Our bank is considering taking US Passports as valid ID for opening accounts. Does anyone that currently takes US Passports as ID have a means to validate that they are real and not fakes? We were thinking along the lines of the books one can get that list security features on Driver's Licenses. I haven't had any luck getting a government agency to tell me anything (not that I'm surprised).

Thanks!

I don't know of any source to check on the validity of a U.S. Passport, and it is not our responsibility to do so. If you are presented with a passport that appears fake by way of alteration you can always refuse the ID on the grounds that it appears to be altered.

Granted, we may not be required to determine if an ID is valid, but it is most often to our benefit to do so. Hence we are hoping to find a way of checking on passports.

If you are going the route of "verifying" the authenticity of U.S. Passports, why not also verify drivers licenses, as well?

Don't you think that, from a business perspective, if it made sense to verify the authenticity of drivers licenses or passports, the US TREAS would've made it a requirement?

I know as Compliance folk, we are typically not all too concerned with the business aspect of things, but...ho hum...authenticating id's is an unnecessary step that can adversely affect "business as usual."

Once again, we should be treating the CIP requirement as an extension of our normal business practice and not some business-altering thorn in our side that some folks on these boards have made it out to be.

So in other words, if the identification looks unfamiliar to you or appears altered ask for another form of id - or simply refuse the account.

It may make sense to provide staff with a color photocopy and a description of a US Passport so they will know when they have a real one, but unless an id looks obviously fake I do not plan to be validating id. Now, if the photo in the passport is a photocopy, or the cover is light blue cardboard, or the pages don't have the normal seal - we won't accept it. But beyond common sense types of decisions, we are not going to be playing sleuth.

Kaybee's suggestion seems like an excellent one. Now, I guess I need to photocopy mine... eww. Maybe someone else will volunteer.
I was under the impression that if it was an acceptable gov't issued ID, then it was automatically considered verified?? (provided you know what a real one looks like).


Czar- Your cat looks like my cat.

I had thought about photocopying my daughter's passport and then realized that I will be needing to explain to the staff that the valid duration for adult and childrens passports are different.

save & spare your self The hassle of colour Photocopying your Passport and check this website :

verification tools

Hussam, darling, your link isn't working, please try again. Thanks.

Maria : Use your Mouse to Click on The Link , forget Clicking with the spoon or the fork

p.s: i just clicked and it worked Fine.
http://www.keesingref.com/en/products/