Post office Receipt Showing My Bank A/C Balance

choille

jonesMUFCforever wrote: »

Instead of going to a P O Counter why not use an ATM?

My nearest ATM is 32 miles away. My nearest PO and shop is 10 miles away. I can't always get away to the ATM. It's not that handy.

nick74

choille wrote: »

If it was in the city I wouldn't mind but the woman who served me is the nosiest, most gossiping woman this side of goodness knows where. It's like an illness with her. If you've ever seen 'Still Game' think Isa but with a different accent.

She'd want to look up yer bum to see if your hat was on straight. Anyone new going in gets the 3rd degree - she's unreal.

Unfortunately such people are not uncommon in village post offices. When my little sister was still at school my mother used to save up several weeks worth of her child benefit (payable by order book in those days) and cash it all in, in one go at the village post office. That was until the woman serving behind the counter announced in a loud voice so everyone in the shop could hear that 'PEOPLE WHO CAN AFFORD TO SAVE UP WEEKS WORTH OF CHILD BENEFIT CLEARLY DON'T NEED IT AND SHOULDN'T BE ENTITLED TO IT'. My mum was so furious that she stormed out and had the child benefit paid direct into her bank account from then on!

choille

jonnygee2 wrote: »

It wouldn't bother me, but it does seem to be contrary to the spirit of data protection, which is that people should know when and how their data will be shared.

I think I would put the complaint in with your bank. They are the data holders and its their responsibility to make sure that your data is treated appropriately.

That's what I've done today. The person I spoke with today was very
concerned about it & spent a while taking all the details down & she's lodged it as a complaint. I did say I would like an explanation as I really was taken aback at this.

choille

Heng_Leng wrote: »

By using a Post Office counter, It implied that your bank will share some private information but also PO staff aren't allowed to divulge private information .

Are you actually suggesting she/he is acting improperly?

I'm not suggesting anything. I'm just saying that I would like to know if what has happened is normal as it's never happened before to me.

choille

nick74 wrote: »

Unfortunately such people are not uncommon in village post offices. When my little sister was still at school my mother used to save up several weeks worth of her child benefit (payable by order book in those days) and cash it all in, in one go at the village post office. That was until the woman serving behind the counter announced in a loud voice so everyone in the shop could hear that 'PEOPLE WHO CAN AFFORD TO SAVE UP WEEKS WORTH OF CHILD BENEFIT CLEARLY DON'T NEED IT AND SHOULDN'T BE ENTITLED TO IT'. My mum was so furious that she stormed out and had the child benefit paid direct into her bank account from then on!

I think they are attracted to them. It's like the terrible soap opera that used to be on 'Take The High road.' It's so true in that respect.

choille

Heng_Leng wrote: »

By using a Post Office counter, It implied that your bank will share some private information but also PO staff aren't allowed to divulge private information .

Are you actually suggesting she/he is acting improperly?

In the real world I've used a PO before many times an have never had this happen.
Some people are gossips whatever they do - sad but true. I avoid the place as much as possible because of this but sometimes I have to go.

YorkshireBoy

choille wrote: »

I'm not suggesting anything.

You said in your OP that the clerk "looked at" the information on your receipt, including your balance, before passing it to you. You also seemed convinced she would share this information.

I'm just saying that I would like to know if what has happened is normal as it's never happened before to me.

Normal as in the balance is printed on the receipt? Or normal as in the clerk is allowed to check the receipt is accurate before passing it to you?

I suspect the bank will have it covered in their Privacy Policy...something along the lines of 'you consent to your data being shared with others in the course of carrying out your transactions on our behalf".

Maybe you could check the Co-op's Privacy Policy and see?

choille

YorkshireBoy wrote: »

You said in your OP that the clerk "looked at" the information on your receipt, including your balance, before passing it to you. You also seemed convinced she would share this information.Normal as in the balance is printed on the receipt? Or normal as in the clerk is allowed to check the receipt is accurate before passing it to you?

I suspect the bank will have it covered in their Privacy Policy...something along the lines of 'you consent to your data being shared with others in the course of carrying out your transactions on our behalf".

Maybe you could check the Co-op's Privacy Policy and see?

Normal as in I've never had the balance of my account on a receipt from the PO after using their services - even when I've banked money there. The receipt is a receipt for the money banked and never the balance ever.

Norman_Castle

You could ask the post office if it is normal to have the balance shown or if it is only there on request. https://www.postoffice.co.uk/contact-us


If you have a high balance in the account you would like to keep private and bank online having separate accounts for savings and daily use is easy to manage.


One cashier in my post office often checks the postal receipt before handing it to me. This woman may have just been checking the amounts were right.

jonnygee2

I suspect the bank will have it covered in their Privacy Policy...something along the lines of 'you consent to your data being shared with others in the course of carrying out your transactions on our behalf".

Personally I don't think this is acceptable. I do not think that most people would expect their balance to be shared when they make a withdrawal at the post office, so I see no case for implied consent. And anyway, data protection relies on explicit consent for personal information, not implied consent.

Maybe in the days when data protection was a case of 'just have a policy somewhere and hope no one reads it', but I think we have moved on from that by some way now.