http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/moneybox/3689480.stm

They think they can cough up £50 to each customer and that makes everything alright. :mad:

Its a start. And they have said that if a customer can prove that they have been the victims of fraud because of this then it will go further.

What figure would you put on compensation? Personally if my email address was sent out to hundreds of people and I was given 50 quid compensation I'd be quite happy.

Well, if it was myself I would be seriously considering withdrawing my funds. It is incompetence in my book and it is imperative that you can trust the security and integrity of the organization you choose to bank with.

E'mails with account details that were sent out by the HFC cannot be used for withdrawing funds from a bank.
It is the same as throwing your bank statement or atm reciept away and someone picking it up.
the only fraud that can be done is to use the information and take that persons identity which is what has been happening recently with some illegals.
However.....after speaking to the police after someone used my wifes name to obtain a loan I was informed that the useing of the name was not fraud but if that person did not pay back the loan then action could be taken.



What amazes me is that the T.I.C. has declined to take action against the bank even though it has stated that the HFC has broken the Law regarding The Data protection Act.

Incedently come to think of it, Dont the banks share information freely about your credit status etc

Ín fact anyone with a business can check your credit history through Experian or Dunn & Bradstreet and obtain the information as to how much you owe to creditors, how many loans you have had and how many you have paid.

Having stated the above, can someone please let me know where the data protection act comes in?

I'd take the 50 quid and still pull out.

Banks get away with blue murder these days because we're all dependent upon the 'services' they offer. Just try paying for things with cash nowadays - everyone wants to get paid by credit card, debit card or direct debit. They exhibit levels of incompetence that are astounding. Having worked for a couple of bank / credit card companies I could tell tales to make your hair curl.

And as for the data protection people not taking action - pathetic. It's a gross breach of privacy and trust, and data has gone to places where it shouldn't have gone. They should prosecute and do it very publicly. Or perhaps they're just another paper tiger - good at scaring the pants off of small companies and happy to take their registration fee under the DPA but not happy to go after the big boys.

Another institution to lose my respect - the Information Commissioner.

Joe

Originally posted by DerekH
after speaking to the police after someone used my wifes name to obtain a loan I was informed that the useing of the name was not fraud but if that person did not pay back the loan then action could be taken.

Obtaining money by deception under an assumed name is not fraud then?? :suspect:

If thats the case Im gonna set of a new venture obtaining money using other peoples names. Anyone for free cash :clap:

Originally posted by Deejay
Obtaining money by deception under an assumed name is not fraud then?? :suspect:

If thats the case Im gonna set of a new venture obtaining money using other peoples names. Anyone for free cash :clap:


Ask a policeman......it only becomes deception if they don't pay it back....I always thought my name was for use only by me but it seems that I was wrong so you can all use each others name to get credit just so long as you pay back what you borrow.

Originally posted by JoePritchard

And as for the data protection people not taking action - pathetic....... Or perhaps they're just another paper tiger - good at scaring the pants off of small companies and happy to take their registration fee under the DPA but not happy to go after the big boys.

Joe

We are currently involved in litigation against SCC. As evidence for their defence they have given us, someone elses housing history and file. We tried to inform the DPA, only to be told they have acted legally!!

FFS. It is personal & confidential information we have been given access to, and the DPA says the council have acted legitimatly.

You are right to distrust the (dis)Information Commissioner (and minions)!


On the subject of this thread....

I read this yesterday on TheRegister, then found the "disgruntled customers" forum. Which has now been locked by htaccess due to some pretty nasty comments (by "Guest" users - HFC perchance?)!!

If I had an account with them, it would be closed as soon as I had their crappy £50 offer and would inform them (in writing, rec delivery) that my acceptance of their "derisory" offer would in no way predjudice any future claims against them.

Originally posted by sccsux
We are currently involved in litigation against SCC. As evidence for their defence they have given us, someone elses housing history and file. We tried to inform the DPA, only to be told they have acted legally!!

FFS. It is personal & confidential information we have been given access to, and the DPA says the council have acted legitimatly.

You are right to distrust the (dis)Information Commissioner (and minions)!

Data Protection: Has anyone thought about where the loan companies, windows etc' get your telephone number from even though you are unlisted?

After confronting one of these companies regarding how they got the info I was informed that they buy lists from other institutions that have your info'. Makes you think!

Originally posted by DerekH
Data Protection: Has anyone thought about where the loan companies, windows etc' get your telephone number from even though you are unlisted?

Most of this information is available from your local city council (in the form of the eloctoral roll) which anyone can purchase!

It is then simply a case of cross-referencing with an online databases (BT, YELL etc.) for tel. nos.

Don't know about unlisted numbers though. Auto-diallers, dialling random numbers??

Originally posted by sccsux
Most of this information is available from your local city council (in the form of the eloctoral roll) which anyone can purchase!

It is then simply a case of cross-referencing with an online databases (BT, YELL etc.) for tel. nos.

Don't know about unlisted numbers though. Auto-diallers, dialling random numbers??

Can't see it being random as most are not automated calls and they ask for the person they want to speak to.

The only accounts I have are my Mortgage and the bank.....Could it be that there is sharing of peoples confidential information between the banking fraternity?

or is it just big brother syndrome that we are living with?

You can sign up to a version of the Electoral Roll that isn't sold to Information Users. The plus is that you don't get junk mail, but it can be harder for people to use the ER to verify your address.

Phone numbers are not listed in the ER.

Banks tend to only swap data between their partner companies or subsidiaries - when you sign the paperwork for services you'll often see a clause that says that you agree to your details being given to different parts of the company.

A little story....

Many years ago (1950s / 60s) a US Ice Cream company ran a little scheme whereby your kids signed up with the company, gave them their birthday and then received a birthday card and an ice cream voucher every year on their birthday. Some kids were quite smart and registered with different names and different dates of birth but the same address.

When the male children hit 18, they received a letter from the local draft board suggesting they register for military service. Of course, you'd expect a country to know when it's teenagers reached 18, so you might think that the data came form official sources.

However, boys who'd registered with false names and multiple birthdays got letters addressed to each of ther imaginary children they'd registered.

Of course, this may be apocryphal, but it's within all of our powers to limit the information we give to commercial groups. Your details don't need to be snaffled by companies or traded illegally - many people SELL their details without realising it. When you have a store loyalty card, fill in those extra details for a prize draw, etc. you're feeding the data beast.

Don't do it....you know it makes sense!!

Joe