MBNA security breach of my details

locklittleegg

Hello

Yesterday i recieved a letter from VIrgin MBNA credit card. It said that some of my details may have been breached
- Name
- Address
- Mothers maiden name
- place of birth
- Credit card number

they have offered experian free for one year and CIFAS for three months.
Im really shocked because its my whole identity that has possibly fallen into the wrong hands.
I have read that they have had a laptop stolen 2 weeks ago with customers details. Presumably this is how my details have been breached. What should i do???
Please help

Lisa :O)

Typhoon2000

There nothing there of any use to anyone, cancel the card and get them to send you a new one.

locklittleegg

oh and they have our date of births. Isnt that everything someone would need to open new accounts

Typhoon2000

Have a search and see how many other people have access to that information http://www.192.com/people/

Cancel the card and get a new one would be the first thing I would be doing.

locklittleegg

Thanks, i have cancelled the card and they have told me that there has been no use on the card so at least thats not a worry

I am concerned at reading about the laptop that was stolen 2 weeks ago. Presumably this is why our details have been breached.
I will check out that website.
Thanks so much for your help

M_Thomson

Typhoon2000 wrote: »

There nothing there of any use to anyone, cancel the card and get them to send you a new one.

Do you live in the real world? There is everything you need there to steal an identity.

chattychappy

M_Thomson wrote: »

Do you live in the real world? There is everything you need there to steal an identity.

I live in the real world I don't think that information is a particular problem if the MBNA account concerned has been closed/changed.

opinions4u

- Mothers maiden name
- place of birth

If this data provides passwords with other organisations, I would want to change those immediately.

Especially if it's online banking.

I would actually write back to MBNA rejecting their offer and asking for a sum of cash compensation (perhaps start at £250 and work down) in addition to the Experian/CIFAS stuff.

If they refuse, request a letter of deadlock and take them to the Financial Ombudsman. Fault has already been established. It's a case of haggling over compensation.

They have been negligent with your data and you should be compensated with more than a few gimmicks that you can get for free for 30 days anyway.

(All the data is, admittedly, a matter of public record already in one form or another).

What should I do?

Be awkward until they find the price needed to get you off their backs! If you can't be bothered, accept their offer.

Debt_Free_Dreamer

If you came into my shop and purchased an item using your card I would have your credit card details. (I don't have a shop, it is hypothetical)

A quick search of http://www.192.com/people/ would find where you are living now. Yes there would be a few candiates with the same name, but I could probably work it out eventually. I might have asked your for your post code when you bought the item. Currys do! So, now I have your name, address and credit card.

I could then log onto www.ancestry.co.uk and get your mothers maiden name from the birth register. So I don't know your DOB? Well, I've already rung you up and asked your name and DOB, saying you are going to be entered into a prize draw for a holiday. And guess what, you told me.

Sorted.....

People make a big deal about personal data, but we give it away all the time. We use our credit cards to buy items on the web and give our address without a care in the world.

We give our mothers maiden name as part of our password security on web sites all the time without even batting an eyelid about what we are giving away.

And yet when personal info seems to get lost on a PC, we all tend to go beserk!!

OK rant over and before you ask "Has it ever happened to you?". Yes it has, a work lap top was stolen with employee data on. Did I have the same opinion then? Yes I did.

Should you be worried from the incident? You are probably at no more risk than the rest of us who could be hit by fraud at any time. The only thing you can do is to keep your eye on your credit file, which is something we should all be doing anyway. Not just when an event like this happens.

chattychappy

opinions4u wrote: »

I would actually write back to MBNA rejecting their offer and asking for a sum of cash compensation (perhaps start at £250 and work down)

OH yes, let's get some cash out of it. Even if we've not suffered a loss.

opinions4u wrote: »

They have been negligent with your data

We don't know that.

opinions4u wrote: »

If they refuse, request a letter of deadlock and take them to the Financial Ombudsman.

Yes, and then all the way to the European Court of Human Rights if necessary..

opinions4u wrote: »

Fault has already been established.

Maybe they were negligent and therefore maybe it was their fault. But this has hardly been established as a matter of fact. And then can you establish any damage or losses?

opinions4u

OH yes, let's get some cash out of it. Even if we've not suffered a loss.

While I am not a fan of the compensation culture in this country (and will usually see these things from a bank's point of view), a major financial organisation had admitted a data breach. That is disturbing for those affected. There is a case for compensation for the disturbance caused. Indeed, the company involved has made an offer of compensation.

We don't know that.

They say that personal data has been "breached". Maybe my suggestion of negligence is a leap of faith based on that, but something isn't right for it to have happened.

Yes, and then all the way to the European Court of Human Rights if necessary.

Don't be silly.

can you establish any damage or losses?

MBNA have quantified that the damages payable are worthy of free access to a credit report that can be bought for a couple of quid anyway.

I'm suggesting that the disturbance caused is worth more. The FOS would almost certainly agree.