21/11/2007

Fraud Alert For 25m As Child Benefit Data Lost

The loss 'in the post' of computer discs with 25m people's personal details on them has led to a major fraud alert across the UK.

The child benefit data on them includes names, ages, bank and address details.

Questions are alreay being asked whether Alistair Darling "is up to the job" of chancellor.

Mr Darling has already said he "deeply regretted" what had happened, but stressed there was no evidence of misuse of the data.

He said banks were monitoring all 7.25 million bank accounts whose details were on the discs, which contained the personal details of all child benefit recipients in the UK.

People are being urged by both the chancellor and banks to keep a close eye on their accounts "for unusual activity".

Mr Darling said that anyone who lost money as a result of any misuse of the data would be covered for losses under the banking code.

(BMcC)

Related UK National News Stories
Click here for the latest headlines.

26 August 2008
Sensitive Customer Data Sold On Auction Site
Bank details of over one million customers have been discovered on a computer sold on eBay. The PC - sold for £35 - had sensitive information on the hard drive, comprising bank customers' private information. The Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) and its subsidiary, Natwest, have confirmed their customers' details were involved.
13 December 2007
PM Faces Committee Over Data Loss
The Prime Minister has been given a 'grilling' by an influential Parliamentary committee over his domestic and foreign policy - but with an emphasis on the domestic side - and on the lost Revenue and Customs data scandal in particular.
05 May 2011
Bank Of England Maintains Bank Rate At 0.5%
The Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee today voted to maintain the official Bank Rate paid on commercial bank reserves at 0.5%. The Committee also voted to maintain the stock of asset purchases financed by the issuance of central bank reserves at £200 billion. The previous change in Bank Rate was a reduction of 0.5 percentage points to 0.
02 December 2009
PM's Question's Centre On Recession
Gordon Brown defended his predictions on the length and depth of the UK recession during a heated Prime Minister's Questions today. Opposition leader David Cameron said the government's forecasts were wrong, suggesting the UK was the only leading world economy still in contraction.
18 September 2013
Convicted Paedophile Loses Legal Challenge Over Bank Details
A convicted paedophile has lost a legal challenge in the High Court over rules requiring him to disclose bank details to police.