breach of data protection by halifax

lianaf81

Hi

I'm new to this site and i need some advice.
A year ago i applied for copies of my credit files and i was stunned when i received them to discover all of my parents personal data including there bank accounts were on my file. I moved out of my parents house 6 years ago and i have never been financial linked to them.
I showed my mam my credit files and my findings and we both rang the bank.
They advised that it was there mistake as they had mistaken me for my dad hence why they shared there data.
We were given compensation my mam got £150 and I got £75. We were advised that the information would be corrected and updated.
I have been keeping an eye on my credit files over the last year and on saturday it showed up a search on my file that my mam had made.
I contacted the credit company and they apoligised and advised me to contact the bank.
I spoke to my mam and she rang the bank and they advised that it was there mistake as they hadn't notify the credit agencies when we complained last year and rewarded her £50 for her calls.
I then recieved a call from my dad accusing me of fraud as a credit card with my name but his dob was showing on his file.
I rang the bank and they apoligised and i logged a complaint.
I have since heard bk from the bank and they admitted fault and offered to sort it out and offered to pay my parents and i £125 each which is not acceptable considering the stress this as caused to us all.
I recieved a further call from the same advisor today offering us £250 each which i still don't think is acceptable as they have made several data protection breaches on two ocassions and not forfilled promises a year ago.
I have lost all faith in the bank now and i want to move my accounts and savings to another bank along with my parents.

Any advice would be grateful

chanz4

as they say greed gets nothing, their is only so far

lianaf81

Its not about the money i am happy to recieve nothing but i want them punished for what they have done.

If you read my thread again you will see that I have never mentioned wanting money i have stated what they have offered me to stop me taking this further

Goldiegirl

So how much do you want from them?

Edit - so you don't want any money.


In that case decline their offer of money, and report them to the FOS. Although I'm not sure what punishment you have in mind

opinions4u

I gave little sympathy with the bank.

But is it just about the money?

A typical FOS award for DPA errors is not going to exceed £250. Although as three people are impacted individual complaints may be in order.

Even if you do move on you will want to make sure they still resolve the problem.

lianaf81

I have declined their offer and they are writing to us all admitting there fault.
I am going to contact the ombudsman and ico as banks shouldn't be able to breach dpa and not be punished

innovate

lianaf81 wrote: »

Its not about the money i am happy to recieve nothing but i want them punished for what they have done.

This sounds a sad account of banker incompetence. But as with everything, there comes a point where you need to let go. What punishment do you have in mind?

You'd do very well getting £250 for what is a human error. Some chap/ess in Halifax will get a lot of ear ache for having made a right balls up. You and your parents are going to take your custom elsewhere (are you?). What more do you expect to achieve?

OK, for some more "punishment" you could try your local newspaper, or the Daily Mail. If their marketing budget is still healthy, they might [strike]pay you some more[/strike] punish Halifax by writing an article.

eskbanker

If you want to take them to task specifically for data protection then complain to the Information Commissioner's Office: http://www.ico.org.uk/complaints/handling

If they agree with your position that it's been a breach of the Data Protection Act then they'll pursue this with Halifax and they do ultimately have the power to fine organisations for repeated and/or serious breaches, although frankly I doubt that this would be considered to be of that order of magnitude, unprofessional and inconvenient though it doubtless will have been....

lianaf81

I want the bank to be fined for there imcompetence as my parents are in ill health and this as lead to unnessary stress.

Can the ico not gine them?

Yes we are moving banks

worried_jim

I used to see this problem all the time in the bank and we used to curse parents for a lack of imagination when it came to naming their children, using the same names or initials can really create problems sometimes. Good luck op getting this sorted out and when you have kids use a bit of imagination for their names!

lianaf81

Worrief jim how can banks be so imcompetant?