4 ms·

Interesting that it’s higher than competitive services like Walmart’s, too. But I guess the USPS pilot system is more accessible if people without IDs can use

Interesting that it’s higher than competitive services like Walmart’s, too. But I guess the USPS pilot system is more accessible if people without IDs can use it.

goodcanadian 5y ago
It sounds like the clerk was not terribly familiar with the system. It is possible that the correct procedure was not followed. I would be very surprised if you are allowed to cash cheques long term without showing ID. Otherwise, how do they know they are giving the money to the correct person?
- jlund-molfese 5y ago
  Oh, yeah, you’re probably right. But that just makes the value proposition even harder to see.
  - bubblethink 5y ago
    A passport as an ID would likely work, and one would hope that other forms of ID not tied to the immigration system would work too.
    - sandworm101 5y ago
      I think it safe to say that the majority of americans without bank accounts and wanting to cash checks less than $500 don't have passports.
      - bubblethink 5y ago
        That's true. I was only pointing out that if this is meant to serve people in legal grey areas due to immigration (which may be a significant portion), that section of society may have some IDs although not necessarily a US license.
- jrockway 5y ago
  > Otherwise, how do they know they are giving the money to the correct person? I guess all those cameras in the post office can be connected to databases containing the necessary information. I am sure the federal government probably has at least a scrap of data about any person who spends enough time in the country to have a paycheck issued to them. Maybe they're using all the spying and tracking data for something good this time? (I don't really believe it, but it is possible. If someone in the federal government wanted to do ID-less check cashing, I bet they could scrounge together the necessary data and software contracts.)

Interesting that it’s higher than competitive services like Walmart’s, too. But I guess the USPS pilot system is more accessible if people without IDs can use it.

goodcanadian 5y ago

It sounds like the clerk was not terribly familiar with the system. It is possible that the correct procedure was not followed. I would be very surprised if you are allowed to cash cheques long term without showing ID. Otherwise, how do they know they are giving the money to the correct person?

jlund-molfese 5y ago
Oh, yeah, you’re probably right. But that just makes the value proposition even harder to see.
- bubblethink 5y ago
  A passport as an ID would likely work, and one would hope that other forms of ID not tied to the immigration system would work too.
  - sandworm101 5y ago
    I think it safe to say that the majority of americans without bank accounts and wanting to cash checks less than $500 don't have passports.
    - bubblethink 5y ago
      That's true. I was only pointing out that if this is meant to serve people in legal grey areas due to immigration (which may be a significant portion), that section of society may have some IDs although not necessarily a US license.
jrockway 5y ago
> Otherwise, how do they know they are giving the money to the correct person? I guess all those cameras in the post office can be connected to databases containing the necessary information. I am sure the federal government probably has at least a scrap of data about any person who spends enough time in the country to have a paycheck issued to them. Maybe they're using all the spying and tracking data for something good this time? (I don't really believe it, but it is possible. If someone in the federal government wanted to do ID-less check cashing, I bet they could scrounge together the necessary data and software contracts.)