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Why are we asking questions and asking for proof of identity?


Preventing and fighting financial crime are two essential tasks that every responsible financial institution must perform. 

That is why we at Danske Bank have both an obligation and a commitment to comply with Danish and international anti-money laundering legislation and regulations and to fight money laundering and fraud against banks and customers. 

Among other things, this means that we continuously update our knowledge of our customers and their use of our products and services, carefully monitor transactions and cooperate closely with authorities in and outside Denmark.

Please remember to update your information via Danske Mobile Banking or Danske eBanking

Have you received a message from us in Danske Mobile Banking or Danske eBanking about updating important information? If so, you need to update your information there. 
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What do we need to know about our customers?

First of all, we have an obligation to document the identity of our customers, and we typically use copies of passports or driver’s licences for this purpose. If we do not already have a copy of your proof of identity, we will contact you directly. 

If your nationality is not stated on your proof of identity (driver’s licence for example) or if we do not have the necessary documentation of your address, we will also ask you to provide this.

We also need to know whether a customer is a politically exposed person (PEP) or is closely related to such a person. If this is the case, you will not need to do anything – we will obtain the information ourselves from the Danish FSA’s publicly accessible register of PEPs. 

What makes a person classify as a PEP? Read more about this in the FAQ section below. 
You may also experience that we regularly ask you about which of our products and services you expect to use, your expectations regarding payments to and from your account and your regular transactions – and whether, for example, you plan to deposit cash in your account or transfer money abroad.

What specifically does this mean for you?

In practical terms, this has no significant implications for the majority of our customers. In most cases, we already have the information we need, but if we still need some information or require a copy of your proof of identity, we will of course contact you. 

Please note that during the time that you are a customer with Danske Bank you will be contacted several times. This is because we have an obligation to update the information we have about our customers on a regular basis.

FAQ

You can find a list of frequently asked questions and answers below. Also, if you are interested in reading the Danish Financial Supervisory Authority’s answers, with specific reference to the Danish Anti-Money Laundering Act, to frequently asked questions about why banks ask customers to provide proof of identity and ask questions about the financial situations of customers, you can find these here. (In Danish only)

Q&A

  • The Danish Anti-Money Laundering Act requires us as a bank to have a solid knowledge of all our customers. This is to help prevent fraudulent use of the financial system.

    Also, by knowing our customers we are able to take action if a customer behaves in an unusual way or if we see that unusual transactions are being made via the customer's account. We are under an obligation to notify the authorities if we suspect that a transaction may be illegal. 

  • Yes, like all other banks, we must be able to provide documentation to the authorities showing that we know who our customers are and understand how they use our products and services. 

    Our obligation to establish and maintain our knowledge of our customers is set out in section 11 of the Danish Anti-Money Laundering Act. You can find section 11 of the Danish Anti-Money Laundering Act below with the relevant parts of the rules underlined.

    The rules do not state specifically which documents we as a bank must require our customers to submit to us. Section 11(1)(ii) of the Danish money Laundering Act states that the bank “[…] must verify the customer's identity information on the basis of documents, data or information obtained from a reliable and independent source”. 

    All banks must therefore themselves assess what documentation they deem sufficient to enable them to comply with the rules of Danish legislation. 

    Danske Bank generally requests that all customers provide us with a copy of a valid photo ID and health insurance card because we believe that this is the most secure way of documenting that the customer is the person that the customer claims to be.

  • Banks have an obligation to identify customers who hold prominent public functions and also to identify the families and business associates of these customers. 

    In the Danish Anti-Money Laundering Act, these customers are called politically exposed persons (PEPs) due to their position and influence in society, which requires banks to carry out extra thorough checks of their business with these customers.

    See also the Danish Financial Supervisory Authority (FSA) guidelines on rules covering politically exposed persons. 
  • Yes. It is crucial for us that you know you can trust us to protect your personal data. 

    As always, we will process all the information we have about you in the strictest confidence and in accordance with applicable legislation. 

    At danskebank.dk, you can read more about how we process your personal data.  
  • Yes. We are asking all of our customers to provide us with information. We will contact you directly if we require you to provide us with information and/or proof of identity.
  • Like all banks, we are required by the Danish Anti-money Laundering Act to have a solid knowledge of all our customers – including children. Among other things, we must be able to document to the authorities that we know our customers, and that is why we ask all our customers to provide proof of identity.

