Latest revision as of 09:32, 24 October 2016

LINDEN LAB OFFICIAL: PERSONAL INFORMATION REQUEST FAQ

US laws and regulations require that money services businesses, such as Linden Lab, to collect and maintain this personal information for Second Life customers who we offer financial-related services. This is part of Linden Lab’s ongoing risk management process. If you are required to complete this information request, Linden Lab will contact you via email. To avoid any delays in process-credit requests or holds on your Second Life account(s), please follow the instruction listed in the email to complete this information as soon as possible.

To verify your identity, we may require you to submit identity documentation.

Types of Identity Documentation

Government-issued photo ID that is not expired and is valid for the next sixty (60) days. The copy must be clear, colored, and undamaged. Acceptable forms of photo ID includes: driver’s license, passport, national ID card, or any other form of government-issued photo ID.
Proof of Address
If your photo ID does not display your current address, you must also provide us with a document that has recently been mailed to you within the past 90 days and shows your name and current residential address. Examples include:
- Telephone or utility bill
- Bank or credit card statement
- Government mail
- Medical bill
- Insurance statement
- Voter Registration
- Rental agreement or property deed
- Online statements
Completion of our ID Verification Questions
Depending on your country of residence, some residents may receive an email titled “Second Life: Verify Your Identity”, which contains a link to complete the ID verification process. If you receive this email, you are required to complete the information request via the link. If more information is required, we will contact you through the support portal. Please check your Case History in the Support Portal frequently and reply to the Case if you have any related questions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will my personal information be protected?

Yes. All of this information is protected by the Linden Lab Privacy Policy, which can be accessed at the following link: http://lindenlab.com/privacy. Your information will also be stored securely on our servers.

Why am I receiving this request now?

To comply with applicable laws and regulations, including the USA Patriot Act and the Bank Secrecy Act, as a registered money services business, Linden Lab must obtain, verify and record information about our customers whom we offer financial-related services. From time to time, we may request additional identification information to update our records as part of our ongoing risk management process. We choose not to disclose the specific criteria and timing for this information request because making such information publicly available may place our controls, customers and your account(s) at risk. Our request for additional information from our customers is intended to validate and protect our residents.

I have submitted my photo ID a long time ago, why do I have to do it again?

If you have sent your photo ID to Linden Lab in the past, it was used for a different purpose. We will require the documentation for the reasons as clarified above.

Why is my process-credit request on hold? When can I receive my payout?

Your process-credit request is on hold until you have completed this information request, including the ID verification process. Please follow the link in the email that we have sent you to complete this verification process.

If further information is required, we will contact you through our customer support portal. If not, your credit requests will be released for processing, which typically could take up to 7 business days.

How will I know if I need to provide this documentation?

Linden Lab will contact you via email or the support portal on Second Life. You will receive an email with the subject - “Second Life: Verify Your Identity” – or an email letting you know that a comment has been added to your support case. Please check your Case History in the Support Portal frequently and reply to the Case if you have any related questions.

I have more questions about this request. How do I get help?

Open the request in your Case History in the Support Portal and reply to the case that includes the request, if you have any questions related to this information request. If you have no existing support case opened, you may create a new support case or contact our customer support representatives (http://secondlife.com/support), and they can direct you to someone that can assist you with this information request.

Further references regarding this request:

Second Life blog on Required Account Documentation

https://community.secondlife.com/t5/Commerce/Required-Account-Documentation/ba-p/2437497

Linden Lab’s Privacy Policy

http://www.lindenlab.com/privacy

Linden Lab’s Terms of Service

http://www.lindenlab.com/tos

U.S. Bank Secrecy Act (FinCEN)

https://www.fincen.gov/resources/statutes-regulations/fincens-mandate-congress

USA PATRIOT Act (FinCEN)

