OT - mobile phone details

I changed my mobile at local branch of Carphone Warehouse (always very happy
with service there) a few months ago. Kept the old phone (and SIM) to use
as PAYG when I get a tuit.

Last night, I got a call from a lady saying she had bought a new phone for
her daughter, and when they fired it up, there were a load of contacts
already in the memory. She dialled the one called "home" and came though
to - me. She was able to tell me both my daughters' mobile numbers, my work
number, the full list.

The lady's phone was a NEW phone, not a standby, and I have both old and new
SIMs in the house here. I reckon the list must have been copied and held
somehow when they kindly transferred my contact list from old to new with
the little machine they have. Called CW and it was basically "we're too
busy to worry about stuff like that, we have hundreds of dead simcards
around the place, what do you expect us to do?" Information Commissioner's
Office agree with me that this seems to be a clear breach of the DPA.

Nasty letter to CW head orifice is on its way, with a follow-up of a formal
complaint to ICO if they don't respond appropriately. Anything else I
should be doing?

TBH, the data isn't exactly top secret or mission-critical, but I'm a bit
alarmed that all my personal numbers (especially my kids') are out in the
fresh air. The lady who got the phone was clearly responsible and nice, but
what if a chav with a sense of humour had got hold of the phone? The chaos
and damage that a mischievous person - or a criminal - could have caused
makes me go cold.

Not a happy bunny, and unlikely to darken the doors of CW again.

--
Rich
==============================

I don't approve of signatures, so I don't have one.

"Richard Brookman" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I changed my mobile at local branch of Carphone Warehouse (always very
happy
> with service there) a few months ago. Kept the old phone (and SIM) to use
> as PAYG when I get a tuit.
>
> Last night, I got a call from a lady saying she had bought a new phone for
> her daughter, and when they fired it up, there were a load of contacts
> already in the memory. She dialled the one called "home" and came though
> to - me. She was able to tell me both my daughters' mobile numbers, my
work
> number, the full list.
>
> The lady's phone was a NEW phone, not a standby, and I have both old and
new
> SIMs in the house here. I reckon the list must have been copied and held
> somehow when they kindly transferred my contact list from old to new with
> the little machine they have. Called CW and it was basically "we're too
> busy to worry about stuff like that, we have hundreds of dead simcards
> around the place, what do you expect us to do?" Information
Commissioner's
> Office agree with me that this seems to be a clear breach of the DPA.
>
> Nasty letter to CW head orifice is on its way, with a follow-up of a
formal
> complaint to ICO if they don't respond appropriately. Anything else I
> should be doing?
>
> TBH, the data isn't exactly top secret or mission-critical, but I'm a bit
> alarmed that all my personal numbers (especially my kids') are out in the
> fresh air. The lady who got the phone was clearly responsible and nice,
but
> what if a chav with a sense of humour had got hold of the phone? The
chaos
> and damage that a mischievous person - or a criminal - could have caused
> makes me go cold.
>
> Not a happy bunny, and unlikely to darken the doors of CW again.
>
> --
> Rich
> ==============================
>
> I don't approve of signatures, so I don't have one.
>
>

Most important of all I suspect you can have em for breaking the data
protection act, having stored your personal details without written
authorisation. Also extends to paper records now I think.

"Hirsty's" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> "Richard Brookman" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>> I changed my mobile at local branch of Carphone Warehouse (always very
> happy
>> with service there) a few months ago. Kept the old phone (and SIM) to
>> use
>> as PAYG when I get a tuit.
>>
>> Last night, I got a call from a lady saying she had bought a new phone
>> for
>> her daughter, and when they fired it up, there were a load of contacts
>> already in the memory. She dialled the one called "home" and came though
>> to - me. She was able to tell me both my daughters' mobile numbers, my
> work
>> number, the full list.
>>
>> The lady's phone was a NEW phone, not a standby, and I have both old and
> new
>> SIMs in the house here. I reckon the list must have been copied and held
>> somehow when they kindly transferred my contact list from old to new with
>> the little machine they have. Called CW and it was basically "we're too
>> busy to worry about stuff like that, we have hundreds of dead simcards
>> around the place, what do you expect us to do?" Information
> Commissioner's
>> Office agree with me that this seems to be a clear breach of the DPA.
>>
>> Nasty letter to CW head orifice is on its way, with a follow-up of a
> formal
>> complaint to ICO if they don't respond appropriately. Anything else I
>> should be doing?
>>
>> TBH, the data isn't exactly top secret or mission-critical, but I'm a bit
>> alarmed that all my personal numbers (especially my kids') are out in the
>> fresh air. The lady who got the phone was clearly responsible and nice,
> but
>> what if a chav with a sense of humour had got hold of the phone? The
> chaos
>> and damage that a mischievous person - or a criminal - could have caused
>> makes me go cold.
>>
>> Not a happy bunny, and unlikely to darken the doors of CW again.
>>
>> --
>> Rich
>> ==============================
>>
>> I don't approve of signatures, so I don't have one.
>>
>>
>
> Most important of all I suspect you can have em for breaking the data
> protection act, having stored your personal details without written
> authorisation. Also extends to paper records now I think.
>
Not quite , the CPW are entitiled to hold customers data and will be
registered to comply with the act. What they have done is failed to comply
with the requirements of the act by divulgeing the information to a third
party and also retaining information which was legally collected for a
specific purpose and should have been deleted once that process was
completed- nit picking I know and if they still have that information on a
computer ( and since they are "too busy" its more than likely)..... the
words **** creek and no propulsion apply. In view of their attitude I would
report them immediately and copy in the CEO or senior director about a week
or so later.
Derek

