Accountant wants credit card details of secretary?!?

[Clare@InTouch]

Nope.

I've not always met my solicitors, mortgage brokers etc in person and I've never been asked for a debit or credit card numbers as it shows them nothing especially when they have my last 3 months bank statement and/or credit card statement as well.

Though I have been asked to get another person like another solicitor, magistrate or doctor to verify my passport for them. They then check up on who this particular individual is.

I'm not saying it's always asked for - I'm saying it's an option.

First step is to run someone through an ID checker. If they pass that, great. If they don't you can get original ID or certified ID. If you still have issues it's an option to verify card details.

My original point was in response to the assumption that an accountant would want card details so they could charge spurious amounts to it at a later date as a way to get money from clients. That is absolute tosh provided you're dealing with a professional firm.

[jonson]

My original point was in response to the assumption that an accountant would want card details so they could charge spurious amounts to it at a later date as a way to get money from clients. That is absolute tosh provided you're dealing with a professional firm.

Yeah....excuse my utter skepticism in regards to that point....

[jonson]

ahhh...I get it...she is from an African country..they can't be trusted right? them foreigners

So white people: 2 pieces of ID

other races: 3 pieces of ID

I was wondering what the **** this was about...there you go....England doing what it does best...behind your back racism

[northernladuk]

ahhh...I get it...she is from an African country..they can't be trusted right? them foreigners

So white people: 2 pieces of ID

other races: 3 pieces of ID

I was wondering what the **** this was about...there you go....England doing what it does best...behind your back racism

Well I thought the gay marriage thread was lining up to have a few of the most ridiculous statements of the day but they have all be outdone by this pile of tripe.

[Clare@InTouch]

ahhh...I get it...she is from an African country..they can't be trusted right? them foreigners

So white people: 2 pieces of ID

other races: 3 pieces of ID

I was wondering what the **** this was about...there you go....England doing what it does best...behind your back racism

At the risk of sticking my head above the parapet on this one again just to play devil's advocate - has the company secretary been in the UK for the same time as you have, and do they have the same history as you would in regard to previous UK address history? Or could they have failed an ID check due to having moved recently?

[Scruff]

You no longer require a Company Secretary and do us all a BIG favour - stop playing the race card?

Your accountant is not going to debit you without your knowledge and consent if he is an accredited, qualified and registered accountant.

If you don't have UK Nationality / have not had the same fixed address for more than 3 years, or are on a foreign passport with the correct visa, you will be asked for various types of ID, even if you are a mazungu.

(btw - I am also an Immigrant, from Africa and a Minority).

[Taita]

You have to follow a stricter procedure if the client isn't present though, it's all about risk. A mortgage broker or bank may well meet you face to face, see your passport and check that to your address etc. If your accountant never meets you then you're higher risk, so more proof is necessary if they fail a basic check (for those who move address etc).

There is verification which satisfies the regulations. Then there is over-the-top verification which pedantic idiots apply.... because they can! If the accountant is that worried about the identity of his/her client, they should insist on a personal meeting prior to accepting the client's business.

Nobody is going to jail for not getting credit/debit card details and the bank's rules usually forbid you from passing your details to anybody unless you are entering into a bona fide transaction!

[BlasterBates]

Can´t see any problem.

There´s no problem in asking the accountant for other ways to verify, but this isn´t suspicious. It would only be suspicious if it were to be someone pretending to be your accountant. Your accountant, is not going to suddenly start debiting your secretary´s acccount.

If the secretary has a foreign passport then I imagine that would be difficult to verify and the accountant might require further checks.

[borderreiver]

How about asking your accountant for the same credit card and passport information? After all, you need to do your own due diligence as well

[Alan @ BroomeAffinity]

Your accountant is not going to debit you without your knowledge and consent if he is an accredited, qualified and registered accountant.

Darren Upton, anyone?

The OP is right to be sceptical, I guess. But the reasoning holds good I suppose. That should be enough.

You could remove the secretary from the register if it p!sses you off that much. There's no legal requirement to have one.