Child benefit fiasco!

[isis4691]

I have just received my official government apology letter telling me that my details and those of my children were amongst the millions 'mislaid' on the missing cd roms.

I have spent lots of time and money ,plus used common sense in insuring the safety of my personal details not only online but shredding personal documents etc.. only for some complete idiot in the government to send all this info out via ordainary post and then get it lost!

I wonder if those of us that might fall victim to fraud due to this blunder could sue the government for negligence!

[paulos66]

No you can't

[B00]

I got one of those yesterday. As the previous user has already said, even though they ballsed up in the first place you can bet your last penny that they've since covered their backs so that it's nigh on impossible to sue or make a claim against them.

[paulos66]

Boo, why blame me I wasn't even their at the time, honest

[isis4691]

Well that's typical isn't it , there really isn't any equality or justice if you are one of the masses. Look how quickly a government agency will want their money back if they think you've been overpaid or claimed wrongly even if it's still their fault eg child tax credits.

[B00]

I'm holding you solely responsible Paulos, in fact I think I'll sue you ;-)

[jake-the-peg]

I also think that you may be being slightly niaive about how your personal details are protected by other organisations as well.

How well do you trust the HR department at your company - the payroll subcontractors at ours left a similar disk on a plane with the details of 1,000 US staff including their social security numbers (that's a really big deal in the US).

Buy anything on-line? How about your insurance companies - how well do you think they protect your data.

The sad truth is that if your personal details are lost there are so many possible culprits it's almost impossible to show who it was and that tends to promote some rather slack procedures.

That's not to say you shouldn't be careful about shredding things but I think if you could see what went on I think you'd have a fit

[paulos66]

What.... Boom, you've just made me spill my coffee all over my shiny new drinks coasters

[paulos66]

Boo rather

[B00]

would those new drinks coasters be silver and extremely shiny on one side by any chance paulos? Still, at least you've got a matching pair (said the actress to the bishop!)

I agree with Peg leg to an extend- no information you give online is ever safe, but unless you want to be totally paranoid in your everyday life, I guess you/me just have to shrug our shoulders to an degree and live with the fact it's now part of the society we live in.

[paulos66]

Not the first and not the last time this will happen

[stewey]

If you're siphoning hand-outs from the Government, then we, the tax-paying public, have the right to know every little thing about you.




















(Tongue in cheek, by the way:))

[THECORBYLOON]

There is nothing at this stage to suggest that the discs have been mis-used but I can appreciate that folk are more than a wee bit concerned. Anyway, this is what it says on the HMRC website,

"What happens if data about my family is misused anyway?
You should contact the organisation where the fraud has taken place.

As is usual in these circumstances, if you are the innocent victim of banking fraud you will not have to pay.

If, as a direct result of this incident, you incur costs we will consider compensating them."

[Louisa 69]

I like the way that says "we'll consider paying them".

Well i get CB and i've not had a letter yet saying they've lost my details. I wonder if the prime ministers wife was on that list , also ?

[Ice.Maiden]

Same here, Louisa. Had the letter - but haven't heard any more since.

[Jillius]

I changed banks about 6 months ago and I notified the child benefit agency and they still haven't paid my child benefit in. Every time i ring up they say they have done it even though they haven't. I'm at my wits end now as i need the money. I reckon after all this going on that i'll be waiting forever. I bet if I owed them money they would have had it sorted pronto.

[Pippa68]

There wouldn't be any point in asking for compensation above any loss ~ of course if you do lose money then you will be entitled to that specific amount back...however don't expect any more, after all it is the tax payer who will foot the bill by another rise in taxes.

No thanks!

[Reverandfunk]

Time and money? What 5 quid on a shredder?