NPower Data Protecton problem

pms141

Yesterday I received a letter from the debt recovery firm Moorcroft, asking me to contact them. On phoning them, I was told that I owed money to NPower (I was not aware that I had any debt to this company, who I had switched from some time ago).

They then asked me to answer some `security questions'. I refused, saying the information was confidential, but was told that they already had this information. I assume that they acquired it from NPower. If NPower have shared the security question answers I gave them with a third party, this strikes me as a very serious breach of data protection. Could anyone tell me whether this does constitute a breach of the Data Protection Act and - if so - was should I do?

Thanks,

Peter

footyguy

pms141 wrote: »

Yesterday I received a letter from the debt recovery firm Moorcroft, asking me to contact them. On phoning them, I was told that I owed money to NPower (I was not aware that I had any debt to this company, who I had switched from some time ago).

They then asked me to answer some `security questions'. I refused, saying the information was confidential, but was told that they already had this information. I assume that they acquired it from NPower. If NPower have shared the security question answers I gave them with a third party, this strikes me as a very serious breach of data protection. Could anyone tell me whether this does constitute a breach of the Data Protection Act and - if so - was should I do?

Thanks,

Peter

Rest assured, it is highly unlikely that nPower have breached any part of the Data Protection Act when they passed an the alleged debt to their appointed debt recovery agent.

But when you contact nPower to find out what this alleged debt that you have no prior knowledge of is all about, then you can ask them about Data Protection too, if you are concerned

What do the terms & conditions you agreed to with nPower say about data sharing (if anything)?

teddysmum

Moorcroft could be stating that they have the details already, in the hope that you will trust them and so disclose protected data.

GingerBob_3

footyguy wrote: »

Rest assured, it is highly unlikely that nPower have breached any part of the Data Protection Act when they passed an the alleged debt to their appointed debt recovery agent.

But when you contact nPower to find out what this alleged debt that you have no prior knowledge of is all about, then you can ask them about Data Protection too, if you are concerned

What do the terms & conditions you agreed to with nPower say about data sharing (if anything)?

I haven't checked, but undoubtedly they will say that they (npower) take your privacy and security "very seriously" (always be wary of anyone, or any organisation, that takes something "very seriously"). They will then go on to explain how they can basically do what the hell they like with data about you, including transferring it or selling it to anyone they choose, including to organisations outside the EU. They will give you a large number of examples where they will do this. The ICO has effectively given them carte-blanche in this matter.

How to stop it - you can't. You "agreed" to it. :rotfl:

How to minimise the impact - tell the b***ers nothing! When they want to know previous addresses, DoB, full name etc, etc, DO NOT PROVIDE THIS INFORMATION.

pms141

Thanks; I read NPower's privacy and data protection policies and they do exactly that... start with a statement of sincerity and then tell you all the things they can do with your data. However, given that a person's security question answers are so central to identity protection (and theft), I am astounded that they would pass these to third parties - especially a debt collection agency that doesn't enjoy a brilliant reputation (if my google search is at all representative).

GingerBob_3

pms141 wrote: »

Thanks; I read NPower's privacy and data protection policies and they do exactly that... start with a statement of sincerity and then tell you all the things they can do with your data. However, given that a person's security question answers are so central to identity protection (and theft), I am astounded that they would pass these to third parties - especially a debt collection agency that doesn't enjoy a brilliant reputation (if my google search is at all representative).

I think you're probably right on the detailed point. It would be a serious (;)) breach if so-called "security data" was disseminated - but I wouldn't put it past the likes of npower.

BTW - is there such a thing as a debt collection agency that DOES enjoy a brilliant reputation? I doubt it.