Choose a side: Vinted v disabled users

[Supersimkin2]

Please say what you think. Vinted asked NDN to verify her ID, which she’s happy to do, or they won’t let her withdraw the £300 she’s made selling her stuff.

Life on disability benefits not so easy right now. Her £300 a big deal.

But she can’t do the checks - cos the only ID Vinted accepts is a passport or driver’s licence, neither of which she has as she can’t travel. All the other ID proofs - she has loads - Vinted won’t accept.

We’ve appealed to Vinted three times and they won’t budge. Mangopay, their money platform, refer us to
Vinted.

So Vinted are keeping NDN’s money. They say ‘We hope you will understand’.

YABU = I’m with Vinted.
YANBU = Shame on Vinted.

I agree @TomatoSoz an affordable UK ID would be great, but irrationally too many have baulked at the very idea of it, apparently an infringement of 'civil liberties' or somesuch waffle. Hilarious when just about everyone's 'inside leg measurement' is already on file.

The various 4 countries could even have their own versions. Reminds me a bit of the same factors that illegalize cannabis - oooh, ahhh, couldn't possibly do that - the jolly buffers might not like that very much.

I don't know what money laundering has got to do with it. I agree with the post upthread. Just list something for £300 and sell it to your neighbour. Then give her the money.

Vinted is an international country. It can't be expected to have dozens of types of ID accepted in each country, its systems would fall over. Official state id cards would solve the problem but people are against them.

Vinted is actually borne in Lithuania - well done Lithuania! more than just basketball they show others how to do things - but also have registered offices in many other countries including London. And play by those London FCA rules.

The Lithuanians are generally good sports and fair; maybe take it to the Vilnius HQ OP?

This addresses exactly this issue (and Vinted wouldn’t budge)

Vinted won't let me have my £1,500 unless I have a valid passport
https://mol.im/a/13505457

It’s not Vinted’s fault though, and it’s not within their power to change it. International money laundering regulations require you to have photo id.

I searched for this thread as I read the news article just now but saw you beat me to it!

I thought at first it was taken from this thread! I was hoping for a newspaper 1 Vinted 0 but I was disappointed.

It’s been repeated so many times in this thread but the OP doesn’t want to hear it as it doesnt fit with her ‘Vinted are ableist’ agenda.

And those telling her to go to Watchdog etc - do they really think the Europe wide financial regulators will change their KYC/Due Diligence rules because Doris doesn’t think it’s fair (despite agreeing to those terms when she opened her account)

The only way is to use those funds to buy other items or apply for a DL purely as ID.

Regulations will only get tighter if anything so having either a passport or DL as ID is going to be pretty essential

Well, that needs checking and it’s being done.

Meantime…

Having acceptable ID is difficult in certain circumstances and iften can seems very unreasonable when you're caught out.
I can't get a bus pass. I have a passport & a driving licence . But nothing acceptable to my Council with my address on.

Vinted (actually MangoPay) isn't going to back down on this. AML legislation applies to everyone like it or not.

I do appreciate the difficulties though, having had a protracted issue with an insurance company that wanted me to get ID for the settlor and beneficiaries of a Dead Settlor Trust.

The "settlor" had been dead for 20 years and one of the beneficiaries lived in a village in a remote part of Africa. Common sense did not prevail until I organised a "home visit" to the graveside in his local church which sorted out the settlor! The beneficiary was a whole other thing (his address was something like the white bungalow at the end of the track by the shop which sells farm goods)

I saw a similar post recently, it suggested changing your name on the app, and providing ID in that name then changing back when approved.
I have no idea if it works, but she can change to your name, you provide your ID, then change back in the future.

I wondered if the Vinted article in the Daily Mail today was 'inspired' by this thread, although it was changed to a much higher amount, not accessible by a bereaved person...the answer they gave was 'suck it up' basically.

I would definitely change the name on the account, retrieve the money and then change it back.

I don't think there's going to be much shifting FCA regs on this in the future, especially for e-banks, someone upthread has explained why they have a higher level of security ID needed than for UK bank branches, but ultimately the paperwork for financial security is getting more onerous and for 99% of people, who need mortgages, to access online accounts etc, they will need ID of some sort in the future to live their lives.

It isn't fair we don't have a cheap UK-wide ID but it doesn't look like that's coming, politically, so a passport or driving license it is.

Sadly I don’t think it was, it is clear in the article that the poor woman and the journalist have both been in contact with vinted for some time, with no joy. I understand why a company that is holding peoples money for them needs to be careful about who it releases funds to, but it also needs to recognise that their are some situations where discretion and flexibility is the key.

Apologies if this has been mentioned elsewhere, but you don't need photo id for money laundering checks. Proof of your name can been provided by your birth certificate. A provisional driving licence is not a permitted document, although a full licence is.

If Vinted insists that this is an AML requirement, they should be referred to the government's own list of acceptable documentation.

Thank
you - Vinted are about yo
be referred to
that very list.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/proof-of-identity-checklist/proof-of-identity-checklist

I've managed to be an executor twice in the last 4 years in the UK without a photo drivers licence or passport. That's included opening new bank accounts, selling a house, transferring quite large sums of money. I've also filed my self assessment tax returns with HMRC for a very long time without needing photo id. Yes some UK-based companies were difficult about it.

The issue is indirect discrimination. Not all disabled people can get a driving licence - which is cheaper than a passport. So they have to go for the passport which is more expensive. That means they are at a disadvantage because of their disability. Which contravenes the Equality Act 2010. Which is illegal.

@Supersimkin2 did you try the workaround I suggested of changing the name on the account?

Because that's illegal?

Blame the government and not Vinted. Most countries in Europe have free Identity cards which you can use for international travel and identity purpose.
How is Vinted supposed to protect its users from fraud?

You have to follow procedure to even be referred to the financial ombudsman.
The DDA was superseded by the Equality Act 2010 - which is almost 14 years since it came into force. OP isn’t being given amazing advice here.

I don’t think ops interested in a simple way of getting the money. She wants to be proven right at any cost