Can I open an "anonymous" account?No. There is no such thing as an "anonymous" account in Switzerland. Under Swiss law, the bank must know who you are. Anonymous accounts at Swiss banks exist only in the imagination of thriller writers! Numbered accounts (sometimes called pseudonym accounts) are not that different from regular bank accounts, except that the name of the account holder is replaced by a code number or assumed name in the normal bank records. The name of the account holder (and his code number or assumed name) is known only to a limited number of people in the bank. Keep in mind, however, that Swiss banks are obligated to know the true identity of the account holder and his beneficiary; while numbered accounts raise confidentiality levels higher, the account holder is not truly anonymous. As such, a numbered account may not really be necessary for you – keep in mind that most banks charge a premium for numbered accounts (since management of such requires more resources) and, unless it is truly essential, may not really be that important. |
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