ID cards & data security. HM Govt doing a poor job.

From the BBC Watchdog Site.

Identity fraud is the fastest growing crime in the UK, and Watchdog has uncovered some breaches in security at this Government department.

Nine years ago, the Inland Revenue sent Eric Tizzard’s tax rebate to a wrong address in Brighton. It was cashed by someone else. Then Eric began receiving letters from debt collection agencies for bills he hadn’t run up - all connected to this address in Brighton.

**And your MP's are quite happy to set up another agency, another computer system and have more data on us all floating about. Based on their past record what is to stop a total clusterfuck like this happening again?

It turned out someone had stolen his identity and managed to fool the Government too, because false information was now mixed into his file.

**Hurrah for proper checks of ID, oh hang on it was the govts' fault in the first place.

Once he realised, Eric asked the Inland Revenue to correct his records and send him a copy. But the document with all the details of his working life got sent to a complete stranger.

**Oh that is just chuffing marvelous, they cock up and then send his information out to someone else.

Gina Newman was horrified in April when she discovered that the Inland Revenue had given her National Insurance (NI) number to someone with a similar name, Georgia Newman, nine years ago. They’ve been using the same number ever since.

**What is to stop two people having the same ref. number under the National Database? Imagine the fun and games at the airport when you get confused by the computers with a Mr Terry Wrist or Al Kada.

The government had all of their details jumbled into one file - an error with massive implications. Both women’s benefits and tax had been totally mixed up. Georgia’s due around £8,000 in overpaid taxes, but she’s been told rebates only go back six years - leaving her nearly £3,000 short.

**In short the government fucked up, freely admit they fucked up and say that its just a case of the "computer says no"

In 2005, official figures revealed there were almost 2,000 reported cases of NI numbers being used by more than one person.

**Oh it just gets better & better...

Now there’s been another security breach at the Inland Revenue. It’s just admitted to losing a CD containing the confidential details of 15,500 people, and Gina was one of them.

Paul Gray, chairman of the Inland Revenue, says: “We take the security of customer information very seriously, and our priority is to protect the data of all our customers. If problems do occur we make every effort to put the situation right as soon as we can. In the cases mentioned, we have written to all customers concerned and where appropriate have put in place measures to check customers’ records for any fraudulent activity. We would like to apologise again to the individual customers mentioned on your programme and to anyone who has been affected.”

**Got to love that corporate speak, means not a damn thing to people who have had their lives/ID stolen. list of MP's who voted for ID cards the next big fuck up in waiting...

So Paul Gray the Chairman of the Inland Revenue makes a statement, well he has made another one today: He has resigned according to Sky News

Update...BBC:

Confidential details of 15 million child benefit recipients are on computer discs lost by HM Revenue and Customs, the BBC understands. The chairman of the organisation, Paul Gray, has resigned.

Revenue and Customs says it does not believe the records - names, addresses and bank accounts - have fallen into the wrong hands.

**New Labour not capable of running a bloody market stall, yet alone a nation state. Get the wording of that mealy mouthed statement "it does not believe the records - names, addresses and bank accounts - have fallen into the wrong hands." - thats hardly the bloody point. It may well be that one of the 5000+ or was it 10,000+ illegal migrants that our Home Sec. recently announced were working in security has got a hold of this and shipped it off to his mates in Nigeria.

And this is the killer, were it not so tragic it could be the subject of some black comedy "The details were on two CDs which were lost in the internal post."

So not even a "lets blame Royal Mail, its their own postal system. So we tax records being handed out, wrong NI numbers and CD's going walk about from internal mail. And they can not even assure you that criminal types do not have the data.

Remind me again please, just how are New Labour going to ensure the ID Database works? But this should cheer one and all up.

It has been ruled in court that ‘the tax office has no “duty of care” to the individuals it advises, meaning that no individual can prosecute it for incompetence.’

So you make a mistake on your tax returns they can harass you as long as they feel like, whilst anally raping you with charges should they feel the need. One rule for them and a mighty fuck you to their "customers".

But not to worry Gordon "cyclops" Brown has his eye on the major issue of the day. No not your data going walkies from itnernal mail, he is going to ban plastic bags.

Yes the do nothing, lose your details government said "The Prime Minister announced that he would like to "eliminate" single-use plastic bags from Britain as well as the flimsy paper equivalent." - This is New Labour in action...

So your ID gets lost with all the worries that entails but not to worry at least we have less plastic bags around. Although should you end up homeless thanks to this worthless shower of shit of a government you may need some those bags to help carry your few remaining possessions...

**An even Squealer has had to come forth, fresh from the Northern Rock fiaso (who's shares dove again today) to speak to the Commons: From the Daily Mail The Chancellor was rocked by a new crisis this evening over the loss of confidential bank details of virtually every family in Britain.

Alistair Darling had to make an emergency statement to the Commons revealing that records of 7.2 million bank accounts of all parents or guardians who claim child benefits had gone missing.

MPs gasped when he revealed that the names, addresses, bank numbers and National Insurance numbers of all those affected had been on two computer discs which had been lost.

A total of 25 million people's names are on the discs, potentially leaving them all at risk of identity fraud.

**Last bit HMRC say they have "commitment to its customers" - as a customer can I take my business elsewhere? Alas it is an exclusive francise for the UK, so in a word no. Maybe Gordon will be offering us some customer choice but not holding my breath on that one.

Tags:ID Cards
New Labour
Watchdog
NI numbers
HMRC
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