Under the requirements of the Patriot Act, all banks must do an identity check on a new customer. We use "customer identification programs" (CIP) that compare your name, address, date of birth and other facts to the information contained on your credit report. Your credit score will not be damaged by this step.
The CIP regulations require institutions to implement reasonable procedures for:
- Verifying the identity of any person seeking to open an account, to the extent reasonable and practicable.
- Maintaining records of the information used to verify the person’s identity, including name, address and other identifying information.
Banks also review Chex Systems and sometimes credit report data during the process of determining if a customer qualifies to open a new account. Under FCRA regulations, the bank has to have a permissible purpose such as "intend[ing] to use the information in connection with a credit transaction involving the consumer" in order to pull a credit report and must obtain the consumer’s consent first.
For more information and additional assistance, please contact us or visit any of our branches.