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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| UK mobile phone data 'was sold' | UK mobile phone data 'was sold' |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| Staff at a UK mobile phone company sold millions of records from thousands of customers without their knowledge, the information watchdog says. | |
| Christopher Graham told the BBC that the details had been allegedly sold on to brokers for substantial sums. | |
| They were allegedly used by other firms to cold-call customers of the unnamed firm as their contracts neared expiry. | They were allegedly used by other firms to cold-call customers of the unnamed firm as their contracts neared expiry. |
| The suspected breach emerged after the firm alerted the watchdog. Mr Graham is planning to prosecute those involved. | The suspected breach emerged after the firm alerted the watchdog. Mr Graham is planning to prosecute those involved. |
| Mr Graham, the Information Commissioner appointed earlier this year, said the case he was now preparing illustrated why there needed to be a prison sentence to prevent people from selling private data to third parties. | |
| Search warrants | |
| The BBC understands that investigators from the Information Commissioner's Office have been working with the company. | |
| It reported suspicions of an unlawful trade in customers' data and the ICO's team obtained search warrants to enter premises. | |
| Mr Graham said: "Many people will have wondered why and how they are being contacted by someone they do not know just before their existing phone contract is about to expire. | |
| "We are considering the evidence with a view to prosecuting those responsible and I am keen to go much further and close down the entire unlawful industry in personal data. | |
| "But, we will only be able to do this if blaggers and others who trade in personal data face the threat of a prison sentence. | |
| "The existing paltry finesÂ… are simply not enough to deter people from engaging in this lucrative criminal activity. The threat of jail, not fines, will prove a stronger deterrent." |