The changing nature of the relationship between a retail bank and its
customers is examined, particularly with respect to new financial concepts,
debt and regulation. The traditional image of a bank is portrayed as a physical
building a classical Doric portico. This image conveys concepts of service,
soundness, strength, stability and security ("five-S"). That "five-S" concept
is changing, and the evidence for changes that affect customers directly is
considered. A fundamental legal problem associated with those changes is
highlighted: a bank is no longer solely responsible for the safeguard of
customer monies. A solution to this problem is proposed: banks should be
jointly liable with perpetrators of criminal activity in the event of frauds as
an encouragement to recognise and mitigate fraud.Comment: Proceedings 29th SASE Conference, Lyon France, June-July 201
