Date of birth as PIN code ‘not gross negligence’

Using one’s date of birth as a bank card PIN code may not be the safest option, but it is still a secret combination, Belgium’s financial ombudsman has deemed. Some victims of bank card theft had been refused compensation by their banks who claimed that, because the PIN code was their date of birth, the financial loss was their own fault. However, presenting the new annual report, ombudswoman Françoise Sweerts made it clear that one’s date of birth still represents a secret code and that, although it can be regarded as careless, it does not constitute gross negligence – the legal requirement for refusing to pay out compensation – as with your birthdate you can still make a lot of number combinations.