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Here's our guide to the HMRC child benefit data loss as news of police visiting London rubbish tips in their hunt for missing computer discs containing personal details of 25 million people comes to light.
The two Child Benefit discs containing names, dates of birth, bank and address details went missing on 18 October. They were lost when a junior official sent them by courier from Tyne and Wear to the National Audit Office in London. It is believed police fear the discs may