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A change of address led to our Wise accounts being shut down

(shaun.nz)
325 points jemmyw | 5 comments | 30 Oct 25 22:41 UTC | HN request time: 0.854s | source
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lxgr ◴[30 Oct 25 23:21 UTC] No.45766597[source]▶
> a dropdown list of acceptable documents: a lease agreement, rates notice, tax document, utilities bill, or telecommunications bill.

It’s baffling to me that these types of (usually unsigned in both the electronic and the ink way, not that the latter would prove anything in a scan) PDFs are still somehow the gold standard for “proofs” of address.

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1. hshdhdhehd ◴[31 Oct 25 01:58 UTC] No.45767560[source]▶
For more serious stuff in AU there is Justice of the Peace (basically a qualified volunteer but not necessarily a lawyer) who can certify the copy. This can then be scanned and has the JP stamp and signature. Sort of handy as it is a distributed network, so you dont need to queue at a post office and get someone to eye up your docs and fill in a form.
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2. astrange ◴[31 Oct 25 02:41 UTC] No.45767758[source]▶
In the US (for financial things) that's called a medallion guarantee and you can walk into a bank and get them to authenticate it.

For other things there are notaries public.

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3. usr1106 ◴[31 Oct 25 05:53 UTC] No.45768816[source]▶
Walk into a bank is no longer possible in Finland, regardless of the purpose.

Most branch offices have been closed. The bigger part of the remaining ones are appointment only and getting an appointment can take weeks.

Very few offer cash and similar day to day services without appointment, but only very short hours. People who cannot use cards or the internet will queue in the street.

So like the modern challengers, traditional banks just offer no customer service deserving the name.

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4. lxgr ◴[31 Oct 25 13:23 UTC] No.45771725[source]▶
> [...] who can certify the copy. This can then be scanned [...]

Seems like you're back to square one: Having to trust a scan of an authentic document.

5. astrange ◴[01 Nov 25 18:15 UTC] No.45783923{3}[source]▶
Well obviously Finnish people wouldn't design a system where you talk to another human.