Minor Identity

The less mad son just had a significant birthday and Mrs U was fulminating about the difficulties the building society put in the way of his opening a teenager's account -- effectively the full-scale anti-money-laundering precautions for a pass-book account with no cheques and a cash-only card. As a minor can't be held to a contract, she couldn't even see the point of asking for a signature.

But I can. If I was laundering money, I think the prize of a full scale bank account attached to a false identity would be well worth waiting a few years for. And in the meantime, spending rich uncle Lenny's generous birthday and Christmas gifts on Premium bonds keeps the account warm, plausible, and busy with a spot of placement. So I don't blame them at all.