How DO I open a bank account that is not attached to any SS number or State ID?

[allodial]

Very interesting answer, thank you. If my questions make you at all uncomfortable simply tell me. I wonder ... if presented an out-of-state check as payment for services ... what would you do with it?

For your and the readers' sake I also add this:

Even internationally a bank such as Citibank will likely have an arrangement with a bank in say the UK whereby there is a post office box in UK where checks can be mailed for deposit to Citibank (USA) accounts. Basically two banks in different jurisdiction that are correspondents often have a system whereby one can send a check to a PO box and deposit in that country so that to the sender it seems like the deposit is being made locally. Queen Bank (UK) might have its 'USA gateway' bank as Bank of NY(USA) for the UK meaning someone in the US could deposit into an account at Queen Bank (UK) by check by sending the check to a PO Box at Bank of New York in the US!

Instead of Western Union, if you are in, say, Papau New Guinea and Granny is uncomfortable with sending you a check overseas or the like, you could have them send it to say a PO Box of their correspondent (you might arrange a special/indirect account # so that the deposit can be simple). To the Granny in the USA it would seem as if she was depositing to a USA bank. The banks would handle the correspondent arrangement internally and the funds would wind up at your bank at PNG. You might have to make special arrangements for a unique account number to simplify things for Granny.

As for fees, that would be on a case by case basis. Basically doing one's homework is key. You can go into any branch and ask for their list of international and domestic correspondents. I've been lied to by bank staff around the world but in the USA, they've tended to take it to a whole different level of lying.

I had bank staff lie to me once upon a time (surprise?) saying such didn't exist--I contacted the president of the bank and he was upset and forced them to hand me their book with the information I wanted.

Just FYI. Keeping a list of your banks international and domestic correspondents can be very helpful.

P.S. The same can apply to wire transfers or EFT (as the term is used overseas).