A former NatWest employee has revealed she still holds the financial details of 1,600 customers under her bed, more than a decade after being sacked for failing to return the information. The woman, who wishes to remain anonymous, told the BBC that her attempts to return the documents have 'taken over her life'.
The data, which includes account numbers, sort codes, and credit card details, was taken home as part of her mortgage sales role in Southampton in 2006. She was dismissed in 2009 for gross misconduct, but claims the bank refused to accept the documents back. NatWest stated that the situation resulted in 'no customer detriment' and believed all data was returned in 2012 via the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO).
The woman said she fears the data could fall into the wrong hands if her home is burgled, and feels the bank 'doesn't care' about affected customers. She has sought a settlement agreement involving payment and an indemnity from the bank, but NatWest says the return of the data is not contingent on compensation. The ICO has suggested a signed receipt for the documents would not be unreasonable, given the bank has no record of what data was provided.
The woman described the decade-long dispute as 'taken over my life', causing anxiety and strain on her family. NatWest reiterated that the woman was dismissed for repeatedly refusing to return customer information, and confirmed no concerns that the data has been shared with third parties.
