G-J-B

I was just curious to what extent the new carte de séjour (the Article 50 TUE one) can be used as proof of identity. Due to regulation, the banks all seem to require proof of ID now. Despite having one account for 14 years, I had to provide the Carte de séjour, an EDF bill and last year's tax return, all of which was accepted. Then I got emailed very recently by BNP saying they've tried to reach me numerous times and my account will be deactivated at the end of this month if I don't provide them my identity. It was actually the first time they contacted me about it. I went to the branch in town, and they were happy to take my carte de séjour, scan it and upload it on my behalf, nothing else required. Then 15 minutes later I get a voicemail saying head office wouldn't accept it, which I thought odd. Anyway, it was no big deal as I went back to the bank and handed over my passport instead, despite it has less information and details than the carte de séjour. I was just surprised they wouldn't accept it, so I wondered to what extent you can use it as a form of ID?

cyrian

I think that banks everywhere are getting a bit above themselves.
I had problems with CA because I deposited too much cash according to their rules - not legal limits.
In the UK, if you want to open a new account or they just simply need to update their files then there are two different lists of different types of ID they require.
I needed to do this for an elderly relative a few years ago.
They wanted a passport - didn't have one
They wanted a photo driving licence - didn't have one.
Shotgun certificate - really???
Best just to bite your lip and give them what they ask for.

EuroTrash

A carte de séjour often is accepted as ID, as is a driving licence and other things. I guess it depends how important the checks are. iA CdS is not intended to be an ID document, that's not the purpose it's issued for. A passport or national ID card is proof of identity, it is issued for that and that is its sole function.
Funnily enough I was just reading a piece about how the UK is one of the most popular money laundering centres because bank checks are security lite compared to most EU countries. Yes security and stringency is a pain, but so is lack of it.

G-J-B

Cyrian, there does seem to be an assumption that everybody has these types of ID's, and that they're up-to-date and recent. I fear there's also too much presumption that everybody uses a smart phone with the internet and can run certain apps.
In this climate, I can see how trying to deposit too much cash might throw up a problem, even if it's entirely legimate.

Eurotrash. I was just a little surprised because my other account is a professional one, and they wanted a lot more information, but would accept the CdS, whereas my small personal account only asked for one piece of ID (they didn't specify what), but would only accept a passport in the end. My passport expired a month ago - I had passport photos taken at one of the French booths a few months ago, but neither the number or picture is accepted, so I went down the route of trying to take my own photo, but when I try to submit that online it warns me that the quality is poor and would most likely not be accepted. It's all a bit frustrating.
The whole money laundering thing is frustrating, as it causes everyday people headaches, whereas places like London are very happy to accept dirty money (Russian oligarchs etc), and a number of major banks have been fined for knowingly laundering huge sums.

cyrian

CA's unpublished annual limit for cash deposits is 4.500€.
Some of the banks in the UK that have been accepted dodgy money have been foreign owned.
I have a relative who works for a Swiss bank in London and their target client base is the super rich including Russians.

EuroTrash

Exactly, and the UK's security lite banking customs is the reason certain foreign banks like operating in London. It's where unscrupulous finance operators from all over the world can come together with people from all over the world with money to launder, and do their business in relative safety..

G-J-B

Depending on circumstances, I guess a number of people with several thousand in cash are more likely to stash it under their pillow than put it in the bank - the banks probably don't encounter it that often... I wonder if by the time I reach retirement, the whole system won't be digital, although it's harder to imagine in France, given every time I go to the supermarket I get held up by those paying by cheque.

The war really blew the lid publicly on the whole Russian money laundering thing; the whole system seems to require dirty money from drugs and wars, and what better place than London. One rule for the super rich and elites and another set of rules for everyone else.

EuroTrash

I suppose part of the thing about cash is, that France's official legal limits on cash transactions are very low these days. So since you can't legally get paid in big wads of cash, I guess if you turn up with a roll of of notes the bank is bound to wonder how you came by it.
You keep hearing about how fewer and fewer places accept cheques these days but I don't know how true it is in reality. I checked into a campsite last night and was quite surprised that they don't accept card payments, just cash or cheques. The reason I was surprised wasn't the fact in itself, I came across several small municipal campsites last year that didn't take cards, but this one is near Nantes and whilst not a massive campsite, it isn't tiny either and must attract a lot of longish stay tourists. The Dutch in particular never carry cheques or cash because apparently just about everything is paid for by card or smartphone in the Netherlands.

G-J-B

It's my understanding that French traders can't legally refuse cash, but as you say, the limits are low. Where I live I suspect there's a lot of working on the black and cash in hand - the mayor provided me with firewood in the first year or two I moved here, and he was very much insistent on cash in hand - I seriously doubt it declared it.

I suspect the fees for taking card payments are quite high for small businesses. Even Amazon UK were going to ban VISA for example, until the last minute when a deal was struck. Must be a thorn in the side for some who like their cards and technology. I haven't been back to the UK in some years, but I believe there are some services (a few carparks for example) where you need a mobile phone in order to make payment. I'm glad France isn't at that level just yet.

Tweedpipe

As we're on the subject of banks and security, here's a little tale that may be of interest to some.
A very short while ago I was looking for a particular object on LeBonCoin. Found what I wanted, agreed on the price with the seller and asked him to send me his RIB details so I could arrange payment with my bank to transfer the required amount.
Over the counter the receptionist looked at the RIB details and pointed out to me that the RIB number commenced with LT, which she explained was Lithuania, a country which was blacklisted for money transfers - at least by our French bank. I emailed this info to the seller who replied that it was, "an on-line bank, a European market leader R******. Too bad your bank knows nothing about it" So obviously the sale fell through.
I later did a web search with the company name followed by a 'is it safe?' The answers on their security and safety features made interesting reading and it's clearly a digital neo banking platform offering financial services through a mobile app. It appears to be an increasingly popular system, but clearly my bank were adamant they wouldn't deal with them.
As far as I'm concerned this is one of the reasons I'm pleased to have a bricks & mortar bank as there's always someone there to talk to and who can advise accordingly.

Of course Mme TP smiled smugly when I explained this saying, "Alors, so that's one less object that we won't have cluttering up the spare room!"
Women, don't you just love 'em!

G-J-B

I'm sure there's been many a con on leboncoin, I would have been worried if I'd discovered my bank transfer was being directed to Lithuania for a transaction in France, but I understand some companies are setup overseas and it could well have been legitimate. Banks tend to err on the side of caution. Your wife sounds like the voice of reason!

cyrian

Top ten European banks have been fined for money laundering

"All 10 of the biggest banks in Europe are known to have fallen foul of the anti money laundering authorities. This includes HSBC and Barclays from the UK, French quartet BNP Paribas, Crédit Agricole Group, Société Générale and Groupe BPCE, Germany’s Deutsche Bank, Santander of Spain and Dutch bank ING."

Red Eric

Same problem I had last year - have a read of this : UK passport photo checker

G-J-B

Thanks Red Eric, good to know I'm not the only one who's experienced problems. It's frustrating as I have an official passport photo from the supermarket photobooth, but it doesn't accept the digital ID number, and if I were to try and scan the photo I fear it wouldn't be sharp enough, plus it doesn't show the shoulders and chest that they want. Will have to try some more variations and crops until I get there. For the moment I've given up!

G-J-B

Cyrian, I had no idea that many banks were involved, but I can't say I'm surprised. I wonder how many of them were doing it knowingly. I'm guessing all of them!