15m bank details lost!!

[jambutty]

Originally Posted by mick

Just read through this thread and you all seam worried about your bank accounts what about the other big problem?
these discs have all the details of children on the disc so what happens if a phedophille ring get hold of the discs?
these discs need finding fast

Even if the disks are found, how can anyone guarantee that a copy of them hasn’t been made?

[andrewb]

Complete shambles.

The ID card scheme must be dead now, we cannot trust this or any government with so much information about ourselves.

[West Ender]

Just as I suspected, it is now emerging that it was not the sole responsibility of a "junior official" to download and despatch the files. It was done on the orders of an assistant director.

I have already mentioned the word scapegoat and I hope the assistant director is now at home scouring the local paper's employment section.

[emamum]

i am actually pro id cards......

[WillowTheWhisp]

I used to be pro ID cards but this episode has changed my mind. It's the identity theft possibilities that worry me. If someone else can convince the powers that be that they are you, who are you going to end up being? You could end up having to try to prove who you are when you've been you all your life!!!

[emamum]

i dont have a bank account because i cant prove who i am....... if i had an id card i could...

[WillowTheWhisp]

Not if someone else cloned your ID card and 'proved' they were you first!

[emamum]

they wouldnt get very far as me.. i have no credit, no bank account etc...

[WillowTheWhisp]

So how do you get your Child Benefit? By book at a PO? What if the next book got sent to someone else claiming to be you having moved to a new address? They'd get all your benefit and you'd get nothing.

[emamum]

i have a po account.. basically you can have your benefits put in there and thats it

[Stanaccy]

Originally Posted by West Ender

Just as I suspected, it is now emerging that it was not the sole responsibility of a "junior official" to download and despatch the files. It was done on the orders of an assistant director.

I have already mentioned the word scapegoat and I hope the assistant director is now at home scouring the local paper's employment section.

I was wondering how an AO or EO or even HEO or Search Engine Optimization could have copied all those details over.

Basically it is a shambles and I would hope the guilty people (as it isn't just one person) are punished properly for it.

(I have been downgraded in the last 2 weeks for leaving my access card in a broken drawer )

[Speedy]

Is anyone actually suprised that the goverment have yet again made a huge mess of something very simple. Its ridiculous how many times can things like this happen before the goverment hold there hands up and admit that they have no idea what the hell they are doing. Might aswell give my bank card and pin number to a stranger. Nice to know that anyone could have mine and my girlfriends details but the worse part is they could have my sons details aswell. I think im going to have to get into politics and whip this country into shape.

[entwisi]

Originally Posted by emamum23

i dont have a bank account because i cant prove who i am....... if i had an id card i could...

Emamum,
Do you not have any utility bills at all? Water/Council Tax etc?

The Banks are governed by laws that this goverment has put in with regard to what information is required to open an account. Its part of anti Money Laundering regs called KYC(Know your Customer).

I'm anti ID cards as there is no technical reason for them. I do live safe in the knowledge that as the NHS system has shown there is a cat in hells chance that they would ever get one working properly.

[Mick]

This is the letter the inland revenue are sending out to people
HM Revenue & Customs: Child Benefit customer update

Child Benefit customer update
I am writing to make a personal apology. A copy of some HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) data about families, including yours, who have received Child Benefit has been lost. The copy of the data is likely to still be on Government property. The police are now conducting a search, and there is no evidence that it is in the possession of anyone else. This will not affect your Child Benefit payments.

This data includes your and your children’s names and dates of birth, your address, your National Insurance number and, where relevant, the details of the bank or building society account into which your Child Benefit is or was paid.

If you are paid through a bank or building society, they are aware of this matter. They are acting on this information, and assure us that they have appropriate safeguards in place to protect you.

As is usual in these circumstances, if you are the innocent victim of banking fraud you will not have to pay, but you may want to take some precautionary steps to protect yourself. If you receive bills, invoices or receipts or see entries in your statements for goods or services which you have not ordered you should contact your bank or building society immediately. In addition, do not give out personal or account details if anyone contacts you unexpectedly. Instead take a note of their name and number, and if you are at all suspicious contact your bank or building society. If your password uses any of your personal data, for example your child’s name or date of birth, you may also wish to consider changing any passwords you use.

The advice of banks is there is no need for customers to ask for a new account or to contact their bank or building society. Your Child Benefit payments will continue to be paid as before and you do not need to contact HMRC. However if you experience any problems, in the receipt of your Child Benefit payments, please contact HMRC on 0845 302 1444 between 8am and 8pm on any day of the week (closed Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Years Day).

I would like to offer my personal apologies for any worry or concern this data loss may cause you. And I can assure you that all efforts are being made to ensure that such a loss can never happen again.

Dave Hartnett

[Neil]

Originally Posted by emamum23

there must have been a better, more secure way of sending them!!!!

What something difficult like a senior person actually delivering them by hand personally to another senior person at the other end?