We are having a discussion about encrypting emails that contain pre-qualification letters and commitment letters as attachments. They can be sent to the borrower, realtor, or both. Our FI requires all emails with attachments to be sent encrypted. This is by directive of the IT Department.

What is happening is the recipient, because of the type of devise they use, can't open the attachments and the sales manager wants to be able to send these docs not encrypted. I feel that there is enough personal information in the letters that encryption should be required.

Any thoughts?

If they want to send it unencrypted, tell them to put a stamp on the envelope that they mail it in.

Thanks. I will use that.

They seem to think the only reason something has to be sent encrypted is if it has complete account numbers listed. They don't seem to understand just the fact that there is any sort of financial information, encryption is required.

Then, of course, they tell you that nobody else does it and it hurts us competitively.

As a bank customer, I'd be very upset if I was ever emailed anything containing any financial information and it was sent unencrypted; I should be sent a link directing me to your website and requiring me to log in, to view your message or letter.

I'd also be remarkably upset if I applied for something online and was sent US snail mail as any part of the response. This is flippin' 2020 after all.

I'd advise your sales people that the competitors are probably not FDIC insured banks but brokers, and there are quite a few things that brokers do that if a bank sales person did, it would get them fired. And exposing bank customer information in an unencrypted email is one of them.

We use a share file site for commercial and resi customers in order to exchange docs back and forth, have IT look into that. Either that or secure e-mail.

"because no one else does it that way" is never a reason to stop doing something that is in place to protect the bank. I'd suggest finding out if there is an update for your email software that allows the "type of device they are using" to be compatible with your email software, or ask the client to come to the bank to get the physical papers in person. Alternatively, FedEx overnight.

The very first thing we set up with our customers after application, who wish to conduct any electronic communication with us is set them up with a secure email portal. Its either that, or bring up paper copies that we can keep.

I don't accept "But everyone else is doin' it..." from my teenagers or my employees.

that and "we have always done it that way" are guaranteed to get a negative reaction from me every time