Data Protection Scams

Whenever small businesses have to comply with new laws, the scamsters will jump in and profit by exploiting people's ignorance of what they need to do to comply.

Posted May 2002 / Updated Oct 13th 2004

If you hold personal data on people you may need to notify the data protection register. This costs £35. All the information you need is available here:
http://www.dpr.gov.uk/

Unfortunately there are a number of predatory companies sending out official looking letters stating that you must notify and fill out the form enclosed. The fees are often in the hundreds of pounds and some have taken fees, then not even notified the Data protection register!

Thanks in part to the Information commisioner and in part to your submissions, this is the list of names to watch our for.

Data Collection Services (Enforcement Section) See Misleading advert
(City Buildings, Liverpool) (Possibly the same as D.C.S.) September 2004
Data Processing Protection Corporation (DPPC)
(PO Box 56, Guisborough, TS14 6WT) December 2003
Data Protection Act Registration Agency
Data Protection Act Registration Service
Data Protection Agency (See Misleading Advert [pdf] Pages 1 2 3 4)
(Registration Dept, P.O. Box 1173, Blackpool, FY3 7WQ) July 2005
Data Protection Agency Registration Services Ltd
Data Protection Agency Registrations
Data Protection Agency Services (Trading from several adresses Incl. Liverpool) 2003
Data Protection Agency Services Limited
Data Protection Agency - Enforcement Section
(Wycliffe House, 21 Tanhouse St, Dewsbury, WF13 3ES) April 2004
Data Protection Agency - Enforcement Services
(St Helens, WA9 3BY) May 2004
Data Protection Agency - Registration Enforcement | See Misleading advert
(Registration Dept, Data Protection agency, P.O. Box 1098, Blackpool, FY1 2WS) August 2004
Data Protection Enforcement Agency? (DPEA)
(Sparth House, 49 Heath Street, Rochdale. OL11 4HF) Feb 2004
Data Protection Registration Agency/DPR Services
(2 Wymans Court, Cheltenham Glos. GL50 4TE. Tel 08456 44 44 10) Feb 2004
Data Registration Agency
D.C.S (Data Enforcement Section)
(City Buildings, 21-23 Old Hall St. Merseyside L3 BS) September 2004
DPA Registration Agency
Data Protection Corporation
Data Protection Bureau
the Crown Data Collection Enforcement Agency (CDCEA) based in Hyde Cheshire
the Crown Data Collection Agency (same scam as above?)

Press coverage: Daily Mail 4 March 2002

What should you do if you are contacted by one of these companies

The authorities are well aware of these scams, however if you are contacted by anyone trading under a name not listed above please let the Information Commissioner's Office know on 01625 545 745 (or email mail@compliance.demon.co.uk)

Even if the company is on the list you should notify your local trading standards (number in telephone directory) and request that they contact their counterparts in the place the company is trading from.

Also send a copy of letter you receive along with a compliments slip to:

Michelle Vaughan,
Misleading Advertising Unit,
OFT, Fleet Bank House,
2-6 Salisbury Square,
London
EC4Y 8JY

If the company is *Not* on the list above please submit details to
constoppers-owner@yahoogroups.com
Please Include:

The Full Name of the Company
All their contact details
If Possible a scan of the document in jpg format

Unfortunately these scams exist solely as a result of our ignorance. Whenever new legislation is introduced that affects small firms the predators are there, seeing how we can be duped. For that reason you should also consider contacting your local press and any trade magazines you subscribe to. Speak to trading standards, they may be more than willing to do a joint press release. Forewarning companies of scams is our number one tool in defeating them

As with any scam, if you can be bothered, please waste their time, ploys such as sounding interested and getting them to keep ringing back can brighten up a dull day in the office!

Constoppers Email List
This list is here to protect you, Please join up and will will recieve very occasional messages warning of scams being carried out against small businesses.
Report scams to constoppers-owner@yahoogroups.com The whole group will then be alerted to verified scams.

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