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| Version 8 | Version 9 |
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| T-Mobile staff sold personal data | T-Mobile staff sold personal data |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| Staff at mobile phone company T-Mobile passed on millions of records from thousands of customers, a spokesman for the firm has confirmed. | Staff at mobile phone company T-Mobile passed on millions of records from thousands of customers, a spokesman for the firm has confirmed. |
| The suspected illegal trade emerged after the firm alerted the Information Commissioner, Christopher Graham. | The suspected illegal trade emerged after the firm alerted the Information Commissioner, Christopher Graham. |
| He said brokers bought the data and sold it on to other phone firms, who then cold-called the customers, as their contracts were due to expire. | He said brokers bought the data and sold it on to other phone firms, who then cold-called the customers, as their contracts were due to expire. |
| A T-Mobile spokesman said the data was sold "without our knowledge". | A T-Mobile spokesman said the data was sold "without our knowledge". |
| Mr Graham, who was appointed earlier this year as the watchdog responsible for safeguarding personal information, said the case illustrated why there needed to be a prison sentence to prevent people from selling private data to third parties. | Mr Graham, who was appointed earlier this year as the watchdog responsible for safeguarding personal information, said the case illustrated why there needed to be a prison sentence to prevent people from selling private data to third parties. |
| He confirmed his office was preparing a prosecution against those responsible for selling on T-Mobile data. | He confirmed his office was preparing a prosecution against those responsible for selling on T-Mobile data. |
| Justice Minister Michael Wills told the BBC that there was a "strong case" for introducing custodial sentences to prevent the trade in illegal data. | Justice Minister Michael Wills told the BBC that there was a "strong case" for introducing custodial sentences to prevent the trade in illegal data. |
| Search warrants | Search warrants |
| Earlier, Mr Graham had said he would not name the operator involved as it could prejudice a prosecution. | Earlier, Mr Graham had said he would not name the operator involved as it could prejudice a prosecution. |
| But after phone firms 02, Vodafone, Orange, 3 and Virgin said they were not the subject of the investigation, T-Mobile confirmed it had been. | But after phone firms 02, Vodafone, Orange, 3 and Virgin said they were not the subject of the investigation, T-Mobile confirmed it had been. |
| FROM THE PM PROGRAMME More from PM | FROM THE PM PROGRAMME More from PM |
| Mr Graham said investigators had been working with the company after it reported suspicions of an unlawful trade in customers' data. | |
| The team from the Information Commissioner's office obtained search warrants to enter premises and have also interviewed employees. | The team from the Information Commissioner's office obtained search warrants to enter premises and have also interviewed employees. |
| 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. | 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. | "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. |
| ANALYSIS Danny Shaw, BBC home affairs correspondent | |
| The increasing use of computers and memory sticks to store and transfer data has fuelled what the information commissioner described in 2006 as a pernicious and widespread trade. | |
| Addresses, phone bills, bank statements and health records - they can all be obtained for a price. | |
| The Information Commissioner's report estimated that you could trace the name and address of a telephone caller from their phone number for £75 and check someone's criminal record for £500. | |
| Suppliers obtain information through two routes - by paying insiders to pass it on or by pretending to be someone who has a lawful need for it - known as blagging. | |
| In August a civilian worker at Essex Police was fined for accessing police intelligence databases 800 times and passing on mobile phone records. | |
| "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. | "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 fines 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." | "The existing paltry fines 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." |
| The Ministry of Justice has been consulting on tougher penalties for illegal trade in personal information. | The Ministry of Justice has been consulting on tougher penalties for illegal trade in personal information. |
| The Data Protection Act bans the selling on of data without prior permission from the customer and a fine of £5,000 can be imposed following a successful prosecution. | The Data Protection Act bans the selling on of data without prior permission from the customer and a fine of £5,000 can be imposed following a successful prosecution. |
