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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/shortcuts/2012/mar/19/personal-information-safe-foreign-call-centres
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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Is your personal information really at risk from foreign call centres? | Is your personal information really at risk from foreign call centres? |
| (7 months later) | |
| Fancy getting your hands on the medical or financial records of a complete stranger? Just two pence should be enough, if reports on Indian call centre workers selling UK consumers' confidential information to criminals are to be believed. | Fancy getting your hands on the medical or financial records of a complete stranger? Just two pence should be enough, if reports on Indian call centre workers selling UK consumers' confidential information to criminals are to be believed. |
| Companies are not allowed to transfer personal information from the UK to other countries unless they can ensure it will be subject to the same level of protection. When the FSA, the City watchdog, looked into data security in 2008, it concluded that firms with call centres overseas did have adequate controls in place. It says that, despite the report, it is not aware of anything to suggest security has got worse since. | Companies are not allowed to transfer personal information from the UK to other countries unless they can ensure it will be subject to the same level of protection. When the FSA, the City watchdog, looked into data security in 2008, it concluded that firms with call centres overseas did have adequate controls in place. It says that, despite the report, it is not aware of anything to suggest security has got worse since. |
| But worryingly, data breaches do happen in the UK; there are 2011 cases listed on the information commissioner's website. In the meantime, if you receive an unsolicited call from a call centre operative who asks you for your security details, refuse. | But worryingly, data breaches do happen in the UK; there are 2011 cases listed on the information commissioner's website. In the meantime, if you receive an unsolicited call from a call centre operative who asks you for your security details, refuse. |
| Comments | |
| 4 comments, displaying first | |
| 20 March 2012 1:08PM | |
| Not totally relevant to this article, but an important security technique on receiving phone calls asking for security information: | |
| Sometimes organisations that have a legitimate reason to contact you ask for security information. This isn't a problem if you originated the call to a phone number you know is correct; but if someone called you, how can you know who they are? You can't be sure they're not unauthorised callers fishing for information. Surprisingly, the calling organisations don't support any way to authenticate calls (it would be easy to agree to give an agreed codeword on request, in addition to saying "this is Barclays, can you confirm your date of birth"). A simple way to authenticate a call is to give incorrect information. If the caller accepts this and continues, it's not a legitimate call. If the information is challenged, it indicates (without conclusively proving) that the call is legitimate. | |
| Link to this comment: | |
| 21 March 2012 8:43AM | |
| I did a job in an Indian call centre and was horrified to see that not only was UK customers' data left on the screen sometimes, it was also used in case study training exercises. When I queried the latter I was told that the system didn't provide any false data. As it that was sufficient justification! I closed my account. There may be adequate controls in place but that doesn't mean that they are stringently reinforced | |
| Link to this comment: | |
| 21 March 2012 9:46AM | |
| Very true. Very hard to cover this topic in 150 words or so (my first draft was 650) and I had originally included your tip but had to cut it. | |
| I have an even better rule. I simply do not give any personal information out at all over the phone. I ask them where they are calling from and tell them I will call back using a legitimate number – if I am interested or need to. | |
| Link to this comment: | |
| 21 March 2012 9:47AM | |
| Sounds worrying. And I think you are also right in that there are stringent rules with which call centres should comply – but whether they do so is the issue. | |
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| Comments on this page are now closed. | |
| Powergen brings call centres back to UK | |
| 15 Jun 2006 | |
| Powergen is closing its Indian call centres and re-opening five in Britain after admitting that outsourcing had affected customer satisfaction. | |
| 26 Nov 1999 | |
| Comeuppance calling | |
| 17 Sep 2006 | |
| India's e-tutors give UK children homework help | |
| 24 Oct 2003 | |
| Progress on hold | |
| 7 Dec 2003 | |
| Bombay calling... | |
| Powergen answers call to handle phone inquiries closer to home | |
| 16 Jun 2006 | |
| Powergen is closing its Indian call centres and expanding five in Britain after admitting that outsourcing had affected customer satisfaction. | |
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| It has been reported that Indian call centre workers have been selling confidential information about British citizens for 2p. Are there adequate controls in place? | |
| Fancy getting your hands on the medical or financial records of a complete stranger? Just two pence should be enough, if reports on Indian call centre workers selling UK consumers' confidential information to criminals are to be believed. | |
| Companies are not allowed to transfer personal information from the UK to other countries unless they can ensure it will be subject to the same level of protection. When the FSA, the City watchdog, looked into data security in 2008, it concluded that firms with call centres overseas did have adequate controls in place. It says that, despite the report, it is not aware of anything to suggest security has got worse since. | |
| But worryingly, data breaches do happen in the UK; there are 2011 cases listed on the information commissioner's website. In the meantime, if you receive an unsolicited call from a call centre operative who asks you for your security details, refuse. |