https://www.fincen.gov/resources/statutes-regulations/usa-patriot-act

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-{{KBnote|For more information, see the following post on the official Second Life blog: [http://community.secondlife.com/t5/Commerce/Required-Account-Documentation/ba-p/2437497 Required Account Documentation].}}
+=LINDEN LAB OFFICIAL: PERSONAL INFORMATION REQUEST FAQ=
-===Why is Linden Lab asking for my name, date of birth, address, and ID number?===
+US laws and regulations require that money services businesses, such as Linden Lab, to collect and maintain this personal information for Second Life customers who we offer financial-related services. This is part of Linden Lab’s ongoing risk management process. If you are required to complete this information request, Linden Lab will contact you via email. To avoid any delays in process-credit requests or holds on your Second Life account(s), please follow the instruction listed in the email to complete this information as soon as possible.
-US law requires that institutions such as Linden Lab collect and maintain this personal information for users that submit a certain volume and/or amount of Process Credit requests in a year.
-This is separate from the tax documentation we are required to collect for the IRS.
-===How will I know if I need to do provide this documentation?===
+To verify your identity, we may require you to submit identity documentation.
-Linden Lab will contact you via email, through our Support system. You can verify the request in your [https://support.secondlife.com/history/ Case History in the Support Portal] and reply to the Case if you have any related questions.
-===If I receive a request for this documentation, how long do I have to complete it? What happens if I don’t provide this information to Linden Lab?===
+==Types of Identity Documentation==
-You have thirty (30) days to complete the information request.
+# '''Government-issued photo ID''' that is not expired and is valid for the next sixty (60) days. The copy must be clear, colored, and undamaged. Acceptable forms of photo ID includes: driver’s license, passport, national ID card, or any other form of government-issued photo ID.
-If you do not complete this request within thirty (30) days, we will suspend your account(s).
+# '''Proof of Address'''
+#: If your photo ID does not display your current address, you must also provide us with a document that has recently been mailed to you within the past 90 days and shows your name and current residential address. Examples include:
+#* Telephone or utility bill
+#* Bank or credit card statement
+#* Government mail
+#* Medical bill
+#* Insurance statement
+#* Voter Registration
+#* Rental agreement or property deed
+#* Online statements
+# '''Completion of our ID Verification Questions
+#: Depending on your country of residence, some residents may receive an email titled “Second Life: Verify Your Identity”, which contains a link to complete the ID verification process. If you receive this email, you are required to complete the information request via the link. If more information is required, we will contact you through the support portal. Please check your [https://support.secondlife.com/history/ Case History in the Support Portal] frequently and reply to the Case if you have any related questions.
-===What do I need to provide to Linden Lab if I receive this request?===
+==Frequently Asked Questions==
-Though the need for this information is not related to tax requirements, please complete either Form W-9 (for U.S. residents) or Form W-8BEN (for non-U.S. residents). These forms ask for the information we need to collect under US law, and you will not have to re-submit this information if we require tax documentation from you as well.
-Additionally, we are required to obtain a copy of your government-issued photo identification (ID). The information on the ID must be current (i.e. not expired) and must match the information you submitted on the form. Please attach a copy of your identification to the Support Case. The copy must be clearly legible (full color, no smudges or blurs) and must be fully intact (no cut-off portions, no redacted information). The following are acceptable forms of photo ID:
-* Driver's license
-* Military ID card
-* Passport
-* Any other form of government-issued photo ID
-If your photo ID does not display your address, you must also provide us with a copy of a current utility or telephone bill. The name to which the bill is addressed must match the photo ID.
-===What is a Form W-9? What information will I need to provide?===
+===Will my personal information be protected?===
-This form collects the information the IRS requires from US taxpayers.
-This is the same information that US law requires Linden Lab to collect from US residents who submit a certain volume and/or amount of Process Credit requests in a year, therefore we are using this form to collect this information.
-To complete this form, you will need to provide a TIN; in most cases, this is either a Social Security Number (SSN) or an Employer Identification Number (EIN). The IRS website contains more information about how to obtain an EIN [http://www.irs.gov/Businesses/Small-Businesses-&-Self-Employed/Apply-for-an-Employer-Identification-Number-%28EIN%29-Online here].
-===What is a Form W-8BEN? What information will I need to provide?===
+Yes. All of this information is protected by the Linden Lab Privacy Policy, which can be accessed at the following link: http://lindenlab.com/privacy. Your information will also be stored securely on our servers.
-This form collects the information the IRS needs from non-US residents in order to exempt them from US tax reporting requirements.
-This is the same information that US law requires Linden Lab to collect from non-US residents who submit a certain volume and/or amount of Process Credit requests in a year, therefore we are using this form to collect this information.
-You only need to complete Part I, #1-5 (which does not require an EIN nor an ITIN)
-===I have questions about what’s needed and how to submit it - how can I get help?===
+===Why am I receiving this request now?===
-Open the request in your [https://support.secondlife.com/history/ Case History in the Support Portal] and reply to the Case if you have any related questions.
+To comply with applicable laws and regulations, including the USA Patriot Act and the Bank Secrecy Act, as a registered money services business, Linden Lab must obtain, verify and record information about our customers whom we offer financial-related services. From time to time, we may request additional identification information to update our records as part of our ongoing risk management process. We choose not to disclose the specific criteria and timing for this information request because making such information publicly available may place our controls, customers and your account(s) at risk. Our request for additional information from our customers is intended to validate and protect our residents.
+===I have submitted my photo ID a long time ago, why do I have to do it again?===
+If you have sent your photo ID to Linden Lab in the past, it was used for a different purpose. We will require the documentation for the reasons as clarified above.
+===Why is my process-credit request on hold? When can I receive my payout?===
+Your process-credit request is on hold until you have completed this information request, including the ID verification process. Please follow the link in the email that we have sent you to complete this verification process.
+If further information is required, we will contact you through our customer support portal. If not, your credit requests will be released for processing, which typically could take up to 7 business days.
+===How will I know if I need to provide this documentation?===
+Linden Lab will contact you via email or the support portal on Second Life. You will receive an email with the subject - “Second Life: Verify Your Identity” – or an email letting you know that a comment has been added to your support case. Please check your Case History in the Support Portal frequently and reply to the Case if you have any related questions.
+===I have more questions about this request. How do I get help?===
+Open the request in your Case History in the Support Portal and reply to the case that includes the request, if you have any questions related to this information request. If you have no existing support case opened, you may create a new support case or contact our customer support representatives (http://secondlife.com/support), and they can direct you to someone that can assist you with this information request.
+==Further references regarding this request:==
+*Second Life blog on Required Account Documentation
+:https://community.secondlife.com/t5/Commerce/Required-Account-Documentation/ba-p/2437497
+*Linden Lab’s Privacy Policy
+:http://www.lindenlab.com/privacy
+*Linden Lab’s Terms of Service
+:http://www.lindenlab.com/tos
+*U.S. Bank Secrecy Act (FinCEN)
+:https://www.fincen.gov/resources/statutes-regulations/fincens-mandate-congress
+*USA PATRIOT Act (FinCEN)
+:https://www.fincen.gov/resources/statutes-regulations/usa-patriot-act

Difference between revisions of "Linden Lab Official:Required Account Documentation FAQ"