While most businesses processing personal data are required by
law to notify the Information Commissioner, the fee is only £35 and
many small businesses that process personal data for very limited
purposes are not required to notify. Businesses usually notify the
Information Commissioner direct.
But bogus agencies have targeted businesses throughout the UK,
cashing in on a lack of awareness of the proper notification
procedure.
The Information Commissioner's Office (
ICO
) has
targeted its latest warnings at airlines and airport-based shops,
golf clubs and nurseries.
"Do not fall victim to these data protection fake agencies,"
said Assistant Information Commissioner Phil Jones. "The golden
rule is that if a business receives a letter out of the blue
demanding more than £35 to register under the DPA this will be a scam. Our simple
message to businesses is to throw the letter in the bin and not to
pay the fee."
According to the
ICO
, the agency received around
1,300 enquiries about fake letters last month alone. In recent
years, the
ICO
and Office of Fair Trading have issued
many such warnings.
"If businesses are in any doubt about a letter they receive they
can contact the
ICO
directly to establish if they are
required to notify," said Jones.
