Pensions Letters Disaster

Charis

I recently received the details of a complete stranger's pension, courtesy of the DWP's having issued 26,000 letters incorrectly. At the top of the letter, enclosed with my own, were the bank account number and branch, full postal address and National Insurance number of a pensioner who lives over 500 miles from me. All the details needed, in fact, to set up a bogus credit account. :mad: This makes the Data Protection Act an even bigger farce. There is no need to print details which DWP and the customer already know, at the top of every letter. Apparently half the 26,000 received their own letter and someone else's, the rest have just had their details shared with someone else.

I have written to the head of DWP asking that they make sure that companies who give credit triple check that applications from pensioners are genuine. My worry is that no one will bother and also that companies will assume that anyone affected is above pension age. Anyone like myself, on Widowed Mothers/Parents benefits or Widows Pension whose details have been shared will also be at risk of fraud. If you suspect foul play, for a £2 outlay you can receive a printout of your own credit check from companies such as Experian. It might be worth putting your bank on red alert too.

lilac_lady

I'm amazed that someone hasn't invoked the Data Protection Act and sued over this fiasco. It's not a trivial matter when your personal details are sent to someone else.

CLAPTON

It does seem to very an very inefficient !!!! up but yesterday i wrote a cheque to a carpet fitter.

He now know my full postal address (he came to the house) and my bank sort code and my account number and my branch and my name (all on my cheque) but not of course my NI number.

Should I be concerned about him and put my bank on red alert?

Biggles

CLAPTON wrote: »

Should I be concerned about him and put my bank on red alert?

I would. Don't forget he knows the colour of your carpet too. All the details needed, in fact, to set up a bogus carpet account.

Charis

CLAPTON wrote: »

It does seem to very an very inefficient !!!! up but yesterday i wrote a cheque to a carpet fitter.

He now know my full postal address (he came to the house) and my bank sort code and my account number and my branch and my name (all on my cheque) but not of course my NI number.

Should I be concerned about him and put my bank on red alert?

According to the Government website, "Identity theft affects over 100,000 people every year" "You can protect yourself by:shredding all personal information before discarding in your rubbish; this includes anything referring to bank accounts, national insurance details, salary information, and old bank cards" http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/RightsAndResponsibilities/DG_10031451

I would be worried if I thought someone else had my NI number and bank account details. What's to stop them redirecting your mail and opening a credit account online? By the time you realise your post is a bit scanty the deed has been done. It gets harder all the time to get the bank to concede that you haven't got their money. All a bit much for someone elderly to cope with.

CLAPTON

Whilst it is surely true that identify theft is a real problem, must of the advice being given is clearly impractical and i bet not one of those government officials giving the advice actually follows it because its just too impractical for normal living.. (do as I say, not as i do).

My view is that most 'identity theft' of ordinary people occurs via dishonest people at retail outlets (petrol station, shops etc.) rather than people going through smelly bins although there seems some considerable evidence that details are also bought from bank/call centre workers too.

Unless you intend only dealing in cash, and i'm not sure that even possible, there are numerous people that will have access to your details in some form or another.

So e.g what's exactly is the point of my shredding details of my name and address. They can easily be picked by from the telephone directory, from the public bit of the electoral roll, from the membership list of the few clubs i'm a member of and most of my neighbours know this plus records kept as the local school, library and dozens and dozens of organisations.

If you ever write a cheque or use your debit card you are giving away your bank details (bank, sort code, account number and name are all there) . If you use that cheque/card to buy something that is delivered to your house then they your address too.

As for NI number, except for opening an ISA i've never been asked for that when opening an bank or savings account.


As you know when you do a mail redirect, the PO deliver the confirmation of your order to your current (old ) address so its not really possible for you not to know about a mail redirection.

I do really think that it makes sense to be careful and personally think using a credit card for everything limits your exposure to just one card but i think we have to keep things in proportion.