Barclaycard and Privacy

tluscombe

Barclaycard are unbelievable!

I applied on-line for an increase in my credit limit. Barclaycard emailed me with their negative decision, including the reason why! Email is not a secure medium, so they've just breached my privacy!

In the same email, they have asked for details of my travel plans - a holiday is why I asked for the increase - including dates of departure and return.
This is to let them "flag" my card for foreign destinations so that it will not be queried, and to minimise fraud.

I think that's an invasion of my privacy. I won't be using my Barclaycard overseas - I'll just use the 2.9% BT offer!

King_David_2

I used my Barclaycard once when I was in Australia some time ago, and I was unsure as to whether it would work at the time. That made me decide that the next time I go abroad and know that I might possibly want to use a card, to inform them beforehand.

If you really think they have breached confidentiality, then tell the police. It won't hide the fact that for them to have your email address to begin with, you must have told them what it was.

Don't use the internet for online banking and credit cards and other things if disclosure of information annoys you so much.

You haven't mentioned the fact that you've phoned them to see what they say. Oh, phone calls can be recorded too can't they, so you can't do that either.

Financial matters need the disclosure of some confidential information that you wouldn't disclose to others.

Deal with it.

Walletwatch

Barclaycard are unbelievable!

I applied on-line for an increase in my credit limit. Barclaycard emailed me with their negative decision, including the reason why! Email is not a secure medium, so they've just breached my privacy!

In the same email, they have asked for details of my travel plans - a holiday is why I asked for the increase - including dates of departure and return.
This is to let them "flag" my card for foreign destinations so that it will not be queried, and to minimise fraud.

I think that's an invasion of my privacy. I won't be using my Barclaycard overseas - I'll just use the 2.9% BT offer!

Not sure what is the specific objection being raised here. Isn't this the practice followed by, say, egg to convey information on the status of your account opening or credit card application - sending you an e-mail of the status? It'd be an invasion of privacy if Barclaycard had got hold of your email from some other source - if this is the case, it isn't coming across very clearly from your post.

Secondly, if you cite a holiday as your reason for an increased limit, I would consider it perfectly within the rights of the lending institution to question you on your itinerary, etc. if they are to advance some unsecured credit to you in the form of an increased limit.

Sorry if I've got this completely wrong, but I am at a loss as to what exactly you're taking offence to ???

zcaprd7

He/she is worried because they used email (when Egg/Smile have a message, they email to tell you to log onto a secure site and read your message).

Sending an email is similiar to sending a postcard from a security point of view.

tluscombe

Maybe I wasn't clear enough first time around - my security issue is the use of Email, which is NOT secure. I have no problem with an email asking me to logon on to a secure site etc etc.

"Secondly, if you cite a holiday as your reason for an increased limit, I would consider it perfectly within the rights of the lending institution to question you on your itinerary, etc. if they are to advance some unsecured credit to you in the form of an increased limit. "

But they didn't give me an increased limit. None of my other credit providers have asked for my travel plans!

tluscombe

I used my Barclaycard once when I was in Australia some time ago, and I was unsure as to whether it would work at the time. That made me decide that the next time I go abroad and know that I might possibly want to use a card, to inform them beforehand.

If you really think they have breached confidentiality, then tell the police. It won't hide the fact that for them to have your email address to begin with, you must have told them what it was.

Don't use the internet for online banking and credit cards and other things if disclosure of information annoys you so much.

You haven't mentioned the fact that you've phoned them to see what they say. Oh, phone calls can be recorded too can't they, so you can't do that either.

Financial matters need the disclosure of some confidential information that you wouldn't disclose to others.

Deal with it.

And I thought we weren't supposed to be rude to each other on these boards - oops, this wasn't rude, just downright patronising.

Get a life!

Robert_Sterling_3

It is not just downright patronising
It is also downright patronising BounceBackAbility.
I though he had gone to Australia.  

Reaper

Just to pick up on the travel plans bit...

To try to detect when cards have been cloned or stolen as soon as possible credit card companies increasing use computers to look at spending patterns. If you suddenly change your spending habits, or your credit card starts racking up large payments in a foreign country they get nervous and sometimes suspend your card until they can contact you. Since they can't contact you while you are on holiday you can find your card stops working.

This does happen - people rely on credit cards abroad and come unstuck if they stop working. I'd say they have been unusually attentive in asking for your plans so they can make sure your card keeps functioning. I'd applaud them and hope that more companies follow their lead. I'd like to be able to enter my travel plans on credit card company web sites.

King_David_2

I will not be told what to think, thanks anyway.

If there has been a breach of law in this case, then inform the police, or whoever may be responsible for enforcing the Data Protection Act (I know that the police might not deal with something like this).

Phone calls are recorded by most lenders, or may be recorded. I can't really understand what the problem is as when applying for credit, you have to give details of pay, outgoings etc. If, and that is if, you fill in a form and post it, that info could end up anywhere.

Phoning - you'll be giving personal details to someone you don't know and may well not talk to again.

I don't believe in following the line of "say what we want you to say or shut up".

I say what I think.

In relation to Australia, not yet matey. Next year.

I'll keep popping back to see how many other trivial points you keep debating.

Fatboy_NSS

Well if the email from Barclaycard was intercepted and you lost out financially because of this then you'd certainly be covered by their internet security guarantee, so any losses would be refunded. I guess Barclaycard have decided that the cost of paying out for any losses arising from emails is less than the cost of sending everything by post at 28p (soon to be 29p) a time.

Regarding your travel plans, they can ask but you don't have to tell them if you don't want to. However you should call the providers for any cards you will be using while away and let them know. If the bank suddenly notices the card being used several times in a foreign country they could put a temporary block on the card until they can verify that the transactions are genuine. If you tell them before you go then it could save you the hassle of contacting them in the UK while you're away. It's not an invasion of privacy as every time your card is swiped they know where you are anyway.

Former_MSE_Abuse_Controller

I will not be told what to think, thanks anyway.

If there has been a breach of law in this case, then inform the police, or whoever may be responsible for enforcing the Data Protection Act (I know that the police might not deal with something like this).

Phone calls are recorded by most lenders, or may be recorded. I can't really understand what the problem is as when applying for credit, you have to give details of pay, outgoings etc. If, and that is if, you fill in a form and post it, that info could end up anywhere.

Phoning - you'll be giving personal details to someone you don't know and may well not talk to again.

I don't believe in following the line of "say what we want you to say or shut up".

I say what I think.

In relation to Australia, not yet matey. Next year.

I'll keep popping back to see how many other trivial points you keep debating.

We have no issue with you voicing a personal opinion, indeed that is what helps drive the forums, but your manner is often very abrasive and somewhat abrupt.

Can we make an effort to offer opinions in a more tone free manner - the poster in this case was merely raising a concern over email security (which given the amount of spam and fraud emails in recent times is justified).

Thanks