[ams6110]

Banks don't keep original paper checks any more, just a scanned copy. Fax is good enough for contracts and other legal paperwork. I was pretty sure that scanned documents are legally equivalant to originals. Is this not true?

[loopbit]

AFAIK, depends on the country and legislation. In Ireland (and Spain) I've had to produce originals where the signature was clearly hand-written (they looked for pen pressure points, for example).

I've even had kafkaesque situations where I was asked for the original of a document that was only available online. In those cases I had to present a printed copy of the document and a signed document (from the bank in this case) saying that they didn't send hard copies/originals.

[ics]

You are correct. (In the United States at least.)

> [...] maintain books and records by using an electronic storage system that either images their hardcopy (paper) books and records, or transfers their computerized books and records, to an electronic storage media, such as an optical disk.

https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-tege/rp-97-22.pdf

[jjp]

Many (most?) banks, insurance companies have done away with physical paper and are using document management solutions of one kind or another. From a UK perspective a good starting point is BS 10008[1]. However, there is no guaranteed way that every company interprets the multitude of legal and compliance obligations. I work in this space.

[1] http://www.bsigroup.com/en-GB/bs-10008-electronic-informatio...