Cancer Research rep, Is it a breach of DPA?

lydsmom

A while back we had some door to door fundraisers for cancer reseach, my O/H signed up and gave his details. A little while after someone was sending him messages on FB who he didn't know, they were really quite suggestive messages, he told her to sling her hook and the messages stopped.

They've now started again so I messaged her (pretending to be O/H ) asking where he knew her from.

Turns out she was the one who was collecting for cancer research and she thought he was handsome and looked him up :mad:

Now I'm not bothered that the girls been messaging him because if there was anything to worry about he wouldn't have let me get involved but is it a breach of DPA as his information was to be used for fund raising and not finding him on FB and if it is a breach do I report it?

TIA

kalaika

Sounds like a breach of the DPA to me but proving it could be tricky. If questioned, she could easily say that he asked her to contact him - not that I'm saying he did ask her to contact her, but it would just be her word against his and would be a lot of effort proving that she used the data to her personal advantage without permission.

TBH, rather than spending more time on messages to and from her, I think the easiest thing to do would be to send one message on Facebook, telling her to naff off, and then block her http://www.facebook.com/help/search.php?hq=block to prevent further contact.

lydsmom

I don't know the message she sent pretty much says that she used his information to find him, I know it's not such a big deal and it's not that I don't trust my Other half, just think it's a bit scary that someone would do that.

durham_girl

That's shocking, very single white female!

A lot of these chuggers work on behalf of lots of different charities, so maybe your first step is getting onto the charity and asking who does the signup work for them. As you now know her name you can then call whoever it is and make your complaint. Make sure you ask to be kept updated on what they intend to do about her.

I'm sure there must be an official organisation you can contact to complain to about the DPA breach, but I don't know who it might be

mum2one

I would definately put in a complaint, your lucky you have a strong marriage, but that female is abusing her position, whether or not it was to get friendly with him, then try to get him to sign up to other charities.

I may be jumping the gun, but if shes doing that, it may be worth getting hold of your bank and checking the account, if your husband signed up, they have your bank details, and in this day and age, u need to be 100% sure,

Lokolo

I wish that sort of thing happened with me

lydsmom

I may be jumping the gun, but if shes doing that, it may be worth getting hold of your bank and checking the account, if your husband signed up, they have your bank details, and in this day and age, u need to be 100% sure,[/QUOTE]


OMG I never thought of that, I'll get him to check his statements and things to see if there's anything odd on them. I did give him some stick about it bless him but then I could see that it was upsetting him as much as me it was pretty obvious he had no idea who she was.

Thanks for your support guys, as she tried to add him as her friend we could see all her info on her profile and she was working for a company called Home Fundraising so i'll get on to them about it.

MothballsWallet

Data Protection Act breaches are dealt with by the Information Commissioners Office, their site is here. Click on the Complaints link to find their online form - you'll need to attach your evidence as well.

By the way, I would deffo complain to the charity and the chugger agency, but also the ICO, Charities Commission and Fundraising Standards Board - Cancer Research are a member of the latter.

Make a stink about it, this kind of behaviour isn't on, especially when the Chief Exec of Cancer Research UK makes 200,000 a year salary (source: Intelligent Giving).

lydsmom

Thanks for the info, I'm going to get on with the complaints later because i'm off to work now, I know a bit about DPA from previous jobs but just wanted clarification that it is a breach and that i wasn't just over reacting.

I feel a bit bad complaining to a charity but she has all his details and seems a little bit to persistant, he's blocked her on FB now so hopefully we'll hear nothing more from her.

thanks again guys

MothballsWallet

I'd deffo complain, and make sure that the charity knows that if they don't help rectify the problem, you'll raise a fuss in the press.

Charities, like businesses, hate having to answer to the media for things like this.

hollydays

What a lowlife,using a charity to obtain someones details to try to pick them up.Yuk!! I guess it could also be construed as harassment,he could complain to the Police.