Data Protection Scam
Discussion
Just a word of warning for fellow Piston Heads. I've now received my second demand for registration of my company under the Data Protection Act 1998. So what? Well this is a completely different "company" that has asked me to do it from the first demand sent 2 months ago. They send an official looking form for you to fill in and return but ask you for a registration fee of £95. The size of fee was what caused me to go "What? How Feckin Much?" I looked up the Commisioner for Data Protection on the web ( www.dataprotection.gov.uk/dpars.htm ) and found that there are literally hundreds of people perpetrating this scam. The correct fee is £35 flat.
So if you get one of these leters, reply with something poisenous and dont put a stamp on the letter, then notify Trading Standards and the Commission.
Why are these people allowed to continue impersonating a Government Agency and committing fraud? I can only assume that they are saving the Commissioners office a fortune in marketing.
So if you get one of these leters, reply with something poisenous and dont put a stamp on the letter, then notify Trading Standards and the Commission.
Why are these people allowed to continue impersonating a Government Agency and committing fraud? I can only assume that they are saving the Commissioners office a fortune in marketing.
Old scam this one - information from my professional body is below:
Elizabeth France, the Information Commissioner, has published a statement expressing her concern that businesses could be misled about registration under the data protection act.
Many businesses, including RICS, have received letters reminding them that failure to register with the Information Commissioner is a criminal offence if you hold personal data within your business. The letters invite you to complete and return a questionnaire with a registration fee of around £100.
These letters look as though they come from the Information Commissioner but they do not. The letters are often from agencies that will complete the registration process for you at a cost.
Some of the companies sending out letters are:
Data Protection Act Registration Service
Data Protection Agency Services Limited
Data Protection Registration Agency
Data Collection Enforcement Agency
Data Registration Agency
DPA Registration Agency
Data Protection Act Registration Agency
Elizabeth France said 'I advise data controllers to ignore any approach made by these businesses, who appear to be charging up to £95 + VAT for notification. Other than paying the annual statutory notification fee of £35, on which no VAT is payable, there is no charge made by this Office to any data controller wishing to notify.'
The term data controller is official terminology for the person responsible for holding personal information within a business. Notification is also official terminology for the registration process.
Steve
Elizabeth France, the Information Commissioner, has published a statement expressing her concern that businesses could be misled about registration under the data protection act.
Many businesses, including RICS, have received letters reminding them that failure to register with the Information Commissioner is a criminal offence if you hold personal data within your business. The letters invite you to complete and return a questionnaire with a registration fee of around £100.
These letters look as though they come from the Information Commissioner but they do not. The letters are often from agencies that will complete the registration process for you at a cost.
Some of the companies sending out letters are:
Data Protection Act Registration Service
Data Protection Agency Services Limited
Data Protection Registration Agency
Data Collection Enforcement Agency
Data Registration Agency
DPA Registration Agency
Data Protection Act Registration Agency
Elizabeth France said 'I advise data controllers to ignore any approach made by these businesses, who appear to be charging up to £95 + VAT for notification. Other than paying the annual statutory notification fee of £35, on which no VAT is payable, there is no charge made by this Office to any data controller wishing to notify.'
The term data controller is official terminology for the person responsible for holding personal information within a business. Notification is also official terminology for the registration process.
Steve
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