As a foreigner, how many times do you get asked for ID?

[ilikepeanutbutter]

It happened yet again to me. I was getting a refund at a store and the lady asked for my ID because "If you can't speak Finnish well, how did you read and write the people asking for a refund...". Told her my husband wrote it and I was like here ya go with the ID. She was on the phone 10 minutes trying her best not to give me said refund but I did get it anyway

People lol....

Kat

[Beep_Boop]

In your previous posts about this topic, the situation seemed normal (going to the doctor or something like that). However, this one sounds weird... very weird. I don't think it has anything to do with you being foreign per se, though.

The reason I find it odd is because I cannot see what exactly they're trying to verify with the ID. Did you purchase the item online using your name? Did you supply your name earlier for the warranty? Is the item age-restricted? Is it some prescription medication? Is the item expensive enough for them to worry that you stole it? These are the only cases I can think of where an ID might be needed. If your cases is just a regular item refund, then probably the employee is doing some loss-aversion.

Have you noticed how you can buy a train ticket with one click but to if your train is late and you want a refund then you have to manually fill a form and submit it to VR? Legally, they're forced to refund you, but they're allowed to make it as difficult as possible for you to deter you from asking for a refund. Many businesses do that, and I suspect this is what happened here.

[ilikepeanutbutter]

In your previous posts about this topic, the situation seemed normal (going to the doctor or something like that). However, this one sounds weird... very weird. I don't think it has anything to do with you being foreign per se, though.

The reason I find it odd is because I cannot see what exactly they're trying to verify with the ID. Did you purchase the item online using your name? Did you supply your name earlier for the warranty? Is the item age-restricted? Is it some prescription medication? Is the item expensive enough for them to worry that you stole it? These are the only cases I can think of where an ID might be needed. If your cases is just a regular item refund, then probably the employee is doing some loss-aversion.

Have you noticed how you can buy a train ticket with one click but to if your train is late and you want a refund then you have to manually fill a form and submit it to VR? Legally, they're forced to refund you, but they're allowed to make it as difficult as possible for you to deter you from asking for a refund. Many businesses do that, and I suspect this is what happened here.

It was weird.

I bought a ham that had a wrong date on it, and had wrote the store. They told me it was fine to come in without a receipt and just say my name at the info desk. I printed that email and showed up..it was strange. Yeah I didn't understand what she wanted with the ID either...to verify I was the person I guess? Lord knows I flew over here to get back a discount on a ham from a foreign country lol! Maybe she was one of those paranoid people who thinks everyone is out to get them?

We really could use some better customer service up here sometimes, but that could be said for everywhere I guess.

Kat

[kitikeyt]

Few times when I buy alcohol. I get secretly ecstatic

[Flossy1978]

I think she might have just wanted to make sure you are who you are. After all, it is kind of odd to turn up at a store asking for a refund with a printed out email, right? The shop was probably making sure it wasn't a scam.