Data Protection Act

Stellavision · 18-12-2005, 6:51 PM

I'm intrested to know if anyone has any in depth knowledge of the dat protection act. Specifically with incoming calls.
To cut a long story short, I am in a situation at the moment which has resulted in my bank and credit card companies phoning me to chase up my bills. Subsequently I trust the origin of the callers, but I have refused to comply with a couple of the callers which have asked me to confirm things like my address and date of birth in line with the data protection act.
Now, I beleive that I should not have to disclose any such personal information to people that are phoning my home number and should already realize who I am!
If I phone a company then I expect the need to prove my identity but not when people are calling me.
Call me awqard but I beleive people have conned in this manor before.
Am I in the right?

shahedz · 18-12-2005, 6:53 PM

you can get conned so its best you are cautious, i had a phone call from my bank but i refused to disclose my date of birth address etc until they confirmed the last 6 digits of my card number on my credit card, or ask them questions like "when you opened your account etc" or what direct debits you have on your account, but unless they can confirm so details for me i wont disclose anything to the caller.

Seth Gecko · 18-12-2005, 7:07 PM

As I have the DPA bookmarked........
http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts1998/19980029.htm

Squiffy · 18-12-2005, 10:42 PM

If someone from your bank or credit card company calls you, insist that they deal with you in writing and then hang up.

stealther · 19-12-2005, 10:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Squiffy

If someone from your bank or credit card company calls you, insist that they deal with you in writing and then hang up.

Have to say this is what I do now.

Had a call from orange customer service the other day with the usual do you want to upgrade said I was not interested and he said that was fine and could he have my postcode just to confirm. I said No that if he was from orange then he would have my postcode. So why is he asking? So I told him where to go and hung up.

Stellavision · 19-12-2005, 12:08 PM

I think some people are starting to get the message.
Just had a call from Students Loans Co. asking for my postcode, etc and when I refused they asked me to phone them back. Ten minutes later I had not called them back yet but they called me again and procceeded with their queery without queering my identity.
Result!

Knyght_byte · 19-12-2005, 2:53 PM

banks and other financial institutions should not call you about current business you have with them unless it something ongoing and you know the caller..........they will always send you a letter asking you to call them. However it doesnt stop them calling you touting for new business, the same as any other company coldcalling.......in which case if you want to hand over your personal details willynilly then thats your own lookout.......personally i never give details to anyone who phones me, even a company i'm currently dealing with, i tell them i want a landline number, which i can confirm with the operator or directory enquiries, and i'll call back and ask for them......unless its someone i've spoke to before and easily recognise their voice of course...

Ian J · 19-12-2005, 3:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stellavision

I have refused to comply with a couple of the callers which have asked me to confirm things like my address and date of birth

I always tell them that I am happy to confirm my address or date of birth. After a lengthy pause they ask me what my address is and I remind them that I only agreed to confirm it and that if they care to tell me what they think it is I would be pleased to confirm or not.

I had a chap allegedly from NTL on the telephone a couple of weeks ago saying that they would like me pay by direct debit and asking for my bank details. He was probably telling the truth but still didn't get my bank details.

Sick Boy · 19-12-2005, 5:10 PM

You have kind of answered your own question. The company calling you is obliged to confirm the identity of the person they are speaking to before they discuss any other business because of the DP act.

Astaroth · 19-12-2005, 8:22 PM

Personally what I have always done is asked for the persons extention number and then said I will call them back - call on the number I have for my bank/ credit card company etc and then ask to be put through to the extention number they have given me - then I dont mind answering any of their DPA questions to varify my identify (as I have varified theirs)