Debt collector calling family members.

GreatBeyond

Hi, i'm not sure if this is the right place to ask this. My girlfriends brother has got into a bit of bother with a phone bill, now a debt collection company called the house which he shares with his dad, they both share the same name, bar the middle name. The agent called and asked if she was speaking to the, for example John Smith, her dad sharing the same name as her brother answered yes and the company disclosed the full debts to her dad. Now I was under the impression that due to DPA they had to confirm a date of birth, or at least more than just the guys name. We called the company to say this is not right, and they basically said data protection varies from company to company and they don't have to confirm a date of birth only name and first line address. If anyone could give me any information regarding this that that would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

PNPSUKNET

They are not to know their is more than one with the same name, the end of the day its got to be paid.

GreatBeyond

PNPSUKNET wrote: »

They are not to know their is more than one with the same name, the end of the day its got to be paid.

It has been paid, it was paid this morning. That is not the point i'm getting at. Do they not have to make sure it is the correct person they are speaking to rather than just asking if they are speaking to John Smith then disclosing all of the details of the account?

king100

PNPSUKNET wrote: »

They are not to know their is more than one with the same name, the end of the day its got to be paid.

Sorry but just confirming name and address is not good enough.

At least 3 questions should really be asked.

DVardysShadow

PNPSUKNET wrote: »

They are not to know their is more than one with the same name, the end of the day its got to be paid.

I think you are being largely irrelevant here. The question is about data protection, not about whether the debt has to be paid.

And of course, the company got the wrong person, so their data protection is inadequate.

PNPSUKNET

door step collectors would only have limited info to go off.