Warning: Bank of America Giving Access to Random Accounts

Posted on Sep 24, 2012 by rasengan

Today, we received an invoice for one of our expenses. To send the payment, I logged into Bank of America’s website to use their ACH (Automated Clearing House) system.  Once logged in, I was able to click on the ‘Transfers’ button.  Up until this point, everything was fine and I was viewing my own account.  However, after entering the transfer interface, I ran into a huge privacy issue that should have never occurred in an online banking session:  I was looking at someone else’s name, bank accounts, balances, e-mail address and more.

I have attached screenshots (with some information redacted) and have also e-mailed the bank reporting the issue.  I am definitely not WATSON, and these are not my bank account numbers or bank account balances.  It’s possible* that had I gone through with this payment it would have come out of WATSON’s account and not mine.

Logging out and logging back in seemed to fix the issue and I haven’t been able to reproduce it since its first occurrence.

BofA Communication

BofA Transfer

Here is the letter to which we have not yet received a response:

BofA Email

[Awaiting Response.]

This is a serious privacy issue that needs to be addressed.  If I can see someone else’s information, doesn’t that mean someone can see yours or mine?

Llama Stare

* Some readers pointed out that it is possible but not clear and the text has been updated for this purpose.

Comments are closed.

17 Comments

  1. Paco

    That is strange because I also have BoA and when I do transfers I don’t get that interface…

    12 years ago
  2. Maryam

    I had an issue with Bank of America about 5 years ago in which they added someone to my account without my knowledge or consent. They paid back the money that was taken out of my account, but did not fire the employee that was responsible for making the addition. Have not banked with them since… >_>

    12 years ago
    1. robertsgt40

      Good move leaving BoA(or any/all of the big boys). They are ALL insolvent.  When TSHTF people are gonna lose a bunch.  I suggest a smaller local bank or a credit union if you must have a bank.  I pulled all funds out of the system 4yrs ago and converted to physical silver.  Only keep what’s needed for daily existence.  The dollar is in a death spiral.  There was no way for me to justify making less than 1% and having to pay taxes on that.  My motto is “starve the beast”

      12 years ago
  3. Jtmoney

    WHAT THE FUCK!?!?!?  We need a response from B of A on this issue ASAP.

    12 years ago
  4. Anonymous

    Is this a first-hand account of your account, Andres?

    12 years ago