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| Information watchdog investigates 'charity data sales' | Information watchdog investigates 'charity data sales' |
| (about 1 month later) | |
| The Information Commissioner's Office is looking into claims that an 87-year-old man's personal details were sold or passed on by charities up to 200 times. | The Information Commissioner's Office is looking into claims that an 87-year-old man's personal details were sold or passed on by charities up to 200 times. |
| The Daily Mail reports that Samuel Rae, who has dementia, lost £35,000 after his information ended up with scammers. | The Daily Mail reports that Samuel Rae, who has dementia, lost £35,000 after his information ended up with scammers. |
| Information was passed to charities after Mr Rae filled in a survey but did not tick a box stating that he did not want his personal details shared. | Information was passed to charities after Mr Rae filled in a survey but did not tick a box stating that he did not want his personal details shared. |
| The Institute of Fundraising said its guidance on data would be reviewed. | The Institute of Fundraising said its guidance on data would be reviewed. |
| Former army colonel Mr Rae is said to have been asked for money by charities more than 730 times after his data was repeatedly sold. | Former army colonel Mr Rae is said to have been asked for money by charities more than 730 times after his data was repeatedly sold. |
| The Information Commissioner's Office is to consider whether any breaches of the law have taken place. | The Information Commissioner's Office is to consider whether any breaches of the law have taken place. |
| 'Clearly concerning' | 'Clearly concerning' |
| As well as selling, sharing and swapping details, the paper says some charities also passed them on to rogue firms responsible for scams and Mr Rae was later targeted by fraudsters. | As well as selling, sharing and swapping details, the paper says some charities also passed them on to rogue firms responsible for scams and Mr Rae was later targeted by fraudsters. |
| Charities contacted him for up to five years after he had asked them to stop, with some requesting money as many as 38 times in a year. | Charities contacted him for up to five years after he had asked them to stop, with some requesting money as many as 38 times in a year. |
| Mr Rae is cared for by his son, who said he was horrified by how his father had been treated. | Mr Rae is cared for by his son, who said he was horrified by how his father had been treated. |
| Steve Eckersley, of the Information Commissioner's Office, said the findings - presented after a Mail investigation using the Data Protection Act - were "clearly concerning". | Steve Eckersley, of the Information Commissioner's Office, said the findings - presented after a Mail investigation using the Data Protection Act - were "clearly concerning". |
| He told the newspaper: "If charities are buying and selling personal information without any thought of the wishes of the people involved, it suggests not only a disregard for the law, but also a disconnect with the supporters whose generosity they rely on." | He told the newspaper: "If charities are buying and selling personal information without any thought of the wishes of the people involved, it suggests not only a disregard for the law, but also a disconnect with the supporters whose generosity they rely on." |
| Code changes | Code changes |
| Daniel Fluskey, head of policy at the Institute of Fundraising, the professional body for UK fund-raising, told BBC Radio 4's World at One programme the majority of charities did not sell data. | Daniel Fluskey, head of policy at the Institute of Fundraising, the professional body for UK fund-raising, told BBC Radio 4's World at One programme the majority of charities did not sell data. |
| He said the institute would be reviewing charities' practice of sharing and selling data, and expected to announce "a number of changes" to its code of practice. | He said the institute would be reviewing charities' practice of sharing and selling data, and expected to announce "a number of changes" to its code of practice. |
| He said: "We have to make sure that the code of practice that governs fundraising has the interest of the donor at the heart and meets their expectations of how charities fundraise." | He said: "We have to make sure that the code of practice that governs fundraising has the interest of the donor at the heart and meets their expectations of how charities fundraise." |
| Alistair McLean, chief executive of the Fundraising Standards Board, which regulates charity fundraising, told BBC Radio 5 live it was a "very, very serious case". | Alistair McLean, chief executive of the Fundraising Standards Board, which regulates charity fundraising, told BBC Radio 5 live it was a "very, very serious case". |
| He said: "I feel that sometimes there's a little bit of poor practice that creeps in and that's just not acceptable. | He said: "I feel that sometimes there's a little bit of poor practice that creeps in and that's just not acceptable. |
| "I would encourage members of the public who are unhappy about the way in which they've been approached by charities, unhappy about maybe the mail they've received, to complain." | "I would encourage members of the public who are unhappy about the way in which they've been approached by charities, unhappy about maybe the mail they've received, to complain." |
| Conservative MP Mark Garnier, a member of the Treasury Select Committee, said the "immense good will" people had for charities would "diminish" if the charity sector continued to sell or trade data. | Conservative MP Mark Garnier, a member of the Treasury Select Committee, said the "immense good will" people had for charities would "diminish" if the charity sector continued to sell or trade data. |
| He added that parliament also needed to look at the situation. | He added that parliament also needed to look at the situation. |
| How to find out what information is held | How to find out what information is held |
| What happens to the information you give to charities? | What happens to the information you give to charities? |
| 'Aggressive, business-like' | 'Aggressive, business-like' |
| Dominic Nutt, who worked in PR for a number of charities, said in the last 10 years charities had adopted an "aggressive, business-like approach", with chief executives having performance targets like their counterparts in large companies. | Dominic Nutt, who worked in PR for a number of charities, said in the last 10 years charities had adopted an "aggressive, business-like approach", with chief executives having performance targets like their counterparts in large companies. |
| He said: "Every conversation I used to have, and I was in media not fundraising, was around the numbers - it was the big thing. | He said: "Every conversation I used to have, and I was in media not fundraising, was around the numbers - it was the big thing. |
| He said those working in charities "genuinely believed" in what they were doing but marketing was "swallowing" their organisations. | He said those working in charities "genuinely believed" in what they were doing but marketing was "swallowing" their organisations. |
| In July, the government said it was changing legislation to help protect vulnerable people from aggressive fundraising and launched a review into the current system of self-regulation. | In July, the government said it was changing legislation to help protect vulnerable people from aggressive fundraising and launched a review into the current system of self-regulation. |
| Charities are to be forced to draw up written agreements showing how vulnerable people will be protected from aggressive fundraising tactics, the prime minister said. | Charities are to be forced to draw up written agreements showing how vulnerable people will be protected from aggressive fundraising tactics, the prime minister said. |
| David Cameron said the actions of some fundraisers were damaging the reputation of the charity sector. | David Cameron said the actions of some fundraisers were damaging the reputation of the charity sector. |