Neighbour finds bag of bank details in plant pot
Craig McGarrity found a
bag full of confidential documents dumped in a flower pot near his
front door
An estate agent might be investigated after a bag full of
customers' bank details, addresses and private emails was allegedly
discovered - in a plant pot.
Ferris and Co could be found to be in breach of the Data
Protection Act if the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO)
decides it did not follow legal procedures to dispose of
confidential waste.
A white sack containing more than 100 pieces of paper was handed
into the KM Group by Craig McGarrity, who lives above the company's
branch in Thurnham Lane, Bearsted.
The 36-year-old said he found the documents in a flower pot
outside his property.
The unemployed electrician said: "If someone else had found the
bag then they might have decided to have a very good Christmas
using people's bank details."
How the documents were
found
Ferris & Co said it disposes of confidential waste
responsibly and believed the rubbish was taken out of the bin for
malicious intent.
Owner Tim Ferris said: "The current procedure for disposing of
sensitive waste has obviously been breached, and may I assure all
our customers that alternative measures have been adopted to
prevent this situation occurring again."
According to the Data Protection Act 1998, businesses must keep
confidential waste secure until it has been destroyed.
An ICO spokesman said: "We have recently been made aware of a
possible data breach which may involve Ferris and Co Estate
Agents.
"We will be making enquiries into the circumstances of the
alleged breach of the Data Protection Act before deciding what
action, if any, needs to be taken."
29/11/12
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