Frequently asked questions
New to Atto (formerly DirectID)? Welcome aboard! Have a look below for answers to common queries. For more specific assistance, our support team is just an email away.
Get in touch1. Meet Atto.
1.1 What is Atto (formerly DirectID)?
Atto is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) as an Account Information Services Provider (AISP). This means we facilitate the information sharing process from your bank account to the business who would like to know more about you.
This process is read-only, encrypted with bank level security and only goes ahead with your explicit consent.
1.2 Why have I been asked to use Atto?
With Atto, instead of having to collate different documents to prove who you are or your creditworthiness, you can securely share up to 12-months of transaction information directly from your account.
Atto gives businesses a digital way to access this information - so they can get to know you quickly, securely and seamlessly.
1.3 How does Atto work?
By logging in with your online banking details, Atto securely shares only the necessary information with the company you're dealing with.
You're directed to your online banking login page, where you securely log in. From there, Atto shares only specific (read-only) information through secure APIs to the vendor of the product or service you are applying for.
It's important to remember the information is read-only, so no one can make changes to your account or take payments.
1.4 Am I automatically enrolled?
No. You're in the driver's seat. Nobody will be able to see your data without your explicit consent. Even if you consent, you can revoke access at any time.
1.5 Is my data safe with Atto?
Always.
Atto employs bank level security, layered and protected by tokenised oAuth authentication and strong encryption. All transaction data is encrypted and access to your chosen information is read-only and based on explicit consent.
Your bank login information will never be shared with anyone other than your bank.
All firms, including The ID Co. (the parent company of Atto), need to be regulated and registered with the Open Banking Implementation Authority (OBIE). You can find Atto alongside the full list of regulated providers on the OBIE website.
1.6 Which information does Atto access?
Atto can access a range of different (read-only) information from account holders.
This can include:
- Transaction data
- Current balance
- Account number
- Account name
- Account type
- Sort code
- Routing number
- Bank transition number
- BSB account holder
1.7 How much does it cost?
Using Atto to share your information is free - the business you are talking to absorbs all the costs.
2. Understanding open banking
2.1 What is 'open banking'?
The Open Banking Implementation Entity (OBIE) which oversees open banking in the UK describes the process as “a secure way to give providers access to your financial information.”
Open banking exists to give consumers more control over their data than they had before. You can decide when a provider can or can't see your information, how long for and revoke consent at any time.
2.2 How does open banking work?
Through the use of APIs (Application Programming Interfaces). APIs allow different types of software to talk to each other. So with an API, we direct you to your online login with your selected bank.
Once you have logged in, the company you have chosen to share your information with will be given access to certain (read-only) information through APIs. This will only be information you have explicitly consented to sharing.
2.3 How do I benefit from using open banking?
Open banking was designed to give you more choices for financial products.
It removes the need to collate a variety of documents (such as bank statement PDFs) to prove who you are, your creditworthiness or any other information a company might need to know to offer a financial product to you.
By choosing to share your data, it also allows a company to assess you based on your current financial profile, rather than solely relying on information gathered from different credit bureaus.
2.4 Who can access my information?
Only the vendor of Atto will be able to see your data. Even then, the data will be in read-only format with no ability to make payments or take any other type of action. Nobody will be able to see your data without your explicit consent.
3. Support and assistance
3.1 I can’t find my bank!
Don't fret. Atto supports thousands of banks across the world. When searching for your bank please try entering the partial or full name. If you still cannot find your bank, please contact the company that has asked you to use Atto.
3.2 I'm an Atto vendor and need support using the product.
If you're an Atto vendor in need of support using the product, we're here to assist you. Simply reach out to our support team at: support@atto.co
Additionally, if you're a developer, you may find helpful resources in our developer documents section.
3.3 Who can I contact if I need additional support or assistance?
We are based in the UK and keep standard business hours of 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday. Our phone number is (+44) 845 119 3333. Our contact us page can be found here. Other email addresses that you may find helpful:
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