Advice please...Debt Management - DPA Breach

benjwg · 8 January 2014 at 11:12AM

Hi,

Really concerned.

I wont say who I have the dmpicon with but they are one of the most popular and talked about DMP's that carry a small charge.

Anyway.

Some stupid advisor or whoever was on their email system, decided to send a group email.

the DMP sent the group email saying thank you for being customers etc etc. the stupid thing is, they copied in the entire contact list.

So the DMP, sent an email to all their customers but did not blind copy, they have openly shared all of our email addresses with one another.

I have since received emails from countless people on DMP's with this same company, from their personal email address as they have seen my email address from the DMP company.

They all now know I am on a debt managementicon plan, we normally all use first and last names on emails so it says my full name, address and states that I am on a DMP.

What can be done here? what should be done here?

This is obviously a breach of the data protection act but who is to blame? who should people complain to?

Thanks.

Tixy · 8 January 2014 at 11:26AM

I'd start by complaining to your DMP company themselves.

Data protection act complaints are dealt with by the ICO so they would be the next step - http://www.ico.org.uk/complaints

As to what can be done - I'd think very little. They may well get a ticking off by the ICO and possibly a fine. But obviously that won't change that your email address has been shared.
They may offer (or you may ask for) some credit against your fees or a small token payment to you.

You might decide this is a good time to switch to a DMP provider who doesn't charge a fee?

benjwg · 8 January 2014 at 11:31AM

Tixy wrote: »

I'd start by complaining to your DMP company themselves.

Data protection act complaints are dealt with by the ICO so they would be the next step - http://www.ico.org.uk/complaints

As to what can be done - I'd think very little. They may well get a ticking off by the ICO and possibly a fine. But obviously that won't change that your email address has been shared.
They may offer (or you may ask for) some credit against your fees or a small token payment to you.

You might decide this is a good time to switch to a DMP provider who doesn't charge a fee?

Yes I will be changing.

Thank you for the advice. I will indeed follow this procedure.

Thanks,
Ben

benjwg · 8 January 2014 at 12:07PM

10 emails from my DMP's clients and counting.

Tixy · 8 January 2014 at 12:22PM

Are they sending you spam? suggesting you all get together to make a complaint? or trying to befriend you(!)?

Monkeyballs · 8 January 2014 at 1:46PM

Hi,

Sounds like a bit of a dogs dinner but (and apologies if this is stating the obvious) don't delete the emails, none of them, not even the ones coming from other companies as a result...

File them in a seperate folder as you may need to provide volumes of emails, examples, etc and having them easily accessible will be of benefit down the line

MB

harrys_dad · 8 January 2014 at 2:13PM

Why not send an e-mail to yourself, blind copied to everyone else on the list, possibly linking to Tixy's excellent advice above, to try to get everyone involved to make a complaint to the Information Commissioner? This will make it more likely that it will be dealt with as a serious breach I would suggest.

Advice please...Debt Management - DPA Breach

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