http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts1998/80029--h.htm#55

What they have done is failed to comply
> with the requirements of the act by divulgeing the information to a third
> party and also retaining information which was legally collected for a
> specific purpose and should have been deleted once that process was
> completed- nit picking I know and if they still have that information on a
> computer ( and since they are "too busy" its more than likely)..... the
> words **** creek and no propulsion apply. In view of their attitude I
would
> report them immediately and copy in the CEO or senior director about a
week
> or so later.


Exactly what I meant

"Richard Brookman" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>I changed my mobile at local branch of Carphone Warehouse (always very
>happy with service there) a few months ago. Kept the old phone (and SIM)
>to use as PAYG when I get a tuit.
>
> Last night, I got a call from a lady saying she had bought a new phone for
> her daughter, and when they fired it up, there were a load of contacts
> already in the memory. She dialled the one called "home" and came though
> to - me. She was able to tell me both my daughters' mobile numbers, my
> work number, the full list.
>
> The lady's phone was a NEW phone, not a standby, and I have both old and
> new SIMs in the house here. I reckon the list must have been copied and
> held somehow when they kindly transferred my contact list from old to new
> with the little machine they have. Called CW and it was basically "we're
> too busy to worry about stuff like that, we have hundreds of dead simcards
> around the place, what do you expect us to do?" Information
> Commissioner's Office agree with me that this seems to be a clear breach
> of the DPA.
>
> Nasty letter to CW head orifice is on its way, with a follow-up of a
> formal complaint to ICO if they don't respond appropriately. Anything
> else I should be doing?
>
> TBH, the data isn't exactly top secret or mission-critical, but I'm a bit
> alarmed that all my personal numbers (especially my kids') are out in the
> fresh air. The lady who got the phone was clearly responsible and nice,
> but what if a chav with a sense of humour had got hold of the phone? The
> chaos and damage that a mischievous person - or a criminal - could have
> caused makes me go cold.
>
> Not a happy bunny, and unlikely to darken the doors of CW again.
>
> --
> Rich
> ==============================
>
> I don't approve of signatures, so I don't have one.
>

I totally concur with Derek.
Their attitude leaves a lot to be desired, and since it's your kids we're
ultimately talking about here, then there's no excuse for their lack of
professionalism - "busy" or not.
Just like you said, it could have spelt disaster if some crank had obtained
the information and started harassing your kids.
....Just a sec ... if they have your info on computer, what's to stop them
stuffing up and putting it on other people's phones as well?

-Craig.



--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

Richard Brookman wrote:
> I changed my mobile at local branch of Carphone Warehouse (always very happy
> with service there) a few months ago. Kept the old phone (and SIM) to use
> as PAYG when I get a tuit.
>
> Last night, I got a call from a lady saying she had bought a new phone for
> her daughter, and when they fired it up, there were a load of contacts
> already in the memory. She dialled the one called "home" and came though
> to - me. She was able to tell me both my daughters' mobile numbers, my work
> number, the full list.
>
> The lady's phone was a NEW phone, not a standby, and I have both old and new
> SIMs in the house here. I reckon the list must have been copied and held
> somehow when they kindly transferred my contact list from old to new with
> the little machine they have. Called CW and it was basically "we're too
> busy to worry about stuff like that, we have hundreds of dead simcards
> around the place, what do you expect us to do?" Information Commissioner's
> Office agree with me that this seems to be a clear breach of the DPA.
>
> Nasty letter to CW head orifice is on its way, with a follow-up of a formal
> complaint to ICO if they don't respond appropriately. Anything else I
> should be doing?
>
> TBH, the data isn't exactly top secret or mission-critical, but I'm a bit
> alarmed that all my personal numbers (especially my kids') are out in the
> fresh air. The lady who got the phone was clearly responsible and nice, but
> what if a chav with a sense of humour had got hold of the phone? The chaos
> and damage that a mischievous person - or a criminal - could have caused
> makes me go cold.
>
> Not a happy bunny, and unlikely to darken the doors of CW again.
>
> --
> Rich
> ==============================
>
> I don't approve of signatures, so I don't have one.


