to ask if this is really bad

[DizzyZebra]

My OH opened a bank account. He gave them the correct ID. Etc.

Hes just realised that theyve spelt his name incorrectly. Is this really bad? I said he should tell them but hes worried they might refuse him another account or something.

The spelling mistake,to avoid putting his actual name, is his surname and is the same as putting Whittington instead of whittingham, so it does change his actual surname.

I am worried he would be done for fraud if he doesn't say anything.

Why not? If Dizzy Whittington wants to start calling himself Qwerty Whittingham, he can - as long as he's not doing so for unlawful purposes - so why not start by setting up a bank account in that name?

Because of the laws relating to money laundering.
Dizzy can indeed start calling himself Qwerty, but he cannot get a passport in that name or open a bank account unless he changes his name legally and has the documentation to prove it.

Furst paragraph.

So DW is not doing anything illegal by opening an account in a different name. The bank may be breaking an anti-money-laundering law by allowing him to do so.

most, that is total nonsense.

Loads of people have bank accounts in multiple names, it's totally normal and nothing to do with getting a name change.

Why do people insist on believing this myth?

You cannot open up a current account in a name that is not yours. It is not a myth. You need ID and the account name must match your ID.
I am known by a different name to my ID and I cannot have a bank account is the name I am known by.

Goodness, no-one remembered to tell the bank that when I did it, how odd.

If you are opening a current account, and you want to use your stage name, or your professional name, or whatever, you can do that. Promise.

For a stage name or professional name, you would have to prove your real identity to the bank, and prove that you had the entitlement to use a different name, so you would need some form of ID.

Just like you can have accounts in both your maiden name and married name - if you have ID, then you are fine.

You cannot walk into a bank and open up an account in any name you pick out of thin air, without any ID to prove that the name is you.
If your name and ID is Whittingham, you cannot ask the bank to open an account in the name of Whittington. They will say no.

You are entitled to use any name you like. The bank is entitled to refuse you an account if they suspect it may be used for illegal purposes. Their procedures may therefore make it very difficult for you to open an account in a different name. There is no other reason why you could not open an account in name B, with the paperwork proving that you were actually A, and registering that you were "A known as B".

Yes, you have to satisfy the bank with ID, and I'm not suggesting you don't. Please don't twist what I'm saying. What I said was, you are perfectly entitled to use two different names.

It is important to know this, because some banks will simply say 'no, that's not allowed', so people believe it is illegal. It isn't, but it is a hassle and, as HMPotato says, they might refuse if they think you're up to something shady.

In the OP's situation it just sounds bizarre and stupid the DH won't just go in and tell them.

Sorry, that was unnecessarily snippy.

It's just it's something a lot of people believe, and it's really not true.

most That's interesting. A friend discovered that his landlady had opened an account in his name. She claimed it was all above board - she said she was paying his service charge into it. He was complaining about money laundering laws being breached.

I don't think she ever got into trouble for it. But then, he used to complain about it to me, but never complained to the bank.

How would she have done it? Do you think her husband went along to the bank with my friend's ID? It would have been easy to pinch a utility bill from the hallway. Would that do? It's been so long since I opened a bank account I don't remember how you do it.

OP, the inconvenience of having to sign anything bank related or payment related with the wrong name or explain the name discrepancy, no matter how innocent the explanation, will far outweigh any inconvenience in getting the bank to rectify their mistake and change the name. It will probably take just one call or one visit to the bank to sort out, versus constant hassle in the future including learning a new signature if he expects to have a debit card etc. That alone should prompt him to sort it out rather than worrying about fraud.

limitedperiodonly she absolutely had no authority to open an account in someone else's name and would definitely have had to lie and produce fake/stolen ID to do that.
Imagine she ran up an overdraft or bounced cheques, whose liability would that be?
He should have complained to the bank or Police - It's identity theft.

He said he is going to wait for his card etc to come through and see if its incorrect on there,incase she only spelled it wrong on the letter she printed off during the actual appointment IYSWIM.

Thanks though ladies, he said he hadn't thought about paying cheques in (he hadn't intended to take credit etc out) and it seems is more willing to believe you lot that he wouldn't be in any trouble than he is willing to believe me!

Limited My OH did not take photo ID. He has his drivers license but it needs renewing so he didn't bother taking it.

He went online and looked at what he could take which were utility bills and letters from HMRC i think. So not that hardto fraudulently open one i imagine.

I was surprised it was so easy tbf.

Goodness, no-one remembered to tell the bank that when I did it, how odd

Nor me

My DP used to have a bank account with Nationwide - they spelt his name incorrectly, he told them (several times). They did nothing about it, and he was never once challenged about paying in cheques etc with a different spelling of his name. Bizarre and not very reassuring.