Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria S.A. – €60,000 Fine (Spain, 2021)
General GDPR enforcement action
This case relates to broader data protection obligations, not specifically to cookie or consent banner compliance. It is not included in cookie statistics or the Risk Calculator.
Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria S.A. was fined EUR 60,000 for sending unwanted SMS messages to a person with no contract with them. The bank admitted the mistake was due to human error. This case shows that companies must ensure accurate data handling to avoid privacy breaches.
What happened
Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria S.A. sent unsolicited SMS messages to a person who had no contractual relationship with them.
Who was affected
An individual who received unwanted SMS messages about non-payments from the bank despite having no contract with them.
What the authority found
The Spanish DPA found that the bank lacked a valid legal basis for sending the messages, violating GDPR's rules on data processing.
Why this matters
This case emphasizes the importance of accurate data management and the need for companies to verify customer information before sending communications. It serves as a warning to businesses about the risks of human error in data handling.
GDPR Articles Cited
The Spanish DPA (AEPD) has imposed a fine on Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria S.A.. A data subject filed a complaint with the DPA due to the fact that the controller repeatedly sent him SMS messages about non-payments, although he had no contractual relationship with the controller. The controller stated that the unsolicited SMS messages were sent due to human error on part of its employees. The original fine of EUR 100,000 was reduced to EUR 60,000 due to voluntary payment and admission of guilt.
Related Enforcement Actions (0)
No other enforcement actions found for Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria S.A. in ES
This is the only recorded action for this entity in this jurisdiction.
Details
Fine Date
16 December 2021
Authority
Agencia Española de Protección de Datos
Fine Amount
€60,000
Enforcement Tracker ID
ETid-968
About this data
Cite as: Cookie Fines. Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria S.A. - Spain (2021). Retrieved from cookiefines.eu
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