Starling bank gave details of my finances in an unsecure email

leshoopers11

I have banked with Starling bank for about 3 years. Recently they sent me an email querying the high amounts of transfers into my bank account, as they indicated a higher income than I had disclosed to them. This email contained the details of the savings accounts that I had used for transferring into my Starling Bank account - the account numbers and transaction totals for the past year. Apparently when customers report their income, they should include all probable deposits, such as bank transfers, which I did not know. I have two issues with Starling. The first being that they sent confidential financial information in an unsecured email. When I complained they replied that I had indicated that I was happy to accept email correspondence when I opened my account. I have yet to receive any follow up on my explicit complaint. My second issue is the fact that they are expecting me to forecast the total of deposits to my bank account, including transfers. I regularly transfer in and out of my bank account to cover expenses as they arise, moving any surplus funds into savings to earn interest. So any forecast of the likely transfers will be difficult. Has anyone else had this problem with Starling?

eskbanker

Your complaint about financial information being sent by email seems justified, and being happy to accept email correspondence doesn't signify acceptance of sensitive data being included therein, so their argument is weak IMHO.

The income point also seems tenuous, as transfers between your own accounts are clearly not income in the generally accepted sense. However, if you're routinely transferring funds out to savings and then back again (entirely normal behaviour!), then presumably you can point to the transfers in both directions to support your point that this is what you're doing?

flaneurs_lobster

It's only 16 months since the FCA fined Starling £29M for "shockingly lax" failings in their processes around screening their customers and their transactions.

Maybe they are being rather keen in their due diligence, their stats will be able to show another hit on an "abnormal" to show the regulator.

Absolutely agree about account/transaction details in an open email, pisspoor.

GeoffTF

If I am asked to state my income I report the taxable income from my last tax return. That bears no relation to the amount of money that is likely to be transferred into either of my bank accounts.

masonic

I think the claim that you need to include transfers between different accounts in your name as income is nonsense.

The complaint about their failure to process your personal data in accordance with their legal obligations is justified and they should be compensating you for the failure to use appropriate technical or organisational measures in accordance with UK GDPR Article 5(1)(f).

Even if you told them you were happy for them to do anything they like with your personal data it would not remove their legal obligations.

Taken together, these issues would make it a lot easier for me to forecast likely future transfers. There would be a transfer of the current balance out of my account, and then there would be no further activity.

Shakin_Steve

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81888810#Comment_81888810

After the compensation is paid in, obviously.

leshoopers11

Thank you for your supportive feedback. Starlingn asked me for 3 months of bank statements for the accounts that I have been using for transfers into my current account. I have now done this and they are now satisfied. I then gave them a ridiculous figure for my future transfers, which should have been obvious to them, and they accepted that too. It is as if they are amateurs, asking sweeping questions without understanding how easily they could have avoided the need to offend me, by way of a more rigorous analysis instead. I will wait to hear back about my complaint, but once it’s resolved, I might decide to close my account. Though I value the app, this intervention is frustrating.

GeoffTF

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81890312#Comment_81890312

You need to keep a sense of perspective here. Starling has got its tick in the box for money laundering checks. Other banks also make intrusive money laundering checks. You might be increasing your risk of that by moving your account to a bank that has not already checked up on you.

Sending an email with a list of your recent credits from other banks was not good. Nonetheless, Barclaycard sends me an email with the size of my Direct Debit every month; and the Skipton sends me an email for every external transaction, which gives the amount. I expect that I could opt out of these emails, but they are helpful to me. These emails do not indicate that I am a particularly wealthy person, so I do not expect they will invite attention from criminals. I do not see any great risk.

Bigwheels1111

I left Starling bank a few years back, Only joined them as did fee free international payments.

But my main bank First Direct does this now.

Re payments.

I move 5/6k a month into my account to fund reg savers, wages, reg saver payouts, bills 1k.

I think over 150k if not more goes in and out of my account every year.

So far FD never bothered me or asked questions.

Just looked at in and outs this month, 18.5k so far, 6k of reg savers yet to arrive, plus wages.

So will be over 25k this month.

leshoopers11

Thank you Bigwheels1111, your response illustrates how difficult it is to estimate likely transfers. What I do like about Starling is the ease with which I can get a PIN reminder. Also immediate notifications of debits and credits, and commission free ATM withdrawals overseas. When on holiday recently I had forgotten my credit card PIN and the only option that Nationwide could offer was posting a new PIN to me - not much good when you are away. Are there better banks out there that offer the same as Starling, but without the heavy handed approach to due diligence? Or do I stick with them on the basis that they are unlikely to trouble me again with their money laundering checks?

steven141

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81892522#Comment_81892522

You can view the pin in the app with Lloyds, Bank of Scotland, Halifax, NatWest, Royal Bank of Scotland, Ulster Bank, Kroo, Chase, first direct, Santander and I'm sure other banks as well. I can confirm that The co-operative bank don't allow you to view the pin in the app.