Another data loss blunder
December 31, 2007
Over recent months there have been more and more stories hitting the headlines with regards to loss of sensitive data, and it seems that the blunders keep occurring time and time again. Just a few weeks ago HM Revenue and Customs admitted the loss of two discs containing personal and bank account details of twenty five million people. This came just weeks after thousands of consumers’ pension details were lost on disc whilst being sent to Standard Life, the company through which they had their pension plans. Again, the discs were being sent from HM Revenue and Customs.
Another recently report revealed that the DVLA in Northern Ireland had lost the personal details of around six thousand people whilst sending details to the DVLA headquarters in Swansea. In the latest blunder relating to the loss of sensitive data the Department for Work and Pensions has admitted that it has lost eight hundred budgeting loan application forms containing personal and sensitive data that were being sent to Newcastle.
The forms that have gone missing contained a range of sensitive data about the applicants, including names, addresses, dates of birth, bank details, and national insurance numbers. One union official stated that the loss of the forms was ‘outrageous’ and urged those that had made recent budgeting loan applications to contact the DWP as quickly as possible.
In the meantime the DWP has issued a statement reading: “Clearly we are extremely concerned that these payments have been delayed and we are striving to ensure no one is in hardship because of what has occurred. We are carrying out extensive checks with TNT to track down the whereabouts of the claims concerned.”
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