Natwest breach of data protection

dragon4life

Hi

My bank is NatWest and in mid Jan 2011, while I was trying to pay my mobile phone bill online, payment left my bank account but 02 could not retrieve the payment. They could not figure out why so I was told to contact NatWest, which I did but I was told by customer service of NatWest to visit my local branch. That is all that they could tell me. I was wondering what the problem could be but I had a feeling it was my home address, which has been changed, by who?, I was not told. Anyway I popped into my local branch and while the woman over the counter was asking for my details, I discovered that my home address had been changed as well as my telephone number. I was very worried as I did not authorise the change and I was wondering whether somebody changed it but that was not possible due to the fact that some sort of ID is required. However, I was told that an investigation will be carried out and that the investigation team should contact me in the next 4-5 working days. I could not make any payments, as my details did not match.

I waited for a reply but nobody from NatWest called me and I had to contact them myself. I was told that a letter has been sent out and that NatWest contact their customers in the form of a letter and not by telephone.

My details were changed on the 5th November 2010 without my consent and this was due to a banking error, which NatWest owned up to and gave me an apology along with £50. The problem here is that my statements for Nov 10, Dec 10, Jan 11 and Feb 11 were sent to the incorrect address and I was told by NatWest that they could not do anything in order to rectify this problem. Surely they cannot get away with this????

I contacted the Finical Ombudsman and I completed the complaints form and also sent my bank a letter outlining my disappointment by being let down and how there has been a breach of data protection.

A few days later, I received a phone call from NatWest saying how sorry they are and how I have been treated and offered a further £100.

Let me get one thing straight, this is not about they money, but if they have breached data protection and my statements for two accounts with NatWest have been delivered to somebody else address then I would like to see some justice as this is not on.

Do I take the money or do I hold out for more? If so how much?

noh

Let me get one thing straight, this is not about they money

Do I take the money or do I hold out for more? If so how much?

So is it about money or not?

How much are you out of pocket due to their mistake?

jen245

£150? Thats not bad, and I doubt you would get any more by going to the financial ombudsman. They have owned up to the mistake, apologised and given you £150, Im not sure what more you want out of this?

zppp

As stated in my response to your other post which is seemingly duplicating;

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/2676353

So what exactly are you requesting?

Paul_Herring

dragon4life wrote: »

Do I take the money or do I hold out for more? If so how much?

Depends on how greedy you're feeling.

And you're contacting the wrong people if it's the breach of the DPA you're 'concerned' about.

You need to contact the ICO, not the FOS.

Only if the 'breach' has left you out of pocket are the FOS the correct people to contact.

jambosans

Paul_Herring wrote: »

You need to contact the ICO, not the FOS.

Only if the 'breach' has left you out of pocket are the FOS the correct people to contact.

Not true.

The OP will need to escalate the matter to the FOS if they want more money, and can involve the ICO in tandem.

How do I know? I had a complaint a few years ago involving a breach of DPA. Both Otelo (the telecommunications ombudsman) and the ICO were involved. Otelo investigated the claims, and proposed a resolve (including compensation). The ICO spoke with the data controller, and provided me with a "report" on their findings.

Oh, and point 18 on this Memorandum of Understanding between the ICO and FOS explains the relationship in regards to DPA related complaints:-

ICO wrote:

18. The fact that a complaint, or part of a complaint, referred to the FOS could also be considered by the ICO under its powers to investigate alleged breaches of DPA will not preclude the FOS from dealing with such a complaint in accordance with its usual procedures and from making an award of compensation, where appropriate. The complainant could, in any event, also refer the alleged breach of the DPA to the ICO.

On a side note, I get the underlying meaning of your post and agree. The OP clearly wants justice in the form of more money, which is something the FOS would deal with.

PNPSUKNET

didnt santander give £100 for a similar issue not long ago to thousands of customers...

chambta

It's not about the money but you want to get as much as you can?

Take the money you've been offered and forget about it. Or if it's upset you so much then close your account.

Iris_Blue

Hold out for more ? Then it is about the money.

I don't understand why you would have a feeling that it was your home address.

Whilst yes I agree your data has been compromised to some degree ...it all really depends on whether the statements were opened at that address or not. They could have been returned to sender as far as you know.

Everyone has statements sent to their address so I suppose that we all are at risk in some form or other.

They've admitted their error and I think you've been offered a VERY good apology amount.

stclair

I would write to my local MP ;-)

dragon4life

Iris Blue - the reason i had the feeling that there was something wrong with my home address, was the fact that customer service asked me for all addresses linked to me and none of them matched. it was only then that i was advised to go to the bank with some form of ID.

It is besides the point whether or not my THREE statements have been sent back to the sender but the fact of the matter is my details have been disclosed to somebody that i do not know. I said it was not about the money but if they have told me point blank that there is nothing more that they can do and the way i was treated at the bank then i would like to know how much i would be entitled to. I'm not greedy but i would like some form of justice. In my opinion, £150 comes nowhere near it.

Iris Blue - if they have given me a 'VERY' good apology amount, then i will give you that amount and in exchange give me ur banking details along with three of ur bank statements.
Deal or no Deal?