Very easy to obtain 3rd party information

GMbabies

This is what I did.

I called British Gas and asked if they offer a reward for ex-customer who wants to come back. The customer rep took my name and address. That's all I gave. At this point, BG don't know if I really was their ex-customer or not. Anyway, the rep asked me which energy supplier I am currently with and I told that I didn't want to give. I didn't even had to give any information such as my previous account number so I could have given my name as John Jones who is my neighbour lives at 17 Kindle Road, BN3 0BX! Then the rep told me, 'according to the national database, your current supplier is Npower' :eek:

This shows, if you know your neighbour's name and address, you can easily find out who the energy supplier is.
I am wondering what other information can be obtained by 3rd party. I am writing this, not because I want to commit fraud but I am rather concerned.

C_Mababejive

Im not sure what benefit this snippet would have but this is the kind of thing fraudsters and investigators do all the time. Its a bit unfair on call centre staff as its easy to let things slip.

GMbabies

C_Mababejive wrote: »

Im not sure what benefit this snippet would have but this is the kind of thing fraudsters and investigators do all the time. Its a bit unfair on call centre staff as its easy to let things slip.

Unfair to call centre staff? How about the customer's privacy? Data protection?
This sort of things shouldn't happen in the first place especially there are fraudsters and investigators who are looking to obtain information. No doubt they already know lot more on how to obtain 3rd party information than I quoted here.

undaunted

Is that a real neighbours name, address & supplier & if so do you have their permisiion or think it wise to post it on the internet?

Fire_Fox

Don't you have anything more important to worry about? Wondering what other information you might be given is just idle wondering, not actually being given it. Which energy supplier you are with is hardly abusable or personal information, use a little common sense. If you are concerned write to BG or post on the 'Praise, Vent & Warnings' board, please don't clog up this board with pointless threads when others need actual help.

chanz4

Its a national database anyone in the industry can see it, it only says supplier, address and msn. Also if your giving someone elses data your the one breaking the law

GMbabies

undaunted wrote: »

Is that a real neighbours name, address & supplier & if so do you have their permisiion or think it wise to post it on the internet?

NO. I just made that up as an example.

GMbabies

chanz4 wrote: »

Its a national database anyone in the industry can see it, it only says supplier, address and msn. Also if your giving someone elses data your the one breaking the law

Of course I wouldn't dream of breaking the law.
What I've said in my original post was that fraudsters have easy access to these kind of information.

GMbabies

Mr Fire Fox, do you always speak in such condescending way?
I am really concerned about these things happening.
Perhaps it doesn't matter to you but where we live, we share a communal hallway and letters with address goes missing which could be used as a part of identity theft so we have to be vigilant to protect ourselves. Just because you live in a gated mansion, not everyone lives in such place. Some people have to share a living space.

I hope you understand my circumstance.

Fire_Fox

GMbabies wrote: »

Mr Fire Fox, do you always speak in such condescending way?
I am really concerned about these things happening.
Perhaps it doesn't matter to you but where we live, we share a communal hallway and letters with address goes missing which could be used as a part of identity theft so we have to be vigilant to protect ourselves. Just because you live in a gated mansion, not everyone lives in such place. Some people have to share a living space.

I hope you understand my circumstance.

Do you always assume you know what gender someone is and what their living environment is like? I understand your circumstances perfectly, thank you, yet still think you are massively overreacting. How could this information possibly be used by fraudsters?

Again "If you are concerned write to BG or post on the 'Praise, Vent & Warnings' board, please don't clog up this board with pointless threads when others need actual help."

ollski

You could also just have watched the postman deliver the post to your neighbours house with a big npower logo on the envelope. I quite frequently get my neighbours wireless connection showing up on my list of accessable signals...it says bt homehub, from this I may be able to deduce who her telephone line provider is, I've got absolutely no idea why Id care though.