will obviously vary depending on where you are, but in general, banks have a fuckton of information about you, all alledgedly to prevent fraud (and terrorism).

So she walked into a bank with nothing but an ID and walked out with thousands in cash? I did not realize someone could make a withdraw like that without a debit card (or a check, or some other bank authenticated mechanism).

There's an incisive Mitchell & Webb audio sketch on this, where banks with bad security are using the phrase to shift blame onto consumers.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=CS9ptA3Ya9E

I lost my wallet once and I was able to write a counter check for cash while I waited for my new ATM card to come. That was in the early 2000s, I did have my passport however. I also had the key to my safety deposit box, but they didn't check that.

I had poor credit with LloydsTSB at one time (due to an error on their behalf) and they terminated all my debit cards, credit cards and ATM access. They would only allow me to withdraw cash using my passport at a teller window for about a year.

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