This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/society/2015/sep/01/charities-face-scrutiny-over-trading-of-elderly-mans-data

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Charities face scrutiny over trading of elderly man's data Charities face scrutiny over trading of elderly man's data
(about 1 hour later)
Regulators are to investigate the charities that bought and sold the personal data of an elderly man, which resulted in him losing thousands of pounds.Regulators are to investigate the charities that bought and sold the personal data of an elderly man, which resulted in him losing thousands of pounds.
Samuel Rae, an 87-year-old who has dementia, was bombarded with calls and letters from charities. They also sold his personal details, which eventually went to rogue companies.Samuel Rae, an 87-year-old who has dementia, was bombarded with calls and letters from charities. They also sold his personal details, which eventually went to rogue companies.
Rae’s son Chris told the Daily Mail his father had lost £35,000 to scams.Rae’s son Chris told the Daily Mail his father had lost £35,000 to scams.
The information commissioner, Christopher Graham, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that his office would be investigating the claims.The information commissioner, Christopher Graham, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that his office would be investigating the claims.
“If there’s any connection between the good work that charities do and the scam merchants, that’s very concerning and we’ve got to get to the bottom of how this information was passed on,” he said. “If the law has been broken, we will take action.”“If there’s any connection between the good work that charities do and the scam merchants, that’s very concerning and we’ve got to get to the bottom of how this information was passed on,” he said. “If the law has been broken, we will take action.”
Rae is believed to have completed a lifestyle survey in 1994 in which he neglected to tick a box saying his details should not be passed on. From there, his data passed to various charities and other companies, ending up on lists circulated by known scammers, the Daily Mail investigation found.Rae is believed to have completed a lifestyle survey in 1994 in which he neglected to tick a box saying his details should not be passed on. From there, his data passed to various charities and other companies, ending up on lists circulated by known scammers, the Daily Mail investigation found.
“Whether or not Samuel Rae ticked the box in 1994 and is still being plagued with unwanted mail and unwanted approaches is beside the point,” Graham said. “The Data Protection Act is very clear: the very first principle is that your data is only processed fairly and lawfully. What’s described in the papers this morning doesn’t look like that.”“Whether or not Samuel Rae ticked the box in 1994 and is still being plagued with unwanted mail and unwanted approaches is beside the point,” Graham said. “The Data Protection Act is very clear: the very first principle is that your data is only processed fairly and lawfully. What’s described in the papers this morning doesn’t look like that.”
Rae’s failure to tick the box was not an excuse, he said. “It isn’t consent and it doesn’t give you the right to trade in people’s personal information years after the event.”Rae’s failure to tick the box was not an excuse, he said. “It isn’t consent and it doesn’t give you the right to trade in people’s personal information years after the event.”
Liz Fitzsimons, legal director on data privacy at Eversheds, said the reports were damaging to charities reputations, and that fundraising bodies should be prepared for a wave of requests from the public for information about how their data is shared.
“We anticipate that these requests are likely to lead to many additional complaints to and investigations by the Information Commissioner’s Office,” she said.
But Graham advised against tarring the entire sector with the same brush.But Graham advised against tarring the entire sector with the same brush.
“There’s a danger here of blackening a whole sector. Charities seem to be becoming the new dirty word, and that clearly isn’t fair.”“There’s a danger here of blackening a whole sector. Charities seem to be becoming the new dirty word, and that clearly isn’t fair.”
The PDSA, which “provides free veterinary services for the pets of needy owners”, was alleged to have sold Rae’s details 10 times but said it was not in breach of data protection rules.The PDSA, which “provides free veterinary services for the pets of needy owners”, was alleged to have sold Rae’s details 10 times but said it was not in breach of data protection rules.
The widower’s son said he was concerned about the number of times charities had contacted his father even when he asked them to stop, naming the RSPCA as one which persisted with his father for five years. The charity has apologised.The widower’s son said he was concerned about the number of times charities had contacted his father even when he asked them to stop, naming the RSPCA as one which persisted with his father for five years. The charity has apologised.
The government commissioned a review into charity fundraising after Britain’s longest-serving poppy seller, 92-year-old Olive Cooke, killed herself. She was receiving up to 267 letters a month and repeat phone calls from charities asking for money. The inquest into her death made no mention of that as a contributing factor to her death, finding she had depression, insomnia and breast cancer.The government commissioned a review into charity fundraising after Britain’s longest-serving poppy seller, 92-year-old Olive Cooke, killed herself. She was receiving up to 267 letters a month and repeat phone calls from charities asking for money. The inquest into her death made no mention of that as a contributing factor to her death, finding she had depression, insomnia and breast cancer.