Credit protection

Credit protection is a feature designed to protect the citizen from their information being misused to create loans, buy goods on installments or similar.

Credit protection is a tool in the CPR register where citizens who suspect that their personal information has been stolen or otherwise compromised can log in to Borger.dk and mark that they want credit protection.

The tool was introduced in Denmark in 2017 and similar solutions are also available in Sweden and Norway.

A safeguard against identity theft

The topic of credit protection really caught the attention of politicians in 2016, following an increase in the number of identity thefts. More citizens found that their personal information was being misused online - for example, to take out loans or buy goods on credit.

Credit protection is a tool that can prevent leaked personal data from being misused to create debt, set up installment plans or otherwise acquire assets without paying.

How credit protection works

If a citizen loses their passport, driver's license or other form of ID - or suspects that their information has been compromised - they can set up credit protection via Borger.dk.

The credit protection comes into effect immediately and informs companies that look up the CPR register prior to, for example, taking out a debt or setting up a repayment plan, that the person may be exposed to ID theft.

However, it is still possible for the citizen to incur debt or establish credit, but the company can ask to have the protection lifted or require additional documentation to confirm that the person is the rightful owner of the identity.

The citizen can cancel their own credit protection at any time if there is no longer any suspicion of abuse.

Credit protection protects both customers and businesses

Credit protection is primarily designed to protect the citizen from their information being misused to create debt or credit in their name.

But credit protection also protects businesses, as few companies want to extend credit or loans based on false or stolen identification information. Often this results in losses, as companies rarely recover the outstanding debt.

Therefore, it is important that companies that provide credit, loans or installment plans check the CPR register or a debt register to protect themselves against identity theft.