Got an email from a bank saying my account has been put in a restricted state because they have been unable to reach me. Their emails reach me fine. They rarely send paper mail but when they do I can see that they have the correct address on file.

Then I looked closer at their email, examined the HTML, and found that they insert a tracker pixel in their messages. So if I were to use a graphical mail client with default configs, they would surreptitiously get a signal telling them my IP (thus whereabouts) and time of day every time I open my email from them. I use a text client so the tracker pixels get ignored.

Would a bank conclude from lack of tracker pixels signals that they are not reaching a customer, and then lock down their account?

I’m not going to call them and ask… fuck them for interrupting my day and making me dance. I don’t lick boots like that. I just wonder if anyone else who does not trigger tracker pixels has encountered this situation.

  • BearOfaTime
    2·
    2 hours ago

    I never even open emails from my credit union, the few I get.

    Change banks. Move to a credit union.

    I save $500/year in fees because I have multiple accounts and banks change for that.

    My credit union doesn’t care. Everything works the same, still have an app if I want, can do balance checks and transfers via text (and if I’m Sim-jacked, that’s disabled, I’ve tested it).

    If they see unusual transactions I’ll get a text and a phone call. I then call the number I have (not the one they give me) or login via the website (which uses 2 verification mechanisms).