Re: Citibank Spyware Tracking Your Online Banking now Mandatory

From: Michael Pelletier (mjpelletier_at_mjpelletier.com)
Date: 04/27/05

  • Next message: M Trimble: "Re: HELP!!!! need help with hijack log results" 
    Date: Tue, 26 Apr 2005 19:54:38 -0700

    David H. Lipman wrote:

    > From: <unet19@yahoo.com>
    >
    > | Citibank has started forcing customers to allow 3rd parties to track
    > | and collect data on what you are doing when you are using online
    > | banking. Before April, you had a choice to reject this intrusion. The
    > | bank relies on the fact that most customers are not aware of this
    > | tactic and don't know how to limit it by rejecting 3rd-party cookies.
    > |
    > | The only cookies that should be required are those from citibank.com -
    > | not some sleazy data-collection outfit. This new requirement started
    > | on XP systems (using Internet Explorer) - soon to spread to all systems
    > | I'm sure. Also, there was no warning that the next day you will not be
    > | able to pay your bills until you allowing this intrusion.
    > |
    > | The help-desk is useless. They read from a prepared list of steps to
    > | check your browser settings and that's it. Most don't even seem to
    > | know what a cookie is, let alone 3rd-party cookies. Even fewer know
    > | about data-collection or spyware.
    > |
    > | Citibank's privacy statement says that they will share information
    > | about you with other affiliated companies (one of which is a spyware
    > | company called Bridgetrack which they do not mention.). But they have
    > | this information without letting these companies gather it themselves
    > | with their own cookies. Following you around while you are updating
    > | secure financial information online is akin to having such companies
    > | looking over your shoulder at the teller's window in the bank The
    > | line needs to be drawn somewhere. This sort of voyeurism and invasion
    > | of privacy should be illegal.
    > |
    > | Let Citibank know that you are aware of what's going on and that you
    > | don't like it. If enough customers who have large deposits complain
    > | and threaten to change banks, maybe this bank will return to the policy
    > | of making such tracking optional like it is at other online banking
    > | centers.
    >
    > Cookies are the LEAST of your problem and are NOT SpyWare !
    >
    > According to FTC regulations, all financial institutions are required to
    > provide you a
    > privacy statement and a methodology to "opt out" of solicitations. If you
    > are worried, send CitiBank a formal, signed, letter stating that they are
    > barred from sharing *any* personal data with third party companies and
    > companies not directly involved with your CitiBank
    > account(s). Also state that your data can NOT be shared for marketing
    > purposes as well. I
    > actually have been doing this for years. Long before the FTC mandated
    > that financial institutions must provide a yearly privacy statement
    >

    Good idea. Does it really work? More importantly, is the company required to
    follow your request?

    Michael 

    -- 
"Microsoft isn't evil, they just make really crappy operating systems." -
Linus Torvald
  • Next message: M Trimble: "Re: HELP!!!! need help with hijack log results"

    Relevant Pages