Consumer complaint received 2024-12-27 00:00:00
Product: Money transfer, virtual currency, or money service — Mobile or digital wallet
Issue: Managing, opening, or closing your mobile wallet account — 
Company: Block, Inc.
State: NC

Complaint narrative:
I am filing a formal complaint against Square Payments , Inc. for engaging in invasive data practices, illegally withholding funds, and exposing me to identity theft risks. 
Square Payments is demanding access to my private banking information via XXXX and requesting that I upload my government-issued identification over an insecure platform, despite having already securely verified my identity through their mobile application during signup. These actions violate multiple federal laws, including the following : 1. Electronic Fund Transfer Act ( 15 U.S.C. 1693f ) : Square Payments is unlawfully withholding funds from my account, which are critical to my business and personal survival. 

2. Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act ( 15 U.S.C. 6801 ) : Their demand to access unnecessary transaction-level details in my bank account constitutes a breach of their duty to protect my financial data. 

3. Federal Trade Commission Act ( 15 U.S.C. 45 ) : Their deceptive practices at signup, including implying that my secure mobile ID verification was sufficient, directly violate this statute. 
Additional Details I am writing to formally object to Square Payments ( Block, Incs ) recent demands for access to my personal banking account details via XXXX and the insecure submission of my government-issued identification. These demands are invasive, unnecessary, and constitute a breach of my rights under multiple federal and state laws. 
At the time of signing up for Square Payments, I securely verified my identity using their mobile ID verification application. This process required me to submit photos of : The front and back of my drivers license, The barcode on the license, and A selfie to match my identity to my drivers license. 
These documents were securely transmitted, cleared, and approved during the signup process. Despite this, Square is now requesting that I resubmit my sensitive identification documents through an insecure platform, creating a significant risk of identity theft. 
Additionally, my bank account and debit card are already securely linked to my Square account. Despite this, Square is demanding access to view personal details within my bank account, which is unnecessary, invasive, and violates my privacy. 
Violations These actions are unacceptable and constitute the following violations : 1. Illegal Data Privacy Breach : o Your demand to access personal banking information, beyond the basic linkage for payment transfers, violates the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act ( 15 U.S.C. 6801 ), which mandates that financial institutions protect sensitive customer data. Accessing transaction-level details of my account is unnecessary and unlawful. 

2. Identity Theft Risk : o By requesting that I upload my drivers license over an insecure channel, Square Payments is exposing me to identity theft. This violates the North Carolina Identity Theft Protection Act ( N.C. Gen. Stat. 75-60 ), which protects individuals from unnecessary exposure to identity theft risks. 

3. Deceptive Business Practices : o Squares actions violate the Federal Trade Commission Act ( 15 U.S.C. 45 ) and the North Carolina Unfair and Deceptive Trade Practices Act ( N.C. Gen. Stat. 75-1.1 ). At signup, I was explicitly required to verify my identity using a secure mobile app, and the documents were approved. This subsequent request contradicts the initial assurances of sufficiency and is deceptive. 

4. Unlawful Withholding of Funds : o Squares actions have already resulted in the unjustified withholding of my funds, violating the Electronic Fund Transfer Act ( 15 U.S.C. 1693f ). Their additional demands further prevent me from accessing funds critical to my business and personal survival. 
Demands I demand the following immediate actions from Square Payments : 1. Refrain from requesting access to personal bank account transaction details via XXXX. Respect the account linkage I authorized during signup. 
2. Cease requiring re-submission of my government-issued identification. My identity has already been securely verified.

3. Release all withheld funds immediately.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation