Overzealous Enforcement of Data Protection Act?!

The Act is probably fine - just the interpretation by the institution concerned.

The Act is probably fine - just the interpretation by the institution concerned.

I wonder what they would have told you if you asked where in the Data Protection Act it prohibits them from accepting your payment. As the Data Protection Act is often used as an excuse, it might be interesting to carry a copy of the act with you and when the act is 'blamed' for a company not being able to do something, bring out the act and ask the person telling you this to show you the specific part of the act which prevents them from doing what you ask.

The OP is asking a financial institution to confirm, by accepting the money, that X has a mortgage with them.

Well that's what Union Bank Of Switzerland said to me when they refused to accept money into an account in Switzerland. It was used by the Nazi's in the 1930 to confirm that certain people had accounts outside of Germany and then cart them off to the camps.

Mark BR

I find that it is an excellent excuse not to give information to cold calling sales people.

"Who supplies your electricity at the moment"

"Due to the data protection act we are unfortunately unable to discuss this with third parties"

"OK sorry to have bothered you"

If it is clear that you are paying into someone elses bank account then you can be contacted (as well as the recipient) and asked to verify the purpose of the transaction. But suppose someone claiming to be you puts money into your account and then contacts the Inland Revenue or Benefits Agency, and "reports" that you have "undeclared income", or are "working on the side". Then you have some explaining to do. Sounds absurd that someone should want to put money into your account rather than drain it, but some people do bear grudges and will do almost anything to "get even", as they see it. (As many divorcees know from bitter experience).

Ellis

Well, then that's a good enough reason for me. Fair enough.

Thanks for the info.

Organisations use it as an excuse when they can't be bothered to do something for you (like work out your mortgage account number)

My wife had her wallet stolen overseas. The bank wouldn't stop her credit cards on my say. Partially understand this but they were nonetheless unhelpful. She then ran out of credits on her PAYG. Orange wouldn't let me top up neither would they phone her to arrange a top up.

Lots of other examples from banks where I administer accounts on behalf of various societies. All "jobsworth" responses. Commonsense has gone out of the window and it is no longer possible to talk to anyone in authority or with someone who actually knows you.

"rob." wrote

In that case, you should have refused to leave the counter until the teller had finished your transaction - ie, fill in the slip **at the counter** !

I prefer the "none of your f****** business" approach to those sorts of calls.

I just ask for their home phone number so I can call them back at an inconvenient time.