What is MitID and Why It’s Problematic
MitID is Denmark’s national digital ID system introduced in 2021â2022 as a replacement for NemID. It is operated by Digitaliseringsstyrelsen and Finans Danmark, but managed by private companies like Nets and soon the French company IN Groupe. While MitID is technically voluntary, in practice you are forced to use it to access your bank, government services, medical records, and other essential data. This indirect coercion raises ethical and legal concerns â you cannot access your own money or data without signing a contract with third-party corporations. Thatâs not digital freedom. Thatâs corruption.
MitID Failures: Crashes, Fraud, and Insecurity
Since its launch, MitID has been plagued by digital fraud, security flaws, and technical failures. In January 2022, a serious bug let users log into other people’s bank accounts. The Danish Data Protection Agency (Datatilsynet) issued a strong warning, stating that MitID’s security setup was inadequate.
MitID has experienced several outages despite official claims of high uptime. In June 2022, both NemID and MitID went offline, affecting thousands. On October 7, 2024, MitID crashed entirely for two hours, blocking all logins to banks and public services. When a single digital ID can shut down access to all parts of society, we have a problem.
Security Concerns and Exploitation by Criminals
MitID is not user-friendly and opens new doors for fraud. Its rollout led to a spike in phishing scams. Many users â especially those less tech-savvy â were tricked into giving away their login credentials. Criminal networks exploited the chaos, impersonating MitID support, banks, or even police. TjekDet revealed a massive fraud ring in 2025 that scammed over 9,000 Danes, stealing millions of kroner.
MitID was supposed to be an upgrade. For many, it has become a digital risk factor instead.
Case Study: “Anne” Lost 40,000 DKK Through MitID Fraud
A MacGeni customer â letâs call her Anne â experienced every bank customer’s nightmare. While on vacation in Bali, Anne discovered that 40,000 DKK had been stolen from her account in two unauthorized transfers. She never approved them. But the bank refused to help. Their excuse? âThe transfers were MitID-authorized.â
This scenario is more common than you think. Either fraudsters trick people into approving transfers, or they steal MitID login data through phishing or malware. According to Denmarkâs Payment Act, if a transaction is “authorized” using MitID, the bank can hold the customer responsible â even if the customer never clicked âapprove.â
Anne now faces financial ruin unless she wins a legal battle with her bank. Unfortunately, the law doesnât protect her. Banks can legally refuse to compensate losses unless they believe the customer acted responsibly â a subjective and inconsistent standard. In Anneâs case, the bank is insinuating that she was careless, and therefore deserves to lose the entire 40,000 DKK.
The Broken Logic of MitID’s Terms and Forced Compliance
MitIDâs terms of service are vague, changeable, and highly one-sided. MacGeni reviewed the agreement: itâs full of legal jargon that shifts all liability to the user. Meanwhile, MitID providers can change the terms at any time, and most people never read the 20+ pages of fine print.
So users unknowingly agree to:
- Rule changes without consent
- Unclear responsibilities
- Waived rights to compensation
This imbalance of power means the system can silently evolve against your interests.
And letâs not forget: you were coerced into accepting this. The transition from NemID was fast, aggressive, and full of pressure. Emails and threats like âSwitch now or lose accessâ forced citizens into compliance. Even Nordea built an alternative login for customers who refused MitID â a rare public sign that banks, too, see the cracks.
Real Alternatives to MitID: Backup Banks That Work
You donât have to accept this system. You can reduce or eliminate your reliance on MitID. Here are three MitID-free banking alternatives that offer security, flexibility, and peace of mind:
â Revolut Business
- No MitID required
- Fast onboarding, 100% online
- Free account creation, only ~85 DKK/month
- Hold and exchange 30+ currencies at interbank rates
- Virtual and physical cards for teams
-
Works with NemKonto
đ Sign up via
â Wise (formerly TransferWise)
- No MitID required
- Multi-currency accounts in 50+ currencies
- Free local account numbers (IBAN, UK sort code, etc.)
- Cheap global transfers (~0.4% fee)
-
Great for freelancers and international businesses
đ Open Wise account
â Revolut (Personal)
- No MitID required
- Free to open
- Best currency exchange rates
- Budgeting, crypto, savings vaults, stock trading
-
Virtual disposable cards
đ Join here
đŠ Other options:
Some international or business platforms (like Nordea’s legacy login or Baltic banks) may still allow access without MitID. It requires research â but itâs worth having a Plan B.
What To Do If Youâre a Victim of MitID Fraud (Step-by-Step)
- React immediately â Freeze MitID and your cards. Report to police.
- Collect documentation â SMS, emails, screenshots, login logs.
- Request bank logs â Youâre entitled to know the login IPs, devices used.
- File a formal complaint â Do it in writing. Be clear, firm, and include documentation.
- Follow up â Escalate if the bank stalls or denies your claim.
- Appeal to the Financial Complaints Board â It costs ~300 DKK. Many customers win.
- Report to authorities â Inform Finanstilsynet and Forbrugerombudsmanden.
- As a last resort, sue the bank â Costly but possible.
You Donât Need MitID to Be Safe
MitID is broken. It fails at basic uptime, it fails at user security, and it fails at accountability. It was meant to be an upgrade. Instead, it has become a vulnerable bottleneck.
You donât have to be trapped. Diversify. Use Revolut, Wise, or other platforms to take back control of your data and money. Demand better. Push back. And never assume that a system built on coercion is safe.
Stay safe out there â and contact MacGeni if you need help securing your Mac, iPhone, or business IT.
