Dixons Retail has been rapped on the knuckles by the Information Commissioner’s Office for breaching the Data Protection Act by dumping customers’ financial information in a skip.
A local authority’s health department discovered the eight completed credit agreements in or near a skip outside a branch of PC World. The exact store has not been identified.
The documents, which contained personal and financial information, related to transactions made two years earlier, and had been kept beyond Dixons’ recommended period for holding personal data.
Under the company’s normal procedure, the documents should have been transported in sealed containers to a central facility for secure shredding.
Mick Gorrill, head of enforcement at the ICO, said: “Any organisation collecting and holding personal information needs to ensure that information is kept and disposed of safely and securely. This is an important principle of the Act.
“Making sure data is disposed of securely and not keeping information for longer than is necessary can help to prevent information falling into the wrong hands. Staff need to be aware of policies and it is essential they receive appropriate training to follow them.”
Dixons CEO John Browett has signed a formal agreement to take steps to prevent a similar breach happening again, including a review of security procedures and providing training for staff on complying with security policies.
Advertisement
Related Stories
- Dixons reports growth in UK sales in latest statement May 10th 2012 at 9:14PM
- The Hut Group sees 70 per cent growth Feb 10th 2012 at 4:49PM
- HP Folio 13-1000 ultrabook a DSG exclusive Feb 8th 2012 at 6:06AM
- Apple hires former CEO of Dixons Feb 1st 2012 at 10:31AM
- Micro-P launches financial services Nov 25th 2011 at 1:33PM
- Steam hacked: personal and financial info may be at risk Nov 11th 2011 at 10:52AM
- Former Olympus CEO says more revelations to come Nov 9th 2011 at 3:54PM
- Dixons UK and Ireland sales drop 9% Sep 7th 2011 at 1:01PM
- Google admits giving out EU user data Aug 11th 2011 at 1:42PM
