# Bank of America bugging me for information when I log in **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 31, 2017, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bank-of-america-bugging-me-for-information-when-i-log-in/800258 "2017-10-31T01:29:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2017, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bank-of-america-bugging-me-for-information-when-i-log-in/800258/21 "2017-11-01T05:51:42Z")
Lucky me! I have an ancient old computer with an ancient old operating system (Linux about 10 years old) and a browser likewise. Most commercial and similar web sites don’t even work on with my browser any more! This is arguably Good News :rolleyes: With very rare exceptions, I NEVER have any need to go to any of these sites other than to pay bills or credit cards, etc. I’ve learned that I can pay bills by phone. Since I started doing this, I discovered something else: _Paying by phone is fast and easy and simple! I think it’s faster and easier and simpler than having to fool around with a web site._ If I got all new computer equipment, I would _still_ pay my bills by phone. ---
**Author:** ![PoppaSan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/poppasan/32/189_2.png) [@PoppaSan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PoppaSan)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2017, 10:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bank-of-america-bugging-me-for-information-when-i-log-in/800258/22 "2017-11-01T10:29:01Z")
> [@Senegoid](#): > > Lucky me! > > I have an ancient old computer with an ancient old operating system (Linux about 10 years old) and a browser likewise. Most commercial and similar web sites don’t even work on with my browser any more! This is arguably Good News :rolleyes: > > With very rare exceptions, I NEVER have any need to go to any of these sites other than to pay bills or credit cards, etc. I’ve learned that I can pay bills by phone. Since I started doing this, I discovered something else: > > _Paying by phone is fast and easy and simple! I think it’s faster and easier and simpler than having to fool around with a web site._ > > If I got all new computer equipment, I would _still_ pay my bills by phone. So it is faster and easier to type in numbers and letters from a phone keypad than a keyboard? Every time you want to bank? Having a secured log-in with preloaded boxes would not be easier? Waiting for the selections to be told to you to get the option to pay is faster than clicking a mouse? Except for a slow internet connection or a PC overloaded with graphics since it is sooooooo old, I’ll take the website. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2017, 11:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bank-of-america-bugging-me-for-information-when-i-log-in/800258/23 "2017-11-01T11:15:36Z")
Do not give the info. Contact Customer Service, by telephone. Use only the phone number printed on the back of your card. ---
**Author:** ![Fleetwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fleetwood/32/271_2.png) [@Fleetwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fleetwood)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2017, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bank-of-america-bugging-me-for-information-when-i-log-in/800258/24 "2017-11-01T13:58:14Z")
> [@Senegoid](#): > > Lucky me! > > I have an ancient old computer with an ancient old operating system (Linux about 10 years old) and a browser likewise. Most commercial and similar web sites don’t even work on with my browser any more! This is arguably Good News :rolleyes: > > With very rare exceptions, I NEVER have any need to go to any of these sites other than to pay bills or credit cards, etc. I’ve learned that I can pay bills by phone. Since I started doing this, I discovered something else: > > _Paying by phone is fast and easy and simple! I think it’s faster and easier and simpler than having to fool around with a web site._ > > If I got all new computer equipment, I would _still_ pay my bills by phone. Did you hear the latest? It seems that most companies also accept payments via the US mail. ---
**Author:** ![eg8576736](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@eg8576736](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eg8576736)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2018, 9:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bank-of-america-bugging-me-for-information-when-i-log-in/800258/25 "2018-02-25T09:50:18Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > I don’t think so. I’ve been getting that message for some time when I log in. Since the info is none of their business, I just close the pop up. I’ve never had any problems. Actually it is their business since they’re performing a service for you. Googling this issue shows a likely cause to be cutting losses on shady international businesses and tightening of rules that may be related to Trump cracking down on immigrants. That’s one of the few things I respect about Trump. Of course he’s complicit in good ol’ boy stuff with banks in general. Since millions of people are probably being asked this (BofA in my case) I wouldn’t take it personally. You may draw a lot more attention be refusing to answer, just as you’d do by refusing to give your bank an address or driver license. It takes little effort to at least tell them you’re not a dual citizen. The income question is trickier but only a criminal would have to outright lie about it, and if I was a banker I wouldn’t want to harbor criminals. Yes, I know some will say many bankers may as well be criminals but that’s a separate issue and two wrongs don’t make a right. ---
**Author:** ![watchwolf49](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9c0ed/32.png) [@watchwolf49](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/watchwolf49)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2018, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bank-of-america-bugging-me-for-information-when-i-log-in/800258/26 "2018-02-25T12:40:51Z")
I agree with **Colibri** … these banks are just trying to suck more personnel information from us for marketing … there’s value in this information and these banks can make a little extra money selling our personnel information to spammers and advertising outfits … we should be getting the “privacy statement” every year where it explains that the bank collects this information but only shares it with affiliated agencies … it will leave the impression they keep the data “in house” and never sell it to outside companies … hahaha … \ You know what goes in here \ ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2018, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bank-of-america-bugging-me-for-information-when-i-log-in/800258/27 "2018-02-25T16:07:47Z")
> [@eg8576736](#): > > That’s one of the few things I respect about Trump. Of course he’s complicit in good ol’ boy stuff with banks in general. > > … > > Yes, I know some will say many bankers may as well be criminals but that’s a separate issue and two wrongs don’t make a right. **Moderator Note** Let’s refrain from political commentary and professional jabs. No warning issued, but keep your posts factual. Colibri General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![casdave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@casdave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/casdave)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2018, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bank-of-america-bugging-me-for-information-when-i-log-in/800258/28 "2018-02-25T16:11:31Z")
I suspect that this is a way around the rules of protecting personal data in financial institutions - I am cynical but I would not be surprised to find that information gathered in this specific way can be sold and traded more easily for profit. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2018, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bank-of-america-bugging-me-for-information-when-i-log-in/800258/29 "2018-02-25T17:20:53Z")
> [@eg8576736](#): > > Since millions of people are probably being asked this (BofA in my case) I wouldn’t take it personally. You may draw a lot more attention be refusing to answer, just as you’d do by refusing to give your bank an address or driver license. It takes little effort to at least tell them you’re not a dual citizen. The income question is trickier but only a criminal would have to outright lie about it, and if I was a banker I wouldn’t want to harbor criminals. I haven’t seen the question again for quite some time, so it really doesn’t seem to be a serious concern on their part. I think it is far far more likely that they want to market financial products to me than that they are trying to find out if I am money-laundering. This is my oldest credit card account, that I have had for more than 25 years. I actually use it very little since their on-line payment options are much less convenient than my other account. I have no more than a few hundred dollars in transactions on this card each year. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bank-of-america-bugging-me-for-information-when-i-log-in/800258.md?page=1)