Great way to annoy people that you've "gone off" though. Tell em
someone else has got their number and then give them abusive calls at
one o'clock in the morning......

Dave R wrote:
> Richard Brookman wrote:
> > I changed my mobile at local branch of Carphone Warehouse (always very happy
> > with service there) a few months ago. Kept the old phone (and SIM) to use
> > as PAYG when I get a tuit.
> >
> > Last night, I got a call from a lady saying she had bought a new phone for
> > her daughter, and when they fired it up, there were a load of contacts
> > already in the memory. She dialled the one called "home" and came though
> > to - me. She was able to tell me both my daughters' mobile numbers, my work
> > number, the full list.
> >
> > The lady's phone was a NEW phone, not a standby, and I have both old and new
> > SIMs in the house here. I reckon the list must have been copied and held
> > somehow when they kindly transferred my contact list from old to new with
> > the little machine they have. Called CW and it was basically "we're too
> > busy to worry about stuff like that, we have hundreds of dead simcards
> > around the place, what do you expect us to do?" Information Commissioner's
> > Office agree with me that this seems to be a clear breach of the DPA.
> >
> > Nasty letter to CW head orifice is on its way, with a follow-up of a formal
> > complaint to ICO if they don't respond appropriately. Anything else I
> > should be doing?
> >
> > TBH, the data isn't exactly top secret or mission-critical, but I'm a bit
> > alarmed that all my personal numbers (especially my kids') are out in the
> > fresh air. The lady who got the phone was clearly responsible and nice, but
> > what if a chav with a sense of humour had got hold of the phone? The chaos
> > and damage that a mischievous person - or a criminal - could have caused
> > makes me go cold.
> >
> > Not a happy bunny, and unlikely to darken the doors of CW again.
> >
> > --
> > Rich
> > ==============================
> >
> > I don't approve of signatures, so I don't have one.
>
>
> Great way to annoy people that you've "gone off" though. Tell em
> someone else has got their number and then give them abusive calls at
> one o'clock in the morning......

Have just realised that one of those nunmbers is mine, don't get any
ideas
Dave

Dave R wrote:

||
|| Have just realised that one of those nunmbers is mine, don't get any
|| ideas
|| Dave

It'll be 5am.

Actually, she sounded quite nice, although a bit "vaaalleys".


--
Rich
==============================

I don't approve of signatures, so I don't have one.

Derek wrote:

|| "Hirsty's" <[email protected]> wrote in message
|| news:[email protected]...
|||
||| "Richard Brookman" <[email protected]> wrote in
||| message news:[email protected]...
|||| I changed my mobile at local branch of Carphone Warehouse (always
|||| very happy with service there) a few months ago. Kept the old
|||| phone (and SIM) to use
|||| as PAYG when I get a tuit.
||||
|||| Last night, I got a call from a lady saying she had bought a new
|||| phone for
|||| her daughter, and when they fired it up, there were a load of
|||| contacts already in the memory. She dialled the one called "home"
|||| and came though to - me. She was able to tell me both my
|||| daughters' mobile numbers, my work number, the full list.
||||
|||| The lady's phone was a NEW phone, not a standby, and I have both
|||| old and new SIMs in the house here. I reckon the list must have
|||| been copied and held somehow when they kindly transferred my
|||| contact list from old to new with the little machine they have.
|||| Called CW and it was basically "we're too busy to worry about
|||| stuff like that, we have hundreds of dead simcards around the
|||| place, what do you expect us to do?" Information Commissioner's
|||| Office agree with me that this seems to be a clear breach of the
|||| DPA.
||||
|||| Nasty letter to CW head orifice is on its way, with a follow-up of
|||| a formal complaint to ICO if they don't respond appropriately.
|||| Anything else I should be doing?
||||
|||| TBH, the data isn't exactly top secret or mission-critical, but
|||| I'm a bit alarmed that all my personal numbers (especially my
|||| kids') are out in the fresh air. The lady who got the phone was
|||| clearly responsible and nice, but what if a chav with a sense of
|||| humour had got hold of the phone? The chaos and damage that a
|||| mischievous person - or a criminal - could have caused makes me go
|||| cold.
||||
|||| Not a happy bunny, and unlikely to darken the doors of CW again.
||||
|||| --
|||| Rich
|||| ==============================
||||
|||| I don't approve of signatures, so I don't have one.
||||
||||
|||
||| Most important of all I suspect you can have em for breaking the
||| data protection act, having stored your personal details without
||| written authorisation. Also extends to paper records now I think.
|||
|| Not quite , the CPW are entitiled to hold customers data and will
|| be registered to comply with the act. What they have done is failed
|| to comply with the requirements of the act by divulgeing the
|| information to a third party and also retaining information which
|| was legally collected for a specific purpose and should have been
|| deleted once that process was completed- nit picking I know and if
|| they still have that information on a computer ( and since they are
|| "too busy" its more than likely)..... the words **** creek and no
|| propulsion apply. In view of their attitude I would report them
|| immediately and copy in the CEO or senior director about a week or
|| so later.
|| Derek
||
|| http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts1998/80029--h.htm#55

ICO advised me to write to them and then make a formal complaint if I am not
satisfied with their response, so that's what I've done. Believe me, that
letter was a humdinger.

