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Monday 7 May 2012

Data Protection and the Pastry Brush

Monday 7 May 2012 - I received a telephone call yesterday from a large corporation, they were calling in the hope of selling me something. Usually I have no time for cold calls, today though I had a shock. The girl at first addressed me by my full name, and asked if she could check some details of my account. I responded by giving her a solitary, ‘Yes.’

The girl speaking to me then went on to read out my address and postcode, my telephone number and also my e-mail address. Shocked I said nothing and she then said, can I confirm that you have just set up a new direct debit agreement and your bank account and sort code is………………………. She actually read this information out….. So much for data protection.

I stopped her and pointed out that I could be anyone, she said, “Why would you be someone else, this is your phone number isn’t it?” I point out that she hasn’t bothered to do any security checks to confirm my identity; at this point she starts to go through security……Pointless now, so I asked for her name and department and she then told me “I’m sorry sir, but I’m not at liberty to give you that information, as I’ve no guarantee that you are who you say you are.

Needless to say, this is one company that has received short shrift from me and cancellation of my custom.

steak___kidney_pie

Lately I’ve been a bit of a domestic goblin and noticed, that as most of my kitchen equipment now resides in Italy, that I was lacking in the pastry brush department. So I head off into town to purchase one in the local shops. Several shops later, and no luck, I head into the last place that may house the object of my search. I search through the kitchenware department, but to no avail. I ask the shop assistant, who looks a tad nonplussed by my request; after a few minutes of thought she says, “No one ‘round here bothers with ‘em, they just go (to) the pie shop.”…………. Class!

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