Proof of age. Neither my husband nor I own a credit card

[thewizlings]

Neither my husband nor I own a credit card and I want to bid on some cutlery, but as that includes a knife I have been asked to prove my age using a credit card. Is there another way to prove my age? 

Thanks, Liz

[1956glyn]

May i ask if you were born in the UK?   To get a replacement birth certificate you can even do it online by contacting the registry office where your birth was originally registered.   I had to get a certified copy fairly recently.    The original Registry Office had closed down but it was easy enough to find out where my records had been transferred to (the Registry office closest to the closed down one).  UK Birth certificates are valid for life.

I have in the past year also renewed my very out of date British passport.......i didnt need a copy Birth certificate for that either.  Saying that i did submit the old one so that may be why.

[us.ireda]

LIke most things, ebay has glossed over this like Asda have. 

ebay : oooo, you are buying cutlery
you : yes, a set of 18 knives, forks and spoons
ebay : ok, prove you are 18 and therefore qualify as someone who is not going to use these items as violent implements that result in the harming of another person or persons
you : what am I going to do, butter them to death ?
ebay : please don't talk to me like that or I will have to end the call !
you : are you worried this will escalate into a "over 18 therefore equipped to have a" fist fight ?
ebay : I will not warn you again !
you : what can I buy that is potentially dangerous if used incorrectly, without proving I am 18, like a fridge freezer that I can throw at someone ?
:: dial tone

[mattblacc]

I've been on ebay with the same account for twenty years which logically would mean that I'm over 18 years unless I planned, got a bank account, signed up to ebay all before I was born. Well I guess I'm just selling on ebay now as I have no plans to get an Credit card. 

[five-in_five-out]

No, there is not. ebay work with credit card companies to provide proof of age and then take a cut when people like yourself apply for a credit card. My advice is. Do not apply or have a credit card ever.

[mii9045]

This is ludicrous! no wonder this country is in such a financial mess! The labour government have no business sense slapping rules that don't work and red tape on everything, they did it last time they were in power.

Ebay is an American company so I don't think they are too bothered about the UK economy, encouraging people to get credit cards should be against the law.

I am 53, no debt, no credit cards and never will, they shouldn't be saving bank details anyway given the amount of hackers stealing customer details.

If any kid wanted to buy a knife online, they'd just use someone elses credit card! Come on Ebay, get real.

[insidethe93]

On almost all sites where I shop online (considerably more sites than before eBay drove me away to explore elsewhere) you can check-out as Guest usually with the option of several payment methods including debit card. You can check-out as a Guest on eBay but I don't know if they require solely a credit card there too?

Maybe consider a credit card and earn from it? No debt if you pay it off in full each month.

Must admit I gave in years ago and got a credit card as it's easy to use it like a kind of debit card i.e. no debt as I pay it off in full (by direct debit so no work's involved). It can act as a form of ID. It helps build up a good credit history should I need it. It's an emergency loan to self if I need it, albeit expensive. Credit card firms "refund" you on certain problem purchases that debit card providers won't. I receive points on purchases which the card provider converts into a "refund" (£hundreds p.a.). (Mentioned elsewhere in the discussion boards: an assistant at my card provider unofficially advised me to use my credit card to buy a kitchen, just to get the points = £hundreds; I was given a temporary raise of my card's spending limit, later did the same for a car.)

[davistringe-2]

Absolutely ridiculous, I've just tried buying a circular saw,age verification needed 👺,

Any kid can go in the drawer and get a steak knife, Nanny state UK

[porky2222]

I was doing exactly the same, trying to buy a mitre saw,and then i had a chat with ebay staff, though i have been registered on ebay for 23 years!

then the guy said, ask a family member or friend to use their credit card, as it is only to get a code,and not use the card to pay for the item and to prove you are over 18 years old.

Which makes a mockery of the rule, because a person under the age of 18, could get a family member or friend's credit card to confirm the person is 18,but then the person under 18 could buy a bladed article!!

complete contradiction!!!!

[davistringe-2]

Yeah, can't really blame eBay, apparently it is now law, blame the nanny
state

[dantwocats]

No it is ebay and not the law don't spread misinformation ,as most things can still be bought over the counter like hedge trimmers, chisels and hand saws ?without ID but you need ID only on ebay !!

[davistringe-2]

Amazon the same 😊

[naughty_neena]

as most things can still be bought over the counter 

You have it a nutshell there. the person serving you over the counter can judge your age.

ebay cant.

I bought a foot file. it was classed as a dangerous item

[robocog]

23 years on this personal account,  used to sell when it was still in its infancy on another business account
Gutted to see it's getting stuff so badly wrong

They can see I have had this personal account for over 23 years, and that they have my driving license and photo ID on file from way back when

eBay  wouldn't let me buy a polesaw attachment for a Stihl Kombi without a credit card!
Unlikely to be used as a weapon and impossible to carry or conceal being it is engine powered and over 2 meters long...and any potential victims would have plenty of chance to run away as it usually takes me 5 or 6 pulls to start it if I haven't used it for a while and I need to let it warm up for a few seconds before it will take full throttle

I have never owned a credit card would never apply for one, do not know anyone else with one, and if "borrowing someone else's to make a purchase is so easy" then the method is flawed

The goon i was left chatting with stated that it was "UK government's pop up and nothing to do with them and that I should google the laws"

I pointed out his lies, and copied the actual ruling out  but he couldn't counter them..despite him agreeing that eBay are aware I am 56, have my photo ID on file and could only pass on my complaints, which I guess just go into a huge void/recycle bin/LLM training thing

I believe people are leaving en masse due to other changes 
It's sad watching this once behemoth fail

I knee jerk reacted to this dumbness and decided to initiate deletion of my account but have messaged them to ask that it is not
I think my account should go down with the ship when it implodes, seems fitting since in one way or another we were early adopters... wish it wasn't that way
but "the computer say no ...cough"

[lo_434312]

the other week i couldnt buy a letter opener that i wanted but was able to
buy a doctors old scalpel for my collection !