Lloyds Banking Group has initiated an inquiry following reports from customers of Lloyds, Halifax, and Bank of Scotland who claimed they could access the transactions of other users on their app and online banking platforms.
One individual recounted to the BBC that she could view the accounts of six different users on her Bank of Scotland app within a 20-minute timeframe. Among the transactions she allegedly witnessed were benefit payments from the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) using recipients’ National Insurance numbers as payment references.
Additionally, she noted seeing payments from a pub in Newcastle and transactions to Waitrose, despite the absence of a nearby Waitrose store.
Consumer advocate Martin Lewis shared on social media that individuals had contacted him regarding the display of others’ transactions. Multiple users confirmed seeing unfamiliar payments before the app reverted to showing their own transactions.
The total number of affected individuals remains unknown, considering Lloyds Banking Group serves approximately 26 million clients. The issue emerged around 7 am, with a surge in complaints reported on DownDetector, an outage tracking platform.
A spokesperson for Lloyds Banking Group expressed regret over the temporary disruption in transaction visibility within the app and assured that the problem was swiftly rectified. The organization is actively investigating the incident.
In a separate account, a woman described feeling as though she had stumbled upon someone else’s financial activities when she logged into her banking app and discovered unauthorized transactions. The Edinburgh resident expressed concerns over the security of her personal information and the distress caused by the unexpected financial discrepancies visible in her account.
This unsettling incident has left many users questioning the integrity of their banking apps and the safeguarding of their private financial data.