    Also, by knowing our customers, we are able to take action if a customer behaves in an unusual way or if we see that unusual transactions are being made via the customer's account. We are under an obligation to notify the authorities if we suspect that a transaction may be illegal. 
  • We may contact you in different ways, for example via a message in Danske eBanking or Danske Mobile Banking, a letter sent to your e-Boks/home address or by telephone – or when you meet us at your branch, for example at a meeting with your adviser.  

    If you have a meeting booked at the bank in the near future, please remember to bring along your passport or driver’s licence.

    If we telephone you, the calling number will most likely be 45 13 02 00.

    Please be aware that we will never ask you for personal passwords, your PIN, copies of your MitID or anything else that can give access to your Danske eBanking and Danske Mobile Banking service, payment cards, accounts, e-Boks or similar.

  • If you have been a Danske Bank customer for many years, you may be wondering why we are contacting you and asking you to provide us with a copy of your proof of identity.

    We of course know who you are, and we already have necessary basic information such as your CPR number etc. However, like all other banks, we are under an obligation to provide documentation to the authorities showing that we know who our customers are. We are also under an obligation to ensure that the information we have about our customers is up to date at all times. Because of this, you may experience that we will contact you more than once in order to update our information about you.

    We understand that this may feel like an inconvenience and can seem like a surprising request, but just as the security checks at an airport ensure that all travellers can enjoy a safe flight, it is both necessary and in the best interests of us all that we comply with the requirements for proof of identity for our customers. 
  • We recommend that you always stay alert to phishing attempts. Remember never to give out personal passwords, PINs, copies of your MitID or anything else that could give someone else access to your Danske eBanking or Danske Mobile Banking service, payment and credit cards, e-Boks or similar. 

    Have your received a text message and/or email?
    We are currently sending out text messages and emails to notify our customers that we need important information about them. These text messages and emails DO NOT contain links that you should click. In the message, we merely let you know that we need some information and that we have sent a message to your Danske Mobile Banking app (or to your Danske eBanking).

    We include a telephone number that you can call if you have any questions: 70 11 80 40.

    Have you had a phone call from 45 13 02 00?
    We are also calling a large number of our customers to ask for the information we need. The calling number will typically be 45 13 02 00. 

    If you are in any doubt about a telephone number, you can always find our number on the internet.

    When we call our customers, we have a clear policy that we do not ask for a CPR number. However, if you call us – for example after we have left a message on your phone – we may ask you to provide your CPR number so that we can be certain of your identity. 

    Messages in Danske Mobile Banking and Danske eBanking
    If you have received a message in Danske Mobile Banking or Danske eBanking, you can safely click any links included in the message. 
  • You should only send/upload a copy of your proof of identity if we have contacted you and asked you to do so. 

    When we contact you, we will tell you how to send us a copy of your proof of identity.

    If you have Danske Mobile Banking and/or Danske eBanking, we will typically contact you through one of these services.

    If you have received a letter or phone call from us asking you to provide proof of identity, we will typically ask you to upload a digital copy via our website, which has a secure connection. Upload your proof of identity here

    You can also bring your proof of identity along to one of our branches and we will make a copy while you wait.

    We advise against sending personal information via regular email. 

    A selfie is not a valid form of photo ID.

  • Yes. You can securely upload your files via the websites stated in our letters. 

    We do not pass on any information to any third parties or to any of Danske Bank’s partners, and we take all relevant measures in accordance with applicable legislation to protect the personal data of our customers. Our websites provide secure connections that encrypt files and save them on Danske Bank’s secure systems in the same way as with all other confidential information. 

    You can read more on how we process personal data in Danske Bank A/S privacy notice for retail customers and private individuals (Denmark). 

  • These instructions are for you if you are aged 18 or older and live in Denmark.
    If you live abroad, please go to ‘What types of proof of identity do you need to upload? For customers living abroad’. 

    Please note that
    • your proof of identity must be valid (i.e. not expired)
    • a selfie, portrait photo or the like is not a valid form photo of ID

    Which proof of identity do you need to upload copies of?

