Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To panic over this???? (GDPR breach)

124 replies

aconfusedperson · 06/10/2020 22:48

Hi all,

So I was emailing a company back and forth regarding a faulty product.

Included in this email thread was my full name, old address, new address, and personal mail address.

I replied to an email in the thread this afternoon and it somehow reached a customer who has a similar first name to me. She replied asking to be removed from the conversation but upon investigation, she has access to the whole thread, meaning a random stranger out there knows very personal information.

I am an extremely private person and things like this give me a lot of anxiety. I especially keep my address private due to past problems with stalkers etc.

Any advice on what to do? Can I sue this company for GDPR breach?

Thanks

OP posts:
CayrolBaaaskin · 06/10/2020 23:13

You can’t sue for a GDPR breach. You could contact the ICO but they don’t have time or resources to chase up stuff as small as this. I would put it behind you.

CitizenFame · 06/10/2020 23:14

How is YOU replying to an incorrect email address their fault? Confused

Brighterthansunflowers · 06/10/2020 23:19

You’re overreacting massively

The random stranger bothered to reply and ask to be removed, not usually something someone with bad intentions would do!

By all means complain to the company involved but don’t threaten to sue them, they’ll just roll their eyes at that kind of hyperbole. I would suggest focusing on whether they should be asking for bank details via unsecured email. Including someone else in the email was an accident, a human error, these things happen unfortunately.

user1473878824 · 06/10/2020 23:22

“ Anyone would be crazy not to take further action even if it is just getting a warning sent to the company.”

Raise it to the company. Say you’re unhappy. Warning sent. You want to sue them for what? If be furious and keeping my eye on my bank account but it just sounds like you want money from them. Speak to your bank if you’re that worried.

Onadifferentuniverse · 06/10/2020 23:26

I can’t think of a single scenario where you’d put your bank details into an email.

Are you having us on op?

Eng123 · 06/10/2020 23:27

Just change bank details. You know who had access. Dont fret worse things happen at sea.

Singinginshower · 06/10/2020 23:31

aconfusedperson
I do have sympathy for you, because I am also a very very private person.
However, in a work capacity, I have in the past often received emails meant for someone else, and have simply drawn this to the attention of the sender.
Similarly other recipients of mail meant for me have done the same.
I have come to the conclusion that the world is mostly full of decent people who have no wish to receive information that doesn't concern them.

Original poster
aconfusedperson · 06/10/2020 23:32

The bank details were in the email because it was supposed to be encrypted. The company had reached out regarding a faulty item (I verified it was said company) and offered to refund or replace. Initially I chose for getting a replacement hence why I had to give them my address. They then said this was no longer possible as manufacturing was put on pause because of COVID. They then said they would do a bank transfer but for some reason there were delays - they seem quite useless now looking back.

I then replied to the ENCRYPTED thread asking for a cheque to be sent. This was at 9-something PM and their offices all close at 6pm. The email was not forwarded due to human error. They either have some sort of bug or their system is just not built well and the email automatically got bounced to a customer. There is no good reason why she should have or could have received the email.

I replied to the person straight away asking her to delete and she did not respond. The reason I am so panicked is because I recently relocated to the address mentioned for my own personal safety. My life was in danger and to me, this person could do anything with that information. Of course I am thinking of the worst case scenario but it is not a nice feeling.

I don't care if I get compensation personally, but I feel that the company should get into trouble/have to pay a fine or something.

OP posts:
Original poster
aconfusedperson · 06/10/2020 23:33

also just a note - some of you are rude!!!! I suggested suing the company and you all thought I was after money! I am after justice!!

OP posts:
wheresmymojo · 06/10/2020 23:33

The only thing someone can do with your bank details really is send you money...which would be a bonus.

All of those of us who are self employed regularly send all kinds of businesses and people our invoices with our bank details on 🤷🏻‍♀️

Original poster
aconfusedperson · 06/10/2020 23:34

@CitizenFame i replied to the company email as in replied directly to the person from their team that had emailed me. thank you for being clever though!

OP posts:
wheresmymojo · 06/10/2020 23:35

You should raise a complaint to the organisation about GDPR.

You should also though consider that your level of anxiety around this is not 'normal', obviously it has triggered memories of your stalking which is understandable but you are catastrophising and nothing bad will happen as a result of this.

