Following policy...

[Imogene]

I was in BoA today, making a deposit, and I just happened to see this whole thing go down.
Banker working drive through (BWDT) finishes a deposit for someone (Uh... let's call him 'I Don't Want to Show ID', or IDWSI), and walks away from his computer terminal. That's important.
I'm watching this the entire time, and suddenly, the drive through call button beeps, BWDT goes back to answer it, I hear IDWSI say, "I want an account balance, too."
BWDT: "I'll just need to see your ID."
Brief pause
IDWSI: "Am I going to get my account balance?" *already angry*
BWDT: "I just need to see your ID, sir."
Brief pause
IDWSI: *RAEG!* "I WANT MY ACCOUNT BALANCE!"
BWDT: "I can't do that without an ID, sir." (I'd imagine because he closed the guy's account screen once he was 'finished', and doesn't have an automatic recall button, for safety reasons)
IDWSI: "Fine, just send me back my checks, I'll take them to Compass." (Note: Across the street, not an easy way to get to them... as there is a full raised median in the street)
Me: Doubt he can just give you back those checks you just deposited, sir, bet you have to wait a day, minimum.
So, I can see suck on both sides. The guy in the drive through for getting angry at policy, and the teller for not explaining clearly why he needed ID on a transaction he just completed.

[Dips]

Anybody can deposit a check to anyone's account. It doesn't necessarily have to be the acccount holder. So no ID was needed for the deposit.

On the other hand the account balance is sensitive information that should only be given to the account holder(s) and noone else. I'd be pretty irate if my bank DIDN'T require ID before giving out that information.

It's likely the bank didn't need or ask for ID for the first transaction because it wasn't needed until the SC demanded to know his balance.

Back when I worked at a bank we'd have people calling and asking for balances over the phone. Unless they had setup a password system in advance so we could verify their identity, there was NO WAY we were giving that out on the phone. Because we had no idea if the person calling was the actual account holder.

We got a lot of suck over that.

[LillFilly]

Hmm, all he would need to show would be a valid license. I'm SURE he wouldn't have been DRIVING without it!

And hey, it's for our safety. What if I was just in the bank, someone heard me, then used that information? I wouldn't want someone with enough bits of information pretend to be me to an employee who is slack about ID. Then there's the disgruntled significant other that might try to access someone's account, or brother/sister/mother, etc. But of course, everyone has a reason why THEY should be the exception!

[Mouse]

Those people must love me, I was raised in a military family (dads airforce) and my first reaction to a lot of things is 'here's ID!' heck, i've had the thing already wipped out at places i know don't check but should

[Polenicus]

What is it about being asked for ID that causes such rage in people?

I work in security, and I have to ask for it all the time, and it's is the SUREST way to turn someone who's friendly, cheerful and happy to cooperate into a raging suckaholic who's ranting in your face and demanding your Supervisor's name and home phone number.

And 99% of the time, they HAVE their ID, and have every right to be there... so why the fit? Why throw a bloody tantrum over having to flash a piece of plastic? You KNOW you have to... NO ONE has NEVER been asked for ID before. Everyone has been carded before... so why do so many people so consistently make it such a huge deal?

It just... baffles me. It seems like the most pointless thing to rage about, and the fastest way to make your life and the lives of those around you miserable. You don't gain anything, there's no real 'principal', and if you know you're supposed to be there and are irritated at being bothered, flashing an ID that proves it is the fastest way to shut up whoever is pestering you and get them to apologize!

So... why? WHY?!

[arminius58]

Yeah asking for ID has one of two reactions in my experience. One the person gets extremely irate, and throws what is usually considered 3 year old behavior. Two, they're extremely grateful that your helping them, in fact a guy gave me a ten dollar tip one time for asking for his ID before I ran his debit card for some pizzas.