Compensation for loss of privacy

daffodiltulip

Hello - money was credited to my bank account by mistake - it turns out that the bank gave my name to the other party at some point in them trying to resolve what went wrong - I now have a letter from the bank asking my permission to have the amount debited (which I shall, naturally), but they have also offered my £70 for the inconvenience and/or breach of privacy. Is this a normal amount or has anyone successfully argued for more?

R_P_W

Argue for more on what basis?

McKneff

Cant see that you have had much inconvenience to be honest.

Take the money and run for the hills..............

pmduk

Can you point to any tangible loss you have suffered as a result? Is it just your name or address as well?

Gromitt

You might get a little more, but to be honest, since they are already offering you £70, I'd just accept as you've had no serious breach of the DPA.

olly300

Take the money and buy something you like with it.

You have won the lottery!

pompeyred

This is an interesting thread, the data protection act is a legal framework within which the banks have an absolute and binding obligation to protect consumer data.

There can be no defence based on any levels regarding "the seriousness of the breach", the fact that an institution such as a bank has wilfully shared the very details it should be protecting is significant enough in its own right.

This is also nothing to do with inconvenience or proving tangible loss, this is recompense for the breach, a serious one at that and one which even if required to prove loss against would be impossible as the consumer has no idea who was involved in the sharing of their data, this is hush money and it's for the OP to choose what might be acceptable, that said I'd be fairly accepting of the £70 on the face of it but I would most definitely be asking where, how and exactly who my data was communicated to.

innovate

You got money into your account that you knew didn't belong to you.
This is now known to your bank, and probably also to the other person's bank, and may be to the other person.

What did you do to ask your bank to return the money that was sent to you in error? Why do you think your bank needs your permission to reverse a payment made to you in error? What prove do you have that your bank provided any of your personal data to the other bank, or to the person who made the mistake? What proof do you have that you aren't in cahoots with the originator of the payment that wasn't really meant for you?

Hominu

The bank sells your name and address to various companies anyway (unless you remember to tick the appropriate boxes on each and every form you place it on), so I wouldn't call this a breach of the DPA, accept the £70 and take yourself out for a nice meal or something you like doing.

How do I know this? Whilst the bank check your basic address (ie, Mr Bloggs lives at 121 Central Crescent in Blighton, Birmingham) they don't care about the rest. I gave the bank a unique address that I have given no-one else, the same as my utility providers, and its nice to see where I get the most junk mail from!

jonesMUFCforever

OP How do you know that they have done anything wrong?

It is common practise in cases like this for bank A to ask Bank B to forward a letter to one of their customers to resolve disputes like this.
They don't reveal the address.

Gromitt

According to the OP, not even the address was given away, only the customers name. I wouldn't say that was a serious DPA breach. Heck, I know there is 3 of me at the local Dr's surgery, but I don't know anything else about my clones.