Banks in the United States require identifying information such as name, date of birth, address and identification number (Social Security Number (SSN) or Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN)) to open a bank account for several reasons.
Compliance with legal and regulatory requirements:
Firstly, the US government requires banks to verify the identity of their customers to prevent financial crimes like money laundering, identity theft, and terrorist financing. By obtaining your SSN or TIN, the bank can confirm your identity and ensure you are not trying to use a false identity to open a bank account.
Preventing fraud:
By collecting identifying information, banks can confirm that the person opening the account is who they claim to be. This helps prevent fraud and identity theft.
Ensuring accurate records:
Ensuring accurate records: Banks need to maintain accurate records of their customers' account activity, and identifying information is a key component of these records.
Overall, requiring identifying information helps banks comply with legal and regulatory requirements, protects against fraud and identity theft, and ensures that customer records are accurate.