Staff at a leading UK mobile network operator have been selling records containing valuable customer information to brokers. Initially when this story broke, the Information Commissioner investigating declined to name the mobile operator in question, however since then Vodafone, O2, Orange, Virgin and 3 have all been keen to indicate they have not been under investigation, forcing T-Mobile to come forward and confirm the leaks had come from them.
The data sold is most likely to concern contract renewal dates, making it very desirable, which is used to cold-call customers just as they are due to renew in order to tempt them with alternative deals. When T-Mobile discovered their data was being sold, they contacted the Information Commissioner’s office who together with the operator to find those responsible and enforce a tough penalty on the culprits.
Currently under the Data Protection Act those who sell data without prior permission from the owner are liable to receive a fine up to £5,000, however a change which will introduce a higher fine and the possibility of a jail sentence is being discussed with the Ministry of Justice by the Information Commissioner, Mr Christopher Graham. Mr Graham states that only by increasing the penalties will this activity stop.
Besides being a concern for T-Mobile, the case has made the headlines because it’s exactly what Mr Graham needs to push this legislation through, and despite it being a worry for consumers, any increase in deterrents against data theft can only be seen as a good thing.
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