    • Your passport or other photo ID, a driver’s licence for example 
    • PLUS your health insurance card of other proof of identity without a photo

    Please see below for a list of types of valid proof of identity.


    If you do not have a valid passport or other type of photo ID

    If you do not have a passport, driver’s licence or other valid photo ID, you must upload copies of three (3) types of proof of identity without a photo.
    Please see below for a list of types of valid proof of identity.

    Valid photo ID 

    • Passport, diplomatic passport, alien’s passport and official (service) passport
    • Driver’s licence issued by an EU, EEA or EFTA (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland) country or the Faroe Islands and Greenland
    • National identity card issued by an approved country
    • Type C, D or F residence card (front and back in colour)
    • Moped licence
    • ID card with photo (issued by a Danish citizen service centre (Borgerservice))

    Valid proof of identity without a photo

    • Health insurance card
    • Name certificate
    • Birth certificate
    • Certificate of personal data
    • Most recent annual tax statement from the Danish tax authorities

  • These instructions are for you if you are aged 18 or older and live abroad.
    If you live in Denmark, please go to ‘What types of proof of identity do you need to upload? For customers living in Denmark’. 

    Please note that

    • your proof of identity must be valid (i.e. not expired)
    • in addition to proof of identity, you must upload proof of address (see below what types of documentation you should upload copies of).
    • a selfie, portrait photo or the like is not a valid form photo of ID

    Which proof of identity do you need to upload copies of?

    • Your passport or other photo ID, a driver’s licence for example 
    • PLUS your health insurance card of other proof of identity without a photo
    • PLUS documentation of your address

    Please see below for a list of types of valid proof of identity and documentation of address.

    If you do not have a valid passport or other type of photo ID

    If you do not have a passport, driver’s licence or other valid photo ID, you must upload copies of three (3) types of proof of identity without a photo – along with documentation of your address.

    Please see below for a list of types of valid proof of identity and documentation of address.

    Valid photo ID 

    • Passport, diplomatic passport, alien’s passport and official (service) passport
    • Driver’s licence issued by an EU, EEA or EFTA (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland) country or the Faroe Islands and Greenland
    • National identity card issued by an approved country
    • Type C, D or F residence card (front and back in colour)
    • Moped licence
    • ID card with photo (issued by a Danish citizen service centre (Borgerservice))

    Valid proof of identity without a photo

    • Health insurance card
    • Name certificate
    • Birth certificate
    • Certificate of personal data
    • Most recent annual tax statement from the Danish tax authorities

    Documentation of your address abroad

    The documentation may not date back more than six months and must be written in Latin script. It is important that your full name and address be stated in the document. 

    You can upload one of the following types of document, for example:

    • An account statement from your local bank
    • A document from a public authority in your country of residence
    • A valid rental contract
    • A home utilities bill (electricity, water, heating, gas, broadband, cable TV or insurance related to your address, such as home or property insurance)
    • A national ID card issued in your country of residence

  • These instructions are for customers who do not live in Denmark. 

    Please note that

    • The child’s passport must be valid, that is, not expired.
    • In addition to the passport, you must document or confirm the child’s address – please see below which documentation to upload
    • A selfie/photo of the child is not a valid form of proof of identity.

    Which proof of identity should you upload?
    You must upload a photo of the child’s passport (or other category 1 proof of identity – please see below). Make sure that the photo is in focus and that all the information is clearly visible.  

    In addition to the passport, you must document or confirm the child’s address – please see below which documentation to upload.

    Does your child not have a passport?
    If your child does not have a passport, you can upload photos of two types of category 2 proof of identity – please see which below.

    Category 1 proof of identity (one type needed)

    • Passport, diplomatic passport, alien’s passport and official (service) passport
    • National identity card issued by an approved country
    • Type C, D or F residence card (front and back in colour)
    • Moped licence
    • ID card with photo (issued by a Danish citizen service centre)

    If your child has a driver’s licence, that can of course also be used. The licence must be issued by an EU, EEA or EFTA (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland) country or the Faroe Islands and Greenland.

    Category 2 proof of identity (two types – and only if your child does not have a passport or similar category 1 proof of identity)

    • Health insurance card
    • Name certificate
    • Birth certificate
    • Certificate of personal data
    • Most recent annual tax statement from the Danish tax authorities
    • Residence permit – type C, D or F letter
    • Notification of CPR no.

    Documentation of the child’s address abroad 
    The documentation may not date back more than six months and must be using the Latin alphabet. It is important that the child’s full name and address are stated in the document.

    You can upload a photo of one of the following types of document, for example:

    • An statement of account from the child’s local bank
    • A document from a public authority in the child’s country of residence
    • A national ID card issued in the child’s country of residence

  • If you receive a letter stating that we need information from you – for example, a copy of your proof of identity, proof of residence or proof of citizenship – and we have not heard from you after some time, we will send you a reminder.

    In the reminder, we will inform you of the deadline (two months from when we send the letter), and we will explain what will happen if we do not receive the information before the deadline.

    If we have your mobile phone number and/or your email address, you will probably also receive a text message and/or an email with a reminder.

    If we do not hear from you, we will again send you a letter informing you of the deadline and explaining what will happen if we do not receive the information.

    If, despite this, we still do not receive the information, we will after a certain period send you a further letter notifying you that we will block your accounts and cards etc. In this letter you can also read more about what specific consequences this will have for you and find instructions explaining what you must do to unblock you accounts and cards etc.

    If you have a mandate to operate another person’s accounts with Danske Bank, and if we do not receive the necessary information from you, your mandate will be changed to a view-only mandate. This means that you will be able to view the accounts which you have a mandate to operate (for example via Danske Mobile Banking and Danske eBanking), but you cannot pay bills, transfer or withdraw money.

    This also applies if someone has a mandate to operate your accounts and does not submit the requested information.

  • Like all other banks, Danske Bank must comply with the Danish Anti-Money Laundering Act (Hvidvaskloven), and we must also comply with our own internal anti-money laundering rules.

    To enable us to achieve this, we need basic knowledge about our customers: Who are they? Where do they live? How and why are they using Danske Bank? This is why we are contacting you and asking you to provide us with the information we need, including proof of your address, details of your citizenship, proof of your identity and similar information.

    We fully understand that this may be an inconvenience and can seem strange if you have been a Danske Bank customer for many years. However, just as security checks at the airport are necessary and make your journey safer, it is also necessary for us to document the identity of our customers to enable us to assist the authorities in preventing financial crime.

    We use the information for a number of purposes, including as documentation and to identify so-called Politically Exposed Persons (PEPs) and individuals with close relations to these people.

    There are also many practical reasons for asking for such information. For example, asking you for proof of your address also helps ensure that we have the correct address when we need to send you a new payment card or similar.
  • You may experience that we ask you to provide proof of your address even though we have already registered it in our customer information. This is probably because you live outside Denmark, have a protected (unlisted) address or other similar reason. This means that we do not automatically receive information about your address from the Danish civil registration system and we are therefore unable to receive confirmation of your address from official sources.
  • At Danske Bank, fighting financial crime in society is one of our highest priorities, and knowledge of our customers is an essential element of our work in this area. By knowing who each individual customer is, we make it difficult for those few individuals who want to commit crime.

    It is our assessment that proof of address, knowledge of citizenship and similar information is absolutely fundamental in enabling Danske Bank to work to prevent financial crime.
    So if there are customers who do not send us the necessary information, we have no option other than to block their accounts, cards, and other facilities until we receive the information we need.

    Blocking accounts and payment cards is always a last resort, and we will make repeated attempts to contact customers from whom we need information before the situation reaches this point.

    If you have a mandate to operate another person’s accounts with Danske Bank, and if we do not receive the necessary information from you, your mandate will be changed to a view-only mandate. This means that you will be able to view the accounts which you have a mandate to operate (for example via Danske Mobile Banking and Danske eBanking), but you cannot pay bills, transfer or withdraw money.

    This also applies if someone has a mandate to operate your accounts and does not submit the requested information.

Do you have any questions?

We are ready to answer any questions you may have.

Please call us on

+45 70 118 040

Weekdays from 8.30am to 5pm

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