Revolut is currently facing a class action lawsuit in Illinois, with allegations that the UK-based fintech giant has unlawfully collected, used, and stored customers’ biometric data.
When individuals apply to become Revolut customers, they are required to submit photos of their ID alongside a selfie. Facial recognition software is employed to verify that both images belong to the same person.
Court documents, first reported by the Cook County Record, reveal that plaintiff Tina Haralampopoulos claims Revolut has violated Illinois’ Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA). The lawsuit states that the company failed to disclose how applicants’ biometric data is collected, stored, and destroyed, nor did it secure written consent.
Furthermore, the lawsuit asserts that Revolut does not inform customers about the involvement of any third parties in this process.
The filing warns that the use of biometric identification software in Revolut’s registration process poses significant and irreversible privacy risks, particularly as users may not be aware that their biometric identifiers are being collected during the application.
The plaintiff is seeking a court order to declare that Revolut’s practices violate BIPA, an injunction to cease the collection of biometric data, as well as an award for damages.