Bank has sent me someone elses data

gerryC_3

Sorry this is my first post and might be in the wrong place, I was just curious to anyone elses thoughts. I received today a letter addressed to me from my bank they have sent me a cheque which they say I had presented and it had bounced and that I should represent it. The thing is the cheque is nothing to do with me I am neither the payee or the recipient. The cheque has been issued by a company to an individual. I now have the cheque and of course all the bank details of someone else. The bank do not seem to be concerned when I contacted them (it was a call centre so I do not think they understood).

I think that this is a serious lapse in security the poor individual who is currently unaware that I have access to the sort of things that could be used in an identity theft would I think agree. I am going over the top to go into the bank tomorrow and complain to them in person, I am not affected or anything but I was just suprised by the lack of concern shown over this. Thanks

KingElvis

^^

The OP said the letter was addressed to him so I don't think it's illegal for him to open it. Probably just someone at your bank being crap at their job. Their lack of interest doesn't suprise me, sounds about right.

If a letter comes to my address (it happens) and it's not for me I just put it back in the postbox with a huge black cross through it.

gerryC_3

I have lived at this address for years and the letter as I did say in the post quite clearly on line 2 was addressed to me which was why I opened it, it was my name & my address on the letter and envelope but the cheque they enclosed and talked about is from a n other person to a company in Liverpool (I am in Birmingham) so nothing at all to do with me in anyway like the bank you seem to be missing the point here. Not having any physicic powers I had no way of knowing that a letter ADDRESSED TO ME AT MY ADDRESS contained a cheque to jo bloggs from Liverpool how could I have now broken the law by opening my own mail ?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

zppp

Good call KingElvis misread that it was addessed to the OP. I would simply send it back. The bank will just contact the intended recipient. Who do you bank with and is the letter from a voucher processing centre on the letter?

shellsuit

Is it NOT illegal to open someone elses mail if it is delivered to your house, so long as you aren't going to do anything fraudulent with the information.

gerryC_3

Phew thanks King Elvis was starting tom think I was going mad here Will I think take it in to the bank to illustrate my point that they have sent something in error I am not stealing other peoples mail !

skylight

Go into your bank, but check your account online first!

HSCB did the same to me years ago. I had a letter arrive (addressed to me) with 4 unknown and not mine cheques attached saying that each had bounced so they were deducting the monies credited from my account.

To my horror, they had deducted over £500 (the value of the cheques) from my account despite me never paying them in!

I went straight to the branch and told them I would not leave until it was rectified. The man I spoke to was great and although it took 2 hours of sitting there, he did sort it. It turned out that as I had paid something into my account, the tiller had probably paid the cheques into the correct account but attached my paying-in slip to them instead.

The money was returned to my account that afternoon. But it took another trip the following month to sort out the charges applied for my going overdrawn because of it!!


I left HSBC when I ended up with a debit card and PIN number over 2 different letters for someone else completely (they were attached to the back of my actual letters/card!)

gerryC_3

The bank is Santander, as I said I personnally have not been damaged by this but it was worrying how they did not seem to care at all, I sometimes think I get wound up to easily by bank errors but on behalf of the person who's bank account details I have been handed I do not think it is acceptable I could contact the company involved to let the individual know ?

onlypaddy

shellsuit wrote: »

Is it NOT illegal to open someone elses mail if it is delivered to your house, so long as you aren't going to do anything fraudulent with the information.

Erm...yes it is....

Postal Services Act 2000: Section 84
A person commits an offence if, intending to act to a person's detriment and without reasonable excuse, opens a postal packet which they know or suspect to have been delivered incorrectly.

Long and short of it - if it aint got your name on, you dont open it. Put it back in the post box with the address crossed out and 'Not Known at this Address' on the front, and hope the numpties dont put it back through your door.

tunathe_cat

I had Barclaycard problems that ended up going to court!

Barclaycard gave me two accounts that belonged to someone else. Because I could not answer the security questions/answers correctly Barclay card refussed to speak with me on telephone or answer any of my recorded next day letters. They refussed to speak with cab. I contacted the F.o.s. and they gave me a named person to speak withat barclays head office . Believed the call it was an admin error dont worry.!!! Barclaycard sold debt on to a debt collection company.
Few months later received court papers I had to defend myself . Had great help and advice from (10 past 6.) on here.
The judge requested proof of debt. Solicitors did not respond to judge and stayed case.
I have been told by Fos and Cab to keep all court documents safe as the debt collection company will just probably re sell debt!! And the circle will start again.

I would recomend that you keep a photocopy of cheque letter envelope if you hand the original to bank and have a signed letter from them acknowleding that they have the originals. Do not leave office without letter, dont accept I will drop you a line in the post in the next few days. I have received letters from Barclays acknowleding error but from time to time I get letters from debt company chasing money ..urgent telephone us now This debt company has been sent registerd post all correspondence but it makes no difference.

97trophy

gerryC wrote: »

The bank is Santander, ............................but it was worrying how they did not seem to care at all,

another day - another Santander incident!