A popular trend on TikTok made one woman recall a very specific but odd pattern that she noticed while she was working as a banker.
In a video posted to the app, one user asked others to share the “most ridiculous thing you have ever had to explain to someone” while working in customer service.
Laura Malaurakey (@malaurakey) added to the video to tell her story of consistently needing to explain to older white men at the bank that they need to show identification.
“I have worked in customer service in some form or another for my entire adult life,” she said. “But there is nothing that will prepare you for the vitriol that you will receive when you work at a bank and you ask an older white man to provide identification.”
I’m sure you’re thinking, this is a pretty reasonable ask and probably just standard at banks. And it is! And Malaurakey tried to make things easier on customers, explaining that she would waive the policy for the individuals who came in very frequently and whom she knew by name and face.
Once, an older man whom she did recognize became infuriated when he saw her waive the policy for one customer but was asked to provide identification himself.
“You and I are just meeting today for the first time, but once we get to know each other a little better, I’ll be able to extend you the same courtesy,” Malaurakey said she explained to the customer.
“He goes, 'take a look at my face right now because I do not want to have to provide ID when I come back again.'”
When Malaurakey explained that she would need to time to memorize his face, the customer launched into a long argument about it.
“In the back of my head, I am always wondering, do you want your account to be so un-secure that you can just tell me your account number, and I’m going to automatically wire $10,000 from your account?”
Apparently, this is not uncommon in the banking world. Many bankers commented with their own experiences asking older white men for identification.
“I had a guy throw his ID across the counter when I asked for it,” one person commented. “When I was done, I threw it back.”
Some people tried to uncover what the root of the issue might be.
“They don’t want convenience,” another viewer suggested. “They want to feel important/impressive.”
