Having given my branch of CA a firm ‘non’ 2 years ago when they posed a suite of questions similar to those asked of @Elizabeth_Cox , they have not bothered me since.
Come to think of it, they also asked me to attend a meeting and “could you please make sure to bring copies of all your existing insurance policies?”. I said no to that too, and was met with a gallic ‘pfff’ and shrug. No further action…
Not exactly related, but in a way it is. This morning the aide soignante asked me for some cotton buds to clean Fran’s ears. I said no, they are the only things sold for the express purpose which is forbidden as being dangerous. So I refused to buy some. Shocked expression. 
We have been asked to confirm our passport & Carte de sejour from CA & Belvins Franks, As they had details going back 20 years I didn’t see a problem. No requests for income etc but being a bank they can already work that out
I have just spoken to the bank and feel even more worried now. This is all about money laundering, drug running, people smuggling and the things that 80 year pensioners do in their spare time.
The long and the short of it is that it is up to me to provide all the information requested or not, this will be sent to a higher office to examine and if the answers satisfy then all is well, if not, or I do not comply, my account could be closed.
They are picking on those people firstly who have a UK e-mail address which are easily identified but all Brits will eventually be asked for the info. Something to do with Brexit or maybe that is just an excuse, I don’t know but the choice is ours as to whether we comply or not. We have until the end of November to decide.
When I said we did not have a lot of money in the bank he said it did not matter whether your account had millions or hundreds. I think we are being investigated without good reason.
He told me to look it up on the web using KYC Banking as a guide.
Hope this helps
https://www.britline.com/page/KYC
We fell in line with this from the outset of setting up a France account in 2016.
We were familiar with KYC requirements because the basics were required when we earlier transferred from HSBC Hong Kong to HSBC UK, which are entirely separate entities, apparently.
Seems all banks worldwide are being required to be much more responsible about the financial sources of their customers. Of course, it won’t stop OCGs and dodgy country leaders from finding ways around it but then, they don’t pay taxes either.
I can understand when you are setting up an account to be asked for personal information but we have been with C.A. for 28 years and they have all the basic info. I am going to send the passports, driving licences and utility bill copies as I think that is a fair thing to update but the rest of it I am going to ponder on it for a while.
Just read @Susannah 's interesting link which I might say is well hidden in the website.
" What are the other benefits of KYC – for the customer?
By knowing our customers better, we can manage their risks better (e.g., for an insurance policy or a savings plan) – providing a better and more efficient banking service."
I think that quote is the crux of the matter, rather than dodgy dealings, its exactly like @John_Scully’s post above mentioned.
The pharmcy may well have a device that looks like a seam ripper “Quick unpick” type thing from the outside, 2-3 euros for this purpose.
Yikes! Not sure that sounds safer than a Q-tip.
I can still hear the ringing words of Matron saying “Never put anything in your ear smaller than your elbow!” Of course, our dorm mate’s elbow wouldn’t fit either.
That is not what was indicated to me this afternoon. He actually said if you have not done anything wrong, you have nothing to worry about.
I definitely got the impression that they had been in contact with our UK bankers and knew what savings we have. I may be reading too much into his comments but I don’t like it.
Just read your link to Britline and it is more or less the same as I read on another site although it does mention they may need details of income. However, although I understand that is possible, it doesn’t explain why they want to know about the value of our house and whether we have a secondary house. We are saving hard to be able to buy a house when we return to UK so it may seem as though we have a lot of income when we don’t. We shall see in time what the outcome is.
Unlikely. Banks are quite cagey about sharing info on their clients with other banks.
As a Fisc taxe paying CdS resident in France, wouldn’t all savings, properties and accounts in UK be already listed for the record? Could it be that CA is trying to tally your tax records with your declaration to their bank?
It may be that different sources in France are now getting joined up and compared by new tech. I doubt it is anything sinistre but we may all have to now adjust to new concepts of privacy and surveillance.
I got similar from BNP slightly less inquisitive and also one from my “home” account with Lloyds inquiring if I was resident abroad and requesting urgent reply. I complied about 3 months ago. So far I have not been expelled but I read Barclays frowns on foreign accounts. Should it happen to me does anyone know a decent reliable UK bank for pension & investment payments.? Thanks. Most French banks decline US clients now due to US tax disclosure requirements which they claim are too demanding & expensive to comply with (if they go wrong US can ban the bank group from trading there !)
Never.
They make all this fuss over decent peoples’accounts whilst the big players get away scot free.
If at all possible hang on to the UK accounts you’ve already got. It is increasingly difficult to open a UK bank a/c once you are living abroad. We have HSBC, FD, NW accounts from when we lived in the UK and although they let us continue it is impossible for us to open any new accounts with them. Someone on here (sorry can’t remember who) did finally manage to open an HSBC a/c while living in France but had to go through hoops to achieve it.
most grateful for advice & thanks. I’ll stay as long as possible
It’s not a case of income Elisabeth, or even savings (anymore). As I mentioned above, there is a tax on property. While the limit is (as far as I remember) €1.3M, if one has a family home in an expensive area (here or abroad), a holiday home in an expensive area (here or abroad) and perhaps investments in the property sector (not sure if that’s just here or also abroad), even though all those acquisitions and investments may have been made many years ago for a lot less, if they are assessed as over €1.3 now there is annual tax to pay.
OH got a letter from Bank of Ireland last week asking loads of silly questions, to which they already have the answers. Seems the powers that be are looking for other ways to keep the peasants down. Which remainds me “you will own nothing and be happy”
Sorry for a late reply, but no, in 18 years I have never had this in France, and never before wherever I lived. Personally I would and answer asking why, and they ask, and no, this is personal information that I do not wish to provide. It may generate even more cold calling!
I was given the impression that, although it was up to me, if I don’t comply, my account facilities might be withdrawn. That is a risk t hat I am not willing to take but I will take my time about replying in the hope that something might change. Like we might sell up and won’t need an account here. They can have the information in time as it is not particularly private, it’s just another intrusion into private lives.
In view of what has been happening in the UK, it may well grow in France and the rest of the EU. In fact, it could already be happening, it’s just that no-one has spoken up. If they do not give a reason for closing your account, it is not something you are going to shout about in case others don’t trust you. Incidentally, I am not particularly political, not a PEP.