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I think it's probably OK for them to remove \"HUSSAIN, Saddam\" from the list now, what with him bein' dead and all.
I think it's probably OK for them to remove \"HUSSAIN, Saddam\" from the list now, what with him bein' dead and all.
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Perhaps somebody can help me with this question. I've become friends with a homeless guy named Gary Musselman. He's a fantastic artist, and after I wrote a bit about him up on my blog, he started getting offers for his work from all over the world. They don't come often enough, because he can't properly advertise his work since he doesn't have a bank account and can't take PayPal.
But, last week, most amazingly, a guy in France sent him $500! for two drawings. A guy who works at the Starbucks out of which the artist does his work most generously took the money through his PayPal account and gave Gary, the artist, the cash.
I helped Gary get his Illinois birth certificate (a certified copy), and bugged him until he got a California non-driver ID via the DMV. We went last week to open a bank account for him (at Cal Fed in Santa Monica), and they refused to allow him to do it.
They said, because of the Patriot Act, he needs two pieces of ID -- that the birth certificate didn't work. He had to have a credit card! (duh, I wonder why he doesn't?), a gun permit (please! He's working with markers, and the bank employees know him from Starbucks -- he isn't off with the swells at some gun range practicing his marksmanship!), etc.
He's really talented, and *this* close to being able to put his life back together again and earn a living from his art, and he's harder working than many people who have roofs over their head. Can anybody offer any advice?
Amy:
This website is informative regarding the \"Customer Identification Program\" requirements of the Patriot Act:
http://www.gcglaw.com/resources/financial/identification.h...
Specifically, if your friend can get a copy of a social security number (or taxpayer ID) of some sort then he'll be in better shape along with his California state ID. Once everything is in order, I wouldn't go back to that same bank though.
The bank's are within their power to implement harsher restrictions on people of whom they have a doubt as to their identity... so you'll want to do everything in your power to make it seem like there shouldn't be any doubt. Address of where he lives (use yours if need be), etc.. everything should be in straight order-- and the words \"homeless\" should never leave your mouth.
It should just be calm and casual, and with no indication that he ever lived a transient lifestyle or that he's getting his life \"in order\".
Thank you very much.
As for not patronizing that bank, because he's \"unhoused,\" and doesn't have transportation, this is the best bank for him vis a vis where he hangs.
Your advice is very good, and a great woman from Colorado sent me tips based on my posting here.
About the ss card, they said that wasn't enough. Unbelievable. I did pull something that suggests somebody without 12 forms of ID and a loan on a BMW can be verified through some stricter protocol.
Really appreciate your input.
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Just last week some clueless manager tried quoting the patriot act requiring him to force me to offer a fingerprint for the purpose of cashing a check.
I wasnt even opening an account and I produced a check stub, passport, drivers license, student id card, library card, identification badge from place of employment, hack license (cabbie for those who dont know what a hack license is), expired temporary id, and was told that they would not honor the terms of the cheque because the patriot act forbid it. Anyone else get that line? It seems as if there is an urban legend being passed around through bank management and they are basing their policies on hearsay.
Because without my fingerprint, they could not prove who I said I was. I should have offered to photocopy all those documents for them. I even had my biological father there vouching for who I was. I must make a resolution to always carry a tape recorder.
I was wondering if there was a real standard or if it was crap. Very hard to find the passage online -- although, to be fair, I'm on my column deadline plus a couple more at the same time, so I wasn't looking for hours.
I wonder if there's some clear stating of that the law is somewhere out there?
Hasan:
That's awesome... :>
Moral of the story that the bad guys already know: Pay cash and avoid the hassles. ;o)
I just can't imagine a real drug trafficker would need a consumer loan, or a foreign terrorist organization would take out a home equity loan.