security breach – customer Bank Acc Nr in email

ED

Anyone here ever received an email from a bank, retailer or other business quoting your highly confidential information, such as your bank account number, credit card number or savings account number?

A member of my family recently received an open email (as opposed to a 'secure message') from a building society, stupidly quoting the private Account Number + all other data for moving money in or out.

This is completely contrary to customer account security. Hackers, Internet Service Provider personnel, and anyone subsequently delving into the receiving computer, can potentially use the info to steal from the customer's a/c. Or indeed to simply steal identity for future use in a potentially untraceable way.

Ironically, the offending email was in response to a complaint after several months of error after error by them!

Did you get any compensation from the bank | building society | shop | online retailer, if this has ever happened to you (or your relative or friend)?

Anyone able to guide me to relevant legal rules about protecting customer's confidential info?

16011996

kick off fully. not sure about the legal side of it, but most banks say they will never let this happen. its awful that that could happen.

BillyMansell

There must be a breach of security with regard to the data protection under the Data Protection Act, in particluar Telecommunications (Data Protection and Privacy) Regulations 1999, which regards the processing of telecommunications traffic and billing data, calling or connected line identification, directories of subscribers and the security of telecommunications services.

If you get little satisfaction from your provider, information regarding making a complaint can be found here;

http://www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk/

All the best,

Billy

ED

Thanks, BillyMansell, and to 16011996 I will indeed "kick off fully"!

Anyone else experience this sort of thing?

webmasterpolo

Hi ED, how did the kicking off go?

If you need more info on data protection etc try here http://www.hmso.gov.uk/acts/acts1998/19980029.htm#aofs the full DP Act is listed.

Robert_Sterling_3

WE all wan't to know what happened Ed.