# Money laundering - Police told not to authenticate photocopy of Irish Passport



## TTI (24 Oct 2013)

Hi all,

Due to money laundering legislation in 2010 to withdraw money from a investment fund you now have to provide certified copies of ID and proof of address.

One of the approved bodies are policemen and I did this once before ten years ago. So this evening I bring in a photocopy of my passport and the Irish passport to Store street and asked the policeman would he please stamp and sign the photocopy.

He told me that they have been instructed not to do it any more. Specifically the reason was because some documentation department located in Phoenix park had gone on some specialist training and they were upset that others without the training were doing this function?! I enquired further but apparently he was specifically directed by their superintendent not to.

Seriously... oh Ireland. Thoughts?


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## STEINER (25 Oct 2013)

I think An Garda Siochana are currently having a bit of trouble in basic identification!

Seriously, a garda has told you that they don't do it anymore. I wonder what specialist training is required to authenticate a photcopy of a passport.


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## Time (25 Oct 2013)

A solicitor would do it also. 

Gardaí have indeed been told not to do this.


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## T McGibney (25 Oct 2013)

Time said:


> Gardaí have indeed been told not to do this.



Do the Gardai know something we don't?
If, for presumably a good reason,  there is a difficulty or issue with Gardai confirming that a passport photocopy is true copy of the original document, then are solicitors & accountants leaving themselves open by carrying out this service for members of the public?


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## DrMoriarty (25 Oct 2013)

Is it a "blue 'flu" response to cutbacks, Time?


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## Time (25 Oct 2013)

It was a directive from Garda Management.


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## huskerdu (25 Oct 2013)

Time said:


> It was a directive from Garda Management.


Any idea what their reasoning was ?


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## Sue Ellen (25 Oct 2013)

Try another station, out of curiosity, and see what happens.


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## hfp (1 Nov 2013)

Did you just bring in the photocopy, or the original passport as well? The whole point of a certified copy is that the person signing it is declaring that the copy is a true copy of the original, and that the photo on it is a true likeness of the person bearing the document. (This is not always evident from a photocopy)

If the Guard didn't see the original then they can't do that.  

The usual process is that the Guard/solicitor or whoever takes the original document, checks it appears to be genuine to the best of their knowledge, then makes a copy and signs that.


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## T McGibney (1 Nov 2013)

hfp said:


> Did you just bring in the photocopy, or the original passport as well?



It appears they brought in both.



TTI said:


> So this evening I bring in a photocopy of my passport and the Irish passport to Store street


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## Setanta12 (1 Nov 2013)

Wasn't there a recent court-case where some Gardai were rubber-stamping whatever documents were placed in front of them in stations along the Border?

(Seems to me to be an adequate response to untrustworthy Gardai)


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## Mobella (1 Nov 2013)

I recently brought in documents and copies to be certified at our local Garda Station, The Garda didn't certified my prepared copies.  He made his own copies and then certified them.
This may have been just to save time, or to make certain it was an exact copy.


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## roker (6 Dec 2013)

Seems they are going the way of the unions, a bit of demarcation here


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## Marion (6 Dec 2013)

I brought some documents to my local Garda station last week.

Online copy : utility bill
Copy of new car licence 
Bank statement - original

All I  had to do was state on each that it was a true copy of an original or an  original. The guard then signed off on them.

Sound practice.

Marion


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## ccraig (7 Dec 2013)

*Post office*

Hey folks
You can also do it at a post office


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## JohnJay (7 Dec 2013)

ccraig said:


> Hey folks
> You can also do it at a post office



I had to send proof of address to the Prizebond office recently. My local post office wouldnt sign the copies unless I: a) produced the letter from the Prizebond office requesting it and b) let her post it straight away after she signed it! I asked her why and she said "sure I dont know what you will do to it after I sign it!"

I took it to another post office about half a mile away and he signed it no bother.


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