• Sweden edition
Business & Money

Bank cited for noting client's bank heist past

Published: 8 Jun 12 12:26 CET | Print version
Online: http://www.thelocal.se/41318/20120608/

The Swedish Data Protection Board (Datainspektionen) has criticised Swedbank for registering the fact that a customer had a prior conviction for robbing one of it branches.

"Information regarding crimes or suspected crimes can under no circumstances be registered," the board wrote in its instruction to the bank.

The information was registered in the bank's internal information system and consulted when the man applied for a student account offer.

While the information on the man's conviction would appear in a routine credit check, the board has found the bank in contravention of Sweden's Personal Data Act (Personuppgiftslagen – PUL) for making a note of the fact.

The bank has meanwhile argued that the note was necessary in order to be able to properly consider (and deny) the man's business - a right framed in the state deposit insurance law.

While the law stipulates that a customer can not be denied a bank account which is covered by the guarantee, the board pointed out that exceptions can be made if "for example, the applicant has previously acted dishonourably towards the bank".

The customer was convicted of the armed robbery of a branch of Swedbank in 2008 and part of his sentence involved the payment of compensation, a claim which is yet to be settled.

The board concedes that robbing one of its branches and having an outstanding compensation claim, is a legitimate legal reason for Swedbank to deny a client's business.

It is furthermore noted that bank has taken steps to review its routines and to train its staff on the stipulations contained in the Personal Data Act.

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13:30 June 8, 2012 by Svensksmith
And the problem with this is????
13:31 June 8, 2012 by NyDag
What the f*ck is wrong with that??
13:43 June 8, 2012 by Mb 65
That's what I expect all banks to do. Sometimes Sweden is so unbelievable.
15:39 June 8, 2012 by gpafledthis
Is funnier because sweedies are not even trying to be funny !! TL is my laughs for the day !!
17:36 June 8, 2012 by tadchem
So theoretically, I could walk into Swedbank, rob it, and use the money to open an account, which they could not deny me simply because I had robbed them.
07:58 June 9, 2012 by Abe L
Indeed, he even has a confirmed conviction, seems perfectly right that this was registered and that the account was closed. The personal data act is meant to protect innocent tax-paying citizens, not convicted criminals.
05:28 June 10, 2012 by blue2012
These bureaucrats have so much time on their hands that they come up with idiotic rulings.

Another note I don't know of any other country where the bank robber pays compensation to the bank as a part of his punishment.
09:52 June 10, 2012 by insect
He was probably going to apply for a loan from swedbank to help him pay the compensation to swedbank..lol
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