Free data leak: is it possible to change French bank account number?
There are different numbers associated with your bank account
Iban numbers are used to make payments
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Reader Question: I have a contract with Free and I am concerned following the data leak about my bank account information being stolen. Can I keep the same account but request a new Iban?
As you mentioned, French telecoms company ‘Free’ was recently the victim of a hack, with the information of around 20 million customers leaked.
Among the information taken was the Ibans (international bank account numbers) of five million clients. You should have received an email from Free if you were concerned.
Read more: 20 million Free clients subject to data leak: what victims should do
Hackers cannot make transactions from your bank account with solely its IBAN, however it does increase the risk of being the victim of a fraud attempt.
New account is required
It is not possible to change your Iban – made up of 27 characters and used to make payments both domestically and overseas – as this is tied to an account.
The only way to change your Iban is by closing your old account and opening a new one.
You may be able to do this internally with your own bank, and at no cost for closing and re-opening an account with them.
As you are making the request because of the data leak they are likely more inclined to say yes, as it is a measure of safety for both yourself and the bank.
It is also sometimes possible to have multiple accounts with the same bank, although it is best to check this with your advisor as rules differ between banking companies – making an appointment with them to discuss the situation is your best course of action.
However, your bank may still refuse the above requests, and are under no obligation to do these for you.
Alternatively, you can open a new account with a different bank, and then close your old account.
One thing to note is that if you are opening a new bank account, you will need to switch over your direct debit payments as well as wait for a new bank card to be issued.
If switching between two banking providers, your new bank can transfer most of the payment information for you, as stated in the mobilité bancaire law of 2017 (read more about it in the linked article blow).
If opening a new bank account with your current provider, they may change over direct debit payments for you, but are not under an obligation to do so, as the mobilité bancaire rules only covers cases where customers switch between banks.
Read more: How to change bank account in France - and points to consider
