– I was a little scared when they said they would close my bank account, says Kirsti Helgerud Kristoffersen who has now identified herself. Helgerud had some technical problems at home and went to DNB’s office at Majorstua to get the matter done. – I was just sorry when I tried, so then I had to come here, she adds. In the last month, tens of thousands of customers have been told to re-identify themselves in the bank or via the app. 25 per cent of the bank’s retail customers have not yet identified themselves. If you do not identify yourself, there is a risk that the bank account will be closed. – In order to offer such services, the bank must have updated information about the customer. If we do not receive updated information, we as a bank are unfortunately not allowed to offer banking services, says communications director, Vibeke Hansen Lewin in DNB. 70 per cent of DNB’s retail customers have identified themselves. Photo: Mette Ballovara / news Imposed by the authorities The Norwegian authorities have ordered the banks to collect identification that can confirm customers’ identities. This is to meet the requirements of the Money Laundering Act. Customers have now had several weeks to spare, and in recent days the bank has threatened to close the accounts of people who have not identified themselves. Vibeke Hansen Lewin, communications director at DNB. Photo: Stig B. Fiksdal / Stig B. Fiksdal – We try to give customers plenty of time and guidance along the way. When, after repeated attempts, we have not been in contact with the customer, the bank’s practice is to block the account rather than terminate the customer relationship, says Lewin in DNB. The bank states that they have had to block several accounts. – If the bank after a period of blocked account does not receive updated identification, we must terminate the customer relationship, she adds. It is the first pool that these days is informed that DNB will have to block the account if they do nothing. Important to avoid misuse of ID It is Finanstilsynet that has instructed DNB to implement measures to comply with Norwegian law by obtaining ID on customers where this is not the case. They say the bank is obliged to terminate customer relationships when customer measures cannot be implemented. Missing or incorrect ID can lead to ID misuse, fraud and money laundering, in that criminals pretend to be other people, or hide behind a fake ID. Obtaining and storing identification is one of several requirements for what information and documentation must be available for banks to know their customers, says Anders Schiøtz Worren, section manager at Finanstilsynet for anti-money laundering and payment systems. – If a company subject to money laundering regulations is not allowed to implement such customer measures, they are obliged to terminate the customer relationship, he adds. DNB message. Photo: Sondre Skjelvik / news Nordea also had to carry out the same process in 2019, where they had to secure the ID of all their customers. – Those who did not respond to our requests to update their ID, were blocked. If the customer subsequently delivered a valid ID, we reopened the customer relationship, says Anja Lohne Holm, senior communications consultant at Nordea. Consumer lawyer: – Closing an account is illegal Consumer lawyer Ola Fæhn in Forbrukeradvokatene believes that closing the bank accounts of people is illegal, and says it will be like turning off the power to people in the winter. Consumer lawyer, Ola Fæhn: – It can affect life and health. Photo: Moment Studio – It can affect life and health, says lawyer Ola Fæhn. – The bank can not close the account people use to buy their own food to live on. Fæhn believes that it is contrary to the Financial Contracts Act to, for example, carry out payment orders and services. The lawyer refers to the sections § 14. Rejection of customers and § 21. The institution’s termination and termination in the Financial Contracts Act, which states, among other things: “The institution may not without objective reason refuse to accept deposits or perform payment services on normal terms”. Have had to close accounts Vibeke Hansen Lewin confirms that some accounts have been closed, but says that they have contacted the customers in question. And responds that those as a bank have a duty to terminate the customer relationship and / or close the account, if they do not receive updated identification. – We understand that it is frustrating to re-identify oneself, and it is the customers who have to do a large part of the job. – The vast majority can identify themselves digitally with the BankID app on their smartphone. This means that the customer does not have to show up physically. We have also extended the opening hours throughout the country, and have taken several other steps to make the process as simple as possible.
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DNB customers have had their account blocked – news Norway – Overview of news from different parts of the country
