Hi all,
Looking for some help and wisdom into a situation BA has placed me in.
At the start of October I was contacted by a stranger via. email and text message. He told me for the last year he has been receiving emails from BA meant for me that range from the standard booking confirmation type to the more back and forth type. After a brief discussion, we came to the conclusion he has been receiving every email I have been from BA. I therefore telephoned BA and had the case forwarded to the "Compliance Team".
After a week, I received a call from Customer Relations that stated:
- They found the cause: a member of staff copied and pasted the wrong email address into my executive club account.
- This email has acted as an alias and thus every email has gone to both emails.
- The incorrect email has been removed.
Two weeks hence, and again the issue is not resolved. Thanks to the thread about seeing data, I requested a copy. The incorrect email address is still listed as an alias.
I've telephoned again, this time with a view of three things:
1) Getting the email address removed.
2) A full breakdown of what data by myself has been accessed.
3) Compensation for the above.
Worryingly, I could not book flights this morning and received a generic email (as did this stranger one assumes) :
"In line with most major companies operating a financial awards and incentive scheme, we constantly review transactions on our Executive Club database to ensure compliance with the scheme's Terms and Conditions and to protect our Members.
This process highlighted some anomalies with your account, so for your protection we have locked your account".
British Airways have locked down my account. After a phone call (that was hard to accomplish as the agents just see "account locked" when I phone), I received this further email from the Audit team:
"Thank you for contacting us regarding the security of your account. I would advise that you change your email address and username as soon as possible to make sure your account is as secure as it can be.
To make sure your account is safe, I have had to place it into Lock status. Please accept my apologies for any inconvenience this may cause but please be assured you will still be able to accrue awards as normal.
Once I have received your confirmation of a password and email address change, I will unlock your account.".
I can only assume this auditor has seen the words "security" and "breach" and gone on the war path asking me to update my email address. I'm 99.9% convinced this will not fix the incorrect alias BA have placed on my account.
Further to this, I have been reached out to by Customer Relations that have stated they are "unable to offer a gesture and will not consider the matter further".
Therefore, what can I do now?
I'm stuck in a hard place with the audit team who can not remove the alias email address and insist if I create a new one it will help.
Customer Relations concede responsibility of British Airways but will offer no compensation.
My account is locked and will not be unblocked unless I create a new email (back to step one).
At the end of the day, British Airways have supplied a stranger with my travel plans and home address informing them when I am not in the house and indeed will not be in the future (if any of my bookings hold). They have accepted responsibility, found the cause but can not remove the alias email.
Am I going slightly mad here?
Thanks all!