What would you do if a bank...

[mrsklamc]

emailed you an electronic copy of someone else's check in error? (Not our bank.) We feel as though we should notify the owner of the check. There is a a disclaimer at the bottom of the email saying if we received it in error we have no legal right to read it. Well, first of all, you put that at the bottom of the email, and second of all, I don't think you get to send me email and then dictate the terms under which I can read it.

 

[weHEARTmickey]

I would definitely notify the check owner, if you could find their contact info. Whether you were *supposed* to read it or not, it came to you, & you saw it. I would hope someone would let me know if MY bank negligently sent MY personal info over the internet. That's scary!

 

[Dismom55]

I would simply contact the bank and talk to a manager, would not like it myself and new technology leaves a bad taste in my mouth and with this information, just one more reason why. Some things just should remain simple.

 

[RitaE]

I'm betting that you have an address that is very similar to the customer and somebody - either the customer or a bank employee - made a mistake in filling out the email address in a field.

The notification is ridiculous but probably modified from that one commonly seen on FAX cover sheets. Nobody ever said businesses and lawyers make sense.

I'd call the bank and if you have an address on that check I'd print it out and mail it to them with a note that you received it in error at your email address. Between the two, somebody should get it corrected.

 

[LJSquishy]

I would not contact the check owner but I would notify the bank.

 

[kwelch10377]

I would call the bank and let them know. I would not call the checks owner. The bank should be the one contacting the check's owner. You can make yourself liable by not contacting the bank and them acknowledging that they sent you the check in error and your did not obtain the check owner's information another way. The bank may require you to sign something stating what happened which also protects you just in case the checks owner all of a sudden is claiming that they had their identity stolen and then turn around and accuse you.

 

[WanderLuster]

You should notify a manager at the bank. If you feel that they are not taking the matter seriously, I would recommend contacting the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and/or their federal or state banking regulator.

I believe this would be considered a violation of consumer privacy regulations and the bank would need to notify their customers and their primary regulator of the breach.

What's written above is solely my personal opinion. It should not be considered legal or professional advice.

 

[Riverhill]

Please remember that banks are run by people who are not perfect. Notify the bank and be done with it. Everytime any one writes a check they are giving their name, address, account number, routing number and in some cases phone number and DL number to a stranger. People hand their checks to cashiers at stores, people in billing departments, without a second thought of privacy and just assume no harm will come of it.

 

[kwelch10377]

Please remember that banks are run by people who are not perfect. Notify the bank and be done with it. Everytime any one writes a check they are giving their name, address, account number, routing number and in some cases phone number and DL number to a stranger. People hand their checks to cashiers at stores, people in billing departments, without a second thought of privacy and just assume no harm will come of it.

Keep on mind that in the cases you mention the customer knowingly gives these people their information. In this case the customer did not authorize their infomation being shared with the OP.

While it is a mistake, it is a serious mistake and the bank needs to make sure it is handled in a way that covers the OP, themselves and the check owner. There is someone on my team at work that deals with this everyday and it has to be handled properly.

 

[mrsklamc]

Please remember that banks are run by people who are not perfect.

Understood. Everyone makes mistakes, however we feel the check owner still has the right to be notified.

 

[angierae]

The bank customer probably gave their bank the wrong email address. The other day, a friend of mine got a recording contract in email for a woman in Australia who hadn't given her RECORD COMPANY the right email.

I'd just contact the bank and let them know they have a bad email address and be done with it.

 

[mrsklamc]

The bank customer probably gave their bank the wrong email address. The other day, a friend of mine got a recording contract in email for a woman in Australia who hadn't given her RECORD COMPANY the right email.

I'd just contact the bank and let them know they have a bad email address and be done with it.

There's no reason to believe it was the customer rather than the bank. Could have been either.

 

[marmalade]

I would print out a copy of the check and mail it to the address on the check stating just what happened. I wouldn't even bother contacting the bank, let the owner of the check handle that.

 

[pink_fins]

By all means notify the bank.... we kept getting anothers check deposits in our account.... If hubby wasn't good at balancing the statements. The other person would have been in trouble..... this happened for almost 6months.

We found out our routing number was off by one didgit on the end.....
The bank, was very good to work with.... guess lots of people never balance their check books against checking statements......

We finally had to open up a new numbered account to make it stop and all is fine now

Though out all this process we had to wonder if the person had lots of money or was just used to bouncing checks LOL

gail

 

[tms295psu]

Please remember that banks are run by people who are not perfect. Notify the bank and be done with it. Everytime any one writes a check they are giving their name, address, account number, routing number and in some cases phone number and DL number to a stranger. People hand their checks to cashiers at stores, people in billing departments, without a second thought of privacy and just assume no harm will come of it.

Exactly my opinion... Sooo many people see our checks and we don't think twice!

I cringe every time I had my credit card to the young cashier "texting" while working in the gas station... Sooo many times I've wondered if they took a picture of my card (numbers)!