It was recently reported that Facebook is thinking about adding users’ banking information to Messenger. It was said to be in talks with Citigroup, JPMorgan Chase, Wells Fargo, and U.S. Bancorp for access to user data on card transactions and checking account balances. The world’s largest social network has issued its response to the report and has denied asking banks for users’ data.
The Wall Street Journal had reported that Facebook was actively asking banks for details of the financial transactions of its users. The company clarified that some of its users have opted in to access limited financial information in Messenger.
“Like many online companies with commerce businesses, we partner with banks and credit card companies to offer services like customer chat or account management,” the company said. The idea here is that messaging with a bank could be better than having to wait on hold over the phone. It’s an opt-in experience that Facebook is providing through Messenger.
Account linking is possible with Messenger but it’s being done on a small scale. For example, Facebook allows users in Singapore who bank with Citi to check their balances and view recent transactions. It also widely supports users who want to link their PayPal accounts to Messenger for tracking transactions.
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