25m data lost.. WAKE UP PEOPLE!

[MakYak]

I have just read your poll and it shows that the majority of people are 'shocked' by the way personal information can be lost or distributed without your knowledge. What you ought to be more shocked at is your complete innocence and sense of denial. All your personal details, whether you like it or not, have been carelessly passed around a number of various offices at any given time. I have worked in the finance industry and have seen personal bank account info being thrown in the bin (when compiance says it should be shredded), I have seen people laugh and make jokes about personal illnesses disclosed on health questionnaires. You forget, you are passing your information over to people. Some are responsible, some are idiots, but always...the fate of your identity is in their hands. Wake up, your personal information is not safe in anyone elses hands, no matter what type of compliance policies they have implemented.

[IggyB]

whats your question?

[naomi24]

And what's the answer?

[Myriad2112]

... and what was your point?

[sp1814]

A few months ago, someone stole MY identity.

It happened on a Friday, but by the following Monday, it was returned to me with a note which read "Here's your identity back...we don't want it...you're really boring".

Flipping cheek.

[gina32]

i think the majority of people know it gets passed around and given to someone to input it on a computer but its the fact that its gone missing in the way that it has that people are annoyed at

[naomi24]

In fairness, I can see what Mak Yak is saying, although what we can do about it I really don't know. If the tax man, or the passport office want personal information about me, I can hardly say 'no', so what's the answer? What would you suggest Yak Mak?

[kwicky]

If you believe in statistics then if a criminal gets these details the odds will be millions to one that you would be selected. Look on the bright side!

[Panic Button]

I'm going to star posting false info about myself whenever I can, just to confuse the crims.

I'm very rich.

I'm really attractive.

[bundleone]

The chances of these lost CDs falling into the wrong hands is extremely small. they were lost in the post, not stolen.

[naomi24]

Panic, what do you mean false information? Aha, you can't catch us out like that. Sneaky!! It's a double bluff. Panic is very rich and really attractive. I knew that. Didn't we all know that?

Bundle, phew, what a relief. Well, that's alright then.

[Panic Button]

How do you know Bundle?

If 'lost' they would have been found.

They were nicked, but hopefully by an opportunist who couldn't use them.

[MakYak]

@ Myriad2112,
The original posting was a response to the answerbank poll about the current news item 'database loss'. The point, even though I assumed it was relatively clear, is that it is more shocking to me that people are suprised at this loss of data. My question is this: Are people really THAT shocked to know that, despite compliance rules etc. data is invariably handled by people, some of which are complete idiots, who then go on to lose private information in such an profoundly stupid manner?

[chicklin]

We're probably not shocked or surprised...but at the end of the day - what can we do about it?...zilch.
We are not in a position to refuse to disclose personal details to those in 'authority', therefore we lay ourselves open to such misuse of our personal data - but as I just said...what can we do about it?...

[MakYak]

Looks like nothing can be done Chicklin.

Credit institutions and other personal data gatherers are 'all shop front and no substance'.

They have branded themselves to engineer the comsumers belief that they are capable and impeccably scrupulous. Far from it.

Once you complete the glossy form and post it back to the central office, you'll find that it's plopped onto some junior administrators in-tray in a flourescent warehouse to accumuate dust and coffee cup ring stains.

There is no safe way to pass your private information to a third party. There is no conscientious employee meticulously filing and safely recording your details. It's random and it's completely exposed.

All you can do is be extra selective about who you forward these very important details to.

[chicklin]

Just got a letter this morning confirming that I'm definitely one of the ones affected by this....so I'd better go and spend all my money before someone else does!......

Lazy barstwewards.....all they wanted to pass on was one little bit of info - but they were too idle to extract that bit from all the rest, so they sent the lot....and not even by registered post!!!! Unbloodybelievable!!!