Danske Bank · AI used against the institution · severity 1 of 5
Danske Bank was targeted by fraudsters who used AI-manipulated video and audio to pose as members of its senior management in an attempt to get money out of the bank, the bank's chief security officer Lance McGrath confirmed to Børsen in February 2025. Børsen reported on 17 February that this kind of deepfake fraud, in which criminals manipulate both image and sound to impersonate top management, was spreading through the Nordic banking sector; Computerworld Danmark and FinansWatch also reported the attempt. None of the reports describes a loss, and the date of the attempt and the executives impersonated were not published. Weeks earlier DNB in Norway had disclosed a similar deepfake attempt using its own executives. No public statement by Danske beyond McGrath's confirmation was found as of 2026-10-21.
Record last reviewed Oct 21, 2026 · Markdown
Date
Institution
Danske Bank
Country
Denmark
AI system
Deepfake video and audio impersonating members of Danske Bank's senior management
AI?
Described as AI by the institution or regulator
The institution, a regulator or a court called the system AI.
Status
Confirmed by the institution
Severity
1 of 5
Impact
No customer involvement or harm reported · No loss reported; the amount sought was not published.
What happened?
On 17 February 2025 Børsen reported that Danske Bank "har været udsat for et særligt svindelforsøg, som lige nu breder sig i den nordiske banksektor" (has been exposed to a particular fraud attempt that is currently spreading in the Nordic banking sector), in which criminals try to trick banks out of large sums using deepfake methods, manipulating both image and sound and posing as top management.[1]
Computerworld Danmark reported the same day that fraudsters had used AI-manipulated videos to pose as part of Danske Bank's management in order to defraud the bank, and that the bank's security chief Lance McGrath had confirmed the attempt to Børsen. FinansWatch followed on 18 February under the headline "Ny deepfake-svindel rammer Danske Bank" (New deepfake fraud hits Danske Bank), describing a new fraud form in which criminals pose as top management.[2][3]
The reports available to us do not give the date of the attempt, which executives were impersonated, the amount sought or how it was detected, and none describes a loss. Two weeks earlier, on 3 February 2025, Norway's DNB had disclosed a similar attempt in which a deepfaked version of its chief financial officer tried to instruct staff at its Singapore office to pay out millions of Singapore dollars in a Teams meeting.[1][2][4]
When did it happen?
- Feb 17, 2025
Børsen reports that Danske Bank has been targeted by a deepfake fraud attempt impersonating its top management; security chief Lance McGrath confirms it.[1][2]
- Feb 17, 2025
Computerworld Danmark reports that AI-manipulated videos were used to pose as Danske Bank's management to defraud the bank.[2]
- Feb 18, 2025
FinansWatch reports the new deepfake fraud against Danske Bank.[3]
What was the impact?
- Customers: No customer involvement or harm reported[1][2]
- Other: No loss reported; the amount sought was not published.[1][2]
Severity 1 of 5: An attempt on the institution itself, confirmed by the bank; no loss, customer harm or regulatory consequence has been reported.
How did Danske Bank respond?
Danske Bank's chief security officer Lance McGrath confirmed the attempt to Børsen, according to Computerworld Danmark. No further public statement by Danske Bank on this attempt was found as of 2026-10-21 (we checked Danske Bank's 2025 fraud-trend report and Danish business and tech press).[2]
What was the outcome, and did regulators act?
No loss, arrest or regulatory action connected with the attempt has been reported as of 21 October 2026. Danske Bank's own March 2026 review of 2025 fraud trends says fraudsters increasingly used AI and tools including deepfakes, without referring to this attempt.[2][5]
Did Danske Bank lose money to the deepfake attempt?
No loss has been reported. Børsen, Computerworld Danmark and FinansWatch described an attempt to defraud the bank using deepfaked video and audio of its management, confirmed by security chief Lance McGrath; none reported that money was paid out.
How did the Danske Bank deepfake fraud work?
According to Børsen, criminals manipulated both image and sound to pose as the bank's top management and try to get large sums out of the bank. The executives impersonated, the amount sought and how the attempt was detected were not published in the reports.
Were other Nordic banks targeted the same way?
Børsen said the method was spreading through the Nordic banking sector. Norway's DNB disclosed on 3 February 2025 that a deepfaked version of its chief financial officer had tried, in a Teams meeting, to get staff at its Singapore office to pay out millions of Singapore dollars, BankShift reported.
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- Ny deepfake-svindel rammer Danske Bank news
- DNB utsatt for sofistikert deepfake-angrep news
- Status, trends and fraud prevention in 2025 – How Danske Bank prevents fraud targeted at customers official
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