| But Mr Graham said that the mobile phone case suggested that people were "driving a coach and horses" through the legislation. | But Mr Graham said that the mobile phone case suggested that people were "driving a coach and horses" through the legislation. |
| "If public trust and confidence in the proper handling of personal information, whether by government or by others, is to be maintained effective sanctions are essential," he added. | "If public trust and confidence in the proper handling of personal information, whether by government or by others, is to be maintained effective sanctions are essential," he added. |
| Justice Minister Michael Wills said the government was looking at bringing in tougher penalties to deter the illegal trade in personal information. | Justice Minister Michael Wills said the government was looking at bringing in tougher penalties to deter the illegal trade in personal information. |
| T-MOBILE FACTS The UK's fourth largest mobile phone company with an estimated 16.6 million customers - 15% share of the marketUK workforce of 6,500Subsidiary of German firm Deutsche TelekomPlans to merge its UK business with that of Orange, creating a mobile phone giant with 28.4 million customers | |
| He added: "Given the scale of public concern about privacy of their data, I think we have to look at going further and custodial sentences clearly have to be a part of that." | He added: "Given the scale of public concern about privacy of their data, I think we have to look at going further and custodial sentences clearly have to be a part of that." |
| But Conservative justice spokeswoman Eleanor Laing said: "The Government's refusal to establish a strong privacy watchdog is nothing short of scandalous. | But Conservative justice spokeswoman Eleanor Laing said: "The Government's refusal to establish a strong privacy watchdog is nothing short of scandalous. |
| "We need a beefed-up information commissioner with a full set of punitive strings to his bow, including the power to fine organisations." | "We need a beefed-up information commissioner with a full set of punitive strings to his bow, including the power to fine organisations." |
| Lib Dem Home Affairs spokesman Chris Huhne said the "shameful incident" proved that stiffer penalties "cannot be introduced soon enough". | Lib Dem Home Affairs spokesman Chris Huhne said the "shameful incident" proved that stiffer penalties "cannot be introduced soon enough". |
| He added: "This sorry episode questions the government's wisdom in getting communications providers to hoard increasing amounts of information about us." | He added: "This sorry episode questions the government's wisdom in getting communications providers to hoard increasing amounts of information about us." |
| 'Proactively supported' | 'Proactively supported' |
| A spokesman for T-Mobile said the sale of the data had been "deeply regrettable" and that it had been asked to keep it secret to avoid any criminal prosecutions being prejudiced. | A spokesman for T-Mobile said the sale of the data had been "deeply regrettable" and that it had been asked to keep it secret to avoid any criminal prosecutions being prejudiced. |
| He said: "T-Mobile takes the protection of customer information seriously. | He said: "T-Mobile takes the protection of customer information seriously. |
| "When it became apparent that contract renewal information was being passed on to third parties without our knowledge, we alerted the Information Commissioner's Office. | "When it became apparent that contract renewal information was being passed on to third parties without our knowledge, we alerted the Information Commissioner's Office. |
| The spokesman added that the company and the ICO "working together" had identified the source of the breach and that T-Mobile had "proactively supported the ICO to help stamp out what is a problem for the whole industry". | The spokesman added that the company and the ICO "working together" had identified the source of the breach and that T-Mobile had "proactively supported the ICO to help stamp out what is a problem for the whole industry". |
| He added: "We were therefore surprised at the way in which these statements were made to the BBC today." | He added: "We were therefore surprised at the way in which these statements were made to the BBC today." |
| Are you a T-Mobile customer? Did you receive a call from another mobile phone firm as your contract was about to expire? You can send us your comments using the form below: | Are you a T-Mobile customer? Did you receive a call from another mobile phone firm as your contract was about to expire? You can send us your comments using the form below: |
| A selection of your comments may be published, displaying your name and location unless you state otherwise in the box below. | A selection of your comments may be published, displaying your name and location unless you state otherwise in the box below. |
| The BBC may edit your comments and not all emails will be published. Your comments may be published on any BBC media worldwide. Terms & Conditions | The BBC may edit your comments and not all emails will be published. Your comments may be published on any BBC media worldwide. Terms & Conditions |