15m bank details lost!!

[Yolanda25]

im a bit lost, i have read the article but being spanish sometimes is not easy, can someone explain it to me please, i have a child and want to know whats going on???

[Stanaccy]

Is it just me or is the fact that a "junior" read casual, member of staff was allowed to download all details of all Child benefit recipients, a bit scary or am I just being paranoid (BTW I work for the DWP and there is no way in hell we would be allowed to do this).

If they are then I would call for the heads of all depts in HMRC and not just the muppet who resigned.

[Stanaccy]

Originally Posted by Yolanda25

im a bit lost, i have read the article but being spanish sometimes is not easy, can someone explain it to me please, i have a child and want to know whats going on???

Right Yolanda,

I'll try.

Some muppet in the tax office sent off yours and 24,999,999 others details (including your national insurance number, bank details and date of birth as well of those of your child) to the National Audit Office in October, these details never arrived (they got lost).

Now the government is trying to say that we don't need to panic as they have informed the banks. However they have not uttered a word about the potential of identity theft.

Ipso Facto keep an eye on every little bit of post that comes through and look for anything strange.

[Wynonie Harris]

In other words, el gobierno es tontos. Es verdad!

[Yolanda25]

Originally Posted by Stanaccy

Right Yolanda,

I'll try.

Some muppet in the tax office sent off yours and 24,999,999 others details (including your national insurance number, bank details and date of birth as well of those of your child) to the National Audit Office in October, these details never arrived (they got lost).

Now the government is trying to say that we don't need to panic as they have informed the banks. However they have not uttered a word about the potential of identity theft.

Ipso Facto keep an eye on every little bit of post that comes through and look for anything strange.

Thanks a lot for your explanation, that sounds more english to me , so the question i would like to ask is, will that affect my payments? i got my cb on the 13th does that mean we still get paid but the details had been lost? does my account number appear on the details lost on the post?

[Yolanda25]

Originally Posted by Wynonie Harris

In other words, el gobierno es tontos. Es verdad!

verdad ! your right on that one, but thats the goberment everywhere

[West Ender]

Originally Posted by Stanaccy

Is it just me or is the fact that a "junior" read casual, member of staff was allowed to download all details of all Child benefit recipients, a bit scary or am I just being paranoid (BTW I work for the DWP and there is no way in hell we would be allowed to do this).

If they are then I would call for the heads of all depts in HMRC and not just the muppet who resigned.

It wouldn't be a "casual" as HMRC don't employ them any more. It is quite possible that the actual process was carried out by someone of a lower grade but it must have been authorised by the person's manager and should have been authorised by the manager's manager.

I wonder who decided this was permissable as HMRC has always had a policy of not divulging information even to other Civil Service departments. You will probably recognise, Stanaccy, that Fraud Hotline information is passed from DWP to HMRC but not the other way round. If permission was sought and granted it must have come from a very senior source. The "junior" staff member is a scapegoat.

[Stanaccy]

Originally Posted by Yolanda25

Thanks a lot for your explanation, that sounds more english to me , so the question i would like to ask is, will that affect my payments? i got my cb on the 13th does that mean we still get paid but the details had been lost? does my account number appear on the details lost on the post?

You will still be paid. It is just copies of your details that have been lost.

Actually iwill defend the government per se on this (yes you may fall over in shock) it is some defective numpty who lost this, and they failed to follow procedures.

[Lilly]

Originally Posted by Yolanda25

Thanks a lot for your explanation, that sounds more english to me , so the question i would like to ask is, will that affect my payments? i got my cb on the 13th does that mean we still get paid but the details had been lost? does my account number appear on the details lost on the post?

This won't affect your child benefit payments. The money will be paid to you as usual. The issue is that a document showing the bank details, national insurance number, date of birth etc of everyone with a child under 16 has been posted out and got lost.

If this document falls into the wrong hands we are at risk of having fraudsters access our bank account or get credit in our names, using our details.

[cashman]

Originally Posted by Stanaccy

You will still be paid. It is just copies of your details that have been lost.

Actually iwill defend the government per se on this (yes you may fall over in shock) it is some defective numpty who lost this, and they failed to follow procedures.

thats also my thoughts stanaccy, whilst not defending the goverment,its not down to them whatever the bullsh1t brigade in the media say.

[Stanaccy]

Originally Posted by West Ender

It wouldn't be a "casual" as HMRC don't employ them any more. It is quite possible that the actual process was carried out by someone of a lower grade but it must have been authorised by the person's manager and should have been authorised by the manager's manager.

I wonder who decided this was permissable as HMRC has always had a policy of not divulging information even to other Civil Service departments. You will probably recognise, Stanaccy, that Fraud Hotline information is passed from DWP to HMRC but not the other way round. If permission was sought and granted it must have come from a very senior source. The "junior" staff member is a scapegoat.

OK I'll take it as FTC then. Yes I agree that the AO or AA is going to be a scapegoat however how the hell were they allowed to download the full register of CB claims???? That for me beggars belief. Not even SEOs in our dept are allowed to do that.

[BERNADETTE]

There is something fishy about this whole affair!!!

[Lilly]

I shall certainly be keeping an eye on my bank account. If the £3.50 that's in there until payday goes missing, I shall be asking questions!

[West Ender]

Originally Posted by Stanaccy

OK I'll take it as FTC then. Yes I agree that the AO or AA is going to be a scapegoat however how the hell were they allowed to download the full register of CB claims???? That for me beggars belief. Not even SEOs in our dept are allowed to do that.

I can't answer that. The Child Benefit Office comes under the umbrella of HMRC but, in reality, it's separate. I was only involved in Income Tax and Tax Credits. It's even more amazing in that, in Tax Credit Claimant Compliance, we had to have special clearance (and limited access) to get any information on Child Benefits and we certainly didn't get the sort of information that was, apparently, in these files.

[Benipete]

having been the victim of identity fraud I can assure you all it is serious matter.All my cash went out of the bank-I had a £2000 bill from Harrods(not sure if i got a carrier)£8000 bill from a jewelers in London 6 of the latest camera mobile phones complete with insurance policies e.t.c. various standing orders.the problem traced back to an employee at a call centre in Ireland working for a local building societywho sent a replacement debit card to an address in Ruislip ,.dispite the person giving my old address(claimed I'd lost the card) Got no help from the police at all-had to do it all myself-took 12 months up to now and I'ts not over yet.Harrods still want 2 grande plus interest.good job I saved up when I was young.