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Is asking for letters with your name and address as verification outdated? (lemmy.world)

submitted 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) by TheReanuKeeves@lemmy.world to c/asklemmy@lemmy.ml

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I had to update my address on my driver's license and they needed a couple pieces of mail with my new address and name on it to verify but I hadn't gotten any mail at the new place yet.

Then I started thinking about it more and realized I haven't actually received a letter addressed specifically to me in over a year, possibly in over 3 years. I have everything set to send by email because it isn't 1950 anymore. Am I just a loser with no corporate pen pals or is physical mail an antiquated form of address verification now?

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[–] joe@lemmy.world 1 points 2 days ago (1 children)

For proof or residence, it's usually bill for a utility with your name and address on it. That is to say, you can't show up with a birthday card sent to your address because anyone can send a birthday card with your name on it to any address, but the cable company, electric company, etc isn't going to send a bill to your address with your name on it unless you're on the hook paying that bill.

Is it outdated? Maybe a little. I think paper bills are still pretty normal, even if they're paid online, but increasingly less so.

[–] TheReanuKeeves@lemmy.world 1 points 2 days ago (1 children)

I try to avoid unnecessary mail when I can so anything I can set on autopay and get emails for I do, which has been everything for quite some time. I just feel like I'm getting less than 1% of the mail my parents used to get when I was a kid and before everything was done electronically

[–] joe@lemmy.world 2 points 2 days ago

I can say with some certainty that the amount of junk mail I get is not significantly lower than in the past, but that's not addressed to me, usually, it's almost always "current resident".

I doubt DMVs are going to move away from accepting mail, but they probably already have an option for your situation, like printing out something from a utility that equates to a bill with your name and address on it.