Rose789 · 06/10/2020 23:36

I replied to an email in the thread this afternoon and it somehow reached a customer who has a similar first name to me.
So was it your error of the companies error that the third party got the email chain?
If it is the companies fault you can raise a complaint with their complaints team. They can send an email to the recipient formally asking her to delete the information. And can investigate your concerns.
No you can’t sue them.
I can’t understand why bank details would be put on a generic email. If the email thread was shared with a random third party it is obviously not encrypted and therefore not secure.

The blessing is as the women responded asking to be removed it is highly unlikely she will have ill intentions. No one can do anything with a sort code and account number apart from set up a direct debit. Make sure you receive notifications from your bank when any direct debits are set up.

MadameBlobby · 06/10/2020 23:36

Raise it as a data breach but then try and forget about it. Shit happens. The other person has probably deleted and forgotten all about it.

Rose789 · 06/10/2020 23:37

I’m so sorry my last post was a cross post with yours op please ignore it Flowers

CruzControl · 06/10/2020 23:38

I don't think you know what "encrypted" means. Also, if you hit "reply", it wouldn't go to a random person's email account - that's not possible. You can't sue them. To be honest, this sounds like your fault but, if it isn't, make a complaint and you'll find out. Bollocks are you looking for "justice" by suing them.

HibiscusNell · 06/10/2020 23:38

I’m also not sure if the information shared is that much of an issue. Are you wanting to be compensated or are you just wanting to ensure it doesn’t happen again?

MadameMeursault · 06/10/2020 23:40

It’s a breach. Report it to the ICO.

Babyboomtastic · 06/10/2020 23:40

It seems to be drip feed after drip feed here. First you forget to mention you'd included your bank details, then you mention that you've recently relocated for your personal safety. If those things were bothering you so much in relation to this, surely you'd have mentioned them at the beginning.

It was a minor mistake, these things happen. They can do little with the bank details you've provided than give you money, and most people's addresses are pretty readily available anyway, or at least traditionally have been for decades. Remember the old phone directories, listing everyone's name, address and phone number.

It does seem quite melodramatic to me to go to the IC over this.

olderthanyouthink · 06/10/2020 23:41

Bank details as I'm sort number and account number? That's not a big deal

Email address probably not a big deal

Home address, I just looked mine up on the electoral roll (actually not my current but two past addressed)

It shouldn't have happened but human error 🤷‍♀️

Report it to the company but i don't know what "justice" you expect?

MadameMeursault · 06/10/2020 23:41

@aconfusedperson

also just a note - some of you are rude!!!! I suggested suing the company and you all thought I was after money! I am after justice!!
This is AIBU. A lot of people are on here for the sole purpose of being rude to random people.
SquirtleSquad · 06/10/2020 23:42

Your name and address? Every single worker in every factory/business who has ever sent you anything had that info, every eBay seller, post office worker.. every single delivery driver, post man/woman.. takeaway/food delivery person.

As for bank details, Surely it's just bank account number and sort code - are you worried someone might pay money into your account?

As for "stalkers...etc" - what's the etc?! It's not typical for people to be blasé like they've got a crazy stalker here and there etc etc.

Osirus · 06/10/2020 23:46

It’s a breach but it’s unlikely there’ll be any serious repercussions.

Also, you can’t sue. You’ve not suffered a loss.

You might suffer a huge financial loss if you try to take them to court Grin

gingerwhinger0 · 06/10/2020 23:47

Have you checked the email address that you hit reply to.
It’ seems odd that some random woman, who just so happens to have a similar sounding name to you would get an email that was addressed to customer [email protected]. I’ve never heard of an IT glitch doing that.
My emai, that I’ve had for years, likes to insert email addresses I’ve not used in years, so I check before I hit send. If you’ve not checked then I would say the fault is yours.

malmi · 06/10/2020 23:51

If it's email it was never encrypted. Email doesn't work like that, unless you know what you're doing.

If "bank details" are sort code and account number, that's no problem, they're not secret and nobody can steal money off you with them. If it's your online bank login details that's a different matter, but it sounds like it's not.

It's not great if your details have been exposed to another customer. But report it to the company and ensure they take it seriously.