Contact Information stolen

Elsbells21

Hi All,

Sorry if in wrong place - I rarely venture out Bargain Buys! I participated in a residential bootcamp for a month or so a while back, since then some of their staff have since stolen copies of all the participants information and set up their own bootcamp.

I received an email from the place I stayed at saying that they were looking to take legal action, however I want to know where I stand as obviously they can now sell my information on and I haven't approved any t and cs. Could anyone shed light? Should the other company have stored my info better?

Thanks in advance

wealdroam

Inform the Information Commissioner's Office of your concerns.

Elsbells21

wealdroam wrote: »

Inform the Information Commissioner's Office of your concerns.

Thanks, you're a star!

hollydays

Surely if its true, they'll just be using them to mail shot people, it wouldn't be a big deal to me.its not unheard of for staff to leave one company and set up another, it causes extreme insecurity in the original company who are now trying to stir up trouble for their new competitor,particularly if they are undercut.i wouldn't want get caught up in their war.

shaun_from_Africa

hollydays wrote: »

Surely if its true, they'll just be using them to mail shot people

It all depends on exactly what information has been taken.
As the OP states that

"since then some of their staff have since stolen copies of all the participants information"

this could include their name and address (not harmful on its own), but they may also have had access to payment details or other personal information.

As it was a residential course that the OP was on, they may well have had to give medical info, next of kin contact details etc.

hollydays

Exactly how dangerous can this be! This happens all the time.

earthstorm

hollydays wrote: »

Surely if its true, they'll just be using them to mail shot people, it wouldn't be a big deal to me.its not unheard of for staff to leave one company and set up another, it causes extreme insecurity in the original company who are now trying to stir up trouble for their new competitor,particularly if they are undercut.i wouldn't want get caught up in their war.

Regardless, they have taken personal details from a company without permission, which is a breach of the DPA. The original company could also be in trouble for not making sure the Data was secure.

hollydays

Lets hang them.

earthstorm

hollydays wrote: »

Exactly how dangerous can this be! This happens all the time.

the employees set up a company and steal your details

Name
address
DOB
payment details
etc.

Prime information for ID theft, so could be prime pickings in the wrong hands. I know that in the UK any business that holds personal details on manual or computer files are supposed to legally register (£35 a year) with the Data Commissioners under the DPA, but i bet their are many that do not. when you register you have strict guidelines to follow to make sure and data is secure.

hollydays

Think you're getting a bit worked up

shaun_from_Africa

hollydays wrote: »

Think you're getting a bit worked up

Possibly with good reason.
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/206552/nfa-annual-fraud-indicator-2013.pdf

identity fraud is estimated to cost UK adults [FONT=Myriad Pro Light,Myriad Pro Light][FONT=Myriad Pro Light,Myriad Pro Light]£3.3 billion [/FONT][/FONT]during 2012;
• 8.8 per cent (4.3 million) of UK adults were a victim, with those who actually lost money (2.7 million) losing an average of £1,203 each;
• 19 per cent of UK adults had been a victim before 2012;
• overall, 27 per cent have been a victim at some point in time.

Nearly 250,000 frauds were confirmed during 2012 by CIFAS members.
• Identity fraud accounted for roughly 50 per cent of all frauds recorded in 2012.
• There was a 9 per cent increase in identity frauds, compared with 2011.
• Facility (or account) takeover fraud rose by 53% compared with the previous year. This means that those frauds where the criminal requires identity details accounted for almost 2 in 3 (65%) of all frauds recorded by CIFAS in 2012.