Advice needed: Possible confidentiality breach

sunnshinegurl

Please can anyone give me some advice on an incident which happened about two years ago? I am unsure who to complain to, as I feel the bank in question may try to cover this up but I feel it needs to be complained about to prevent any further confidentiality breach.

My ex-husband and I had a joint account, but when we split up in 2007, my name was taken off this. He continued with this account as a single bank account until he met his current girlfriend and they lived together a couple of years later. At some point, they changed this account to a joint one.

I had, in the meantime, opened my own single bank account with the same bank.

In April 2011 I received a letter from the bank stating that they wanted me to go in and have a meeting with one of their managers to overview the account. As I was paying a monthly premium on my bank account, I felt this was a good time to go in, have a look at my finances and cancel the monthly premium at the end of April. I intended to keep it until then as the monthly premium included full AA cover and as I was going away a week later using my car, wanted to keep this until that time.

I saw the bank manager at the agreed time, and he agreed to cancel the monthly premium after the holiday, explained the part month charges which I was happy with and aware of, so that was that.

A week later, on my return from holiday, I received notification from the bank via a letter, stating that they were happy to open a bank account for me, and another letter with a new cashpoint card. This caused some confusion for me, as I thought it would only be a case of changing my account from a premium paying account to a normal current account.

I immediately took the letter and the card down to the bank, and asked to see someone. I explained what had happened (as above) and queried why I had had a new bank account opened. The lady I saw could not answer why I had had a new account opened, as she agreed that the monthly premium would have just been removed from the account, there would have been no reason for a new account to be opened.

Thinking this was just a mistake on their behalf, I gave the lady who saw me the letter and the card to destroy, and left it at that.

I have since been told by my former husband and his gf that they went to the bank in the same month as myself, as they had made an appointment for his gf to open a single account in her own name, so they would have a joint and a single account.

When they went to see the lady at the bank (no name was given) it would appear that instead of being given the gf's personal information in relation to opening a new account, MY details were given to her.

Apparently, the gf asked why my details were given to her (this was my full details, including my current address, phone number etc etc) and eventually got up and walked out in disgust, stating that if that's how that particular bank deals with their customers by giving out other customers details, then she would no longer bank with them, and the accounts were apparently then cancelled and they opened bank accounts elsewhere. This was told to me by my former husband and his gf.

Luckily, I have a reasonable relationship with my former husband and his gf, so they know where I live etc, but if there had been some problems between us and I did not want him to know where I lived, this particular bank had just handed my information to him and his partner on a plate!!!!

Now, my questions are:

1. Do I complain directly to the branch in question, thereby giving them a tip-off to remove any information in relation to this breach of confidentiality, and allow them to do an investigation or

2. Do I complain somewhere else, either directly to one of their Directors, or the Financial Ombudsman or the Information Commissioner to fully investigate this breach of confidence?

I will just say as well, that this 'new' bank account shows on my credit report as being opened and closed on the same day.

I also don't, at present, want to name the bank at this time so I don't give them any chance of being able to remove/delete any information which could be relevant to this case.

I would hate this to happen to someone else and really feel I should make this particular bank aware that their staff should take more care with customer's information. I have checked out their Code of Personal Responsibility, which says that they will look after customers and their information.

Any advice would be gratefully received and I apologise for this long post.

p00hsticks

sunnshinegurl wrote: »

Please can anyone give me some advice on an incident which happened about two years ago?

Why have you waited two years to want to do something about this ? What has changed ?

Valli

How come you're only just asking about this now, given it happened two years ago?

sunnshinegurl

I was told what had happened by my former husband and his partner but was under the impression it had happened more recently than it did, until I spoke to them properly about it. The bank were not likely to write to me to tell me there had been a breach of confidentiality and due to difficulties, I have not always been on good talking terms with my former husband.

I have also been told that for any incident regarding a bank/financial institute you have 7 years to complain, but if this is wrong, and I am out of time to complain, then so be it.

dalesrider

If you want to complain you have to do it via the bank in the 1st place. Only after you have failed to resolve it with them. Can you take it further.
Although after 2 years they may simply say you have waited too long.

Archi_Bald

sunnshinegurl wrote: »

Now, my questions are:

1. Do I complain directly to the branch in question, thereby giving them a tip-off to remove any information in relation to this breach of confidentiality, and allow them to do an investigation or

2. Do I complain somewhere else, either directly to one of their Directors, or the Financial Ombudsman or the Information Commissioner to fully investigate this breach of confidence?.

What would your complaint be about, and why have you waited for all this time to think about a complaint??

badger09

sunnshinegurl wrote: »

I was told what had happened by my former husband and his partner but was under the impression it had happened more recently than it did, until I spoke to them properly about it. The bank were not likely to write to me to tell me there had been a breach of confidentiality and due to difficulties, I have not always been on good talking terms with my former husband.

I have also been told that for any incident regarding a bank/financial institute you have 7 years to complain, but if this is wrong, and I am out of time to complain, then so be it.

Why didn't you do something about it in October 2011 as you said you would in this thread?

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/3545693

pqrdef

sunnshinegurl wrote: »

My ex-husband and I had a joint account, but when we split up in 2007, my name was taken off this. He continued with this account as a single bank account until he met his current girlfriend and they lived together a couple of years later. At some point, they changed this account to a joint one.

That seems very dodgy, because the gf would then have access to old account records from the time when it was yours. Are you sure they didn't say she was you?