AFAICS they have breached principles 5 and 7 of the DPA - data should not be
kept longer than necessary, and data should be kept secure.

http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts1998/80029--l.htm#sch1

I cosmic terms, it's no big deal, although with both daughters on there I am
glad the data went to a responsible mum rather than a mutant teenager. But
they broke the First Law of Customer Service - apologise and be nice. If
the manager on the phone had taken me seriously and apologised straight
away, I might have left it at the "disappointed customer" stage. I had to
actually ask for an apology before I heard the word "sorry", and was made to
feel like I was bothering them with trivia. Now it's war, and they can rely
on me to be disproportionate.

--
Rich
==============================

I don't approve of signatures, so I don't have one.

Richard Brookman wrote:
> Dave R wrote:
>
> ||
> || Have just realised that one of those nunmbers is mine, don't get any
> || ideas
> || Dave
>
> It'll be 5am.
>
> Actually, she sounded quite nice, although a bit "vaaalleys".
>
>
> --
> Rich
> ==============================
>
> I don't approve of signatures, so I don't have one.

Nice there's still some nice people around innit. I'm up at 5am anyway
with the young 'un!

Dave

Dave R wrote:

|| Richard Brookman wrote:
||| Dave R wrote:
|||
|||||
||||| Have just realised that one of those nunmbers is mine, don't get
||||| any ideas
||||| Dave
|||
||| It'll be 5am.
|||
||| Actually, she sounded quite nice, although a bit "vaaalleys".
|||
|||
||| --
||| Rich
||| ==============================
|||
||| I don't approve of signatures, so I don't have one.
||
|| Nice there's still some nice people around innit. I'm up at 5am
|| anyway with the young 'un!
||
|| Dave

I'll tell you would appreciate the call....

--
Rich
==============================

I don't approve of signatures, so I don't have one.

But
> they broke the First Law of Customer Service - apologise and be nice. If
> the manager on the phone had taken me seriously and apologised straight
> away, I might have left it at the "disappointed customer" stage. I had to
> actually ask for an apology before I heard the word "sorry", and was made
to
> feel like I was bothering them with trivia. Now it's war, and they can
rely
> on me to be disproportionate.
>
> --
> Rich

Srangely enough thats exactly how I usually go about it. Helps when the CEO
discovers his business is looking at awkward publicity. Trouble is they do
little to train the slaves and reap the benefit when dissaffected employees
could'nt give a c...p.

For anyone who cares

<personal phone contact list ends up with unknown customer - breach of DPA>

Nasty letter went to Cartoon Whorehouse Head Orifice. Not received a
written reply yet (which courtesy says I should have had, as I took the
trouble to write to them in the first place). But I had a voicemail message
from Asif Icare in their Customer Relations Team (tm).

Apparently, it's all my fault for leaving my old SIM card with them (I
didn't), but as a goodwill gesture they are offering me a GBP15 voucher to
spend at any of their branches. Of course, I have to phone them to claim
it.*

Not a hope. One more letter, rejecting the voucher and re-stating my
request for an explanation. After that, a formal complaint that CW
routinely breach the DPA (as admitted by Asif in his voicemail) to the ICO.

*For those familiar with Lynne Truss's "Talk To The Hand", this is a "why is
it me doing this?" moment.

--
Rich
==============================

Take out the obvious to email me.

> Apparently, it's all my fault for leaving my old SIM card with them (I
> didn't), but as a goodwill gesture they are offering me a GBP15 voucher to
> spend at any of their branches. Of course, I have to phone them to claim
> it.*
>
> Not a hope. One more letter, rejecting the voucher and re-stating my
> request for an explanation. After that, a formal complaint that CW
> routinely breach the DPA (as admitted by Asif in his voicemail) to the
> ICO.
>


Did you let the "powers" know that CW didn't get your contacts off your SIM,
but out of phone memory?

Go get the bastards - sloppy customer care and businesses like that should
be made examples of!
If it's one thing I hate, it's companies that belittle the customer as if
we're dickheads - it probably irks me more than the average Joe because I'm
an Engineer with probably more education than their whole customer service
department combined ...and being rather pig-headed doesn't help me either


--Craig.



--
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