Know Your Customer (KYC)
Updated 2026-09-29
Know Your Customer (KYC) is the process banks and financial institutions use to verify who their customers really are, usually through identity documents and address checks, before or during account opening. It exists to make it harder for someone to open an account under a false or stolen identity.
When it matters
KYC is part of why criminals rely on mule accounts opened using someone else’s real identity, whether stolen or lent for a fee, rather than fake details that would fail verification. If you suspect your own identity documents were used without your knowledge to open an account, report this to your bank and the police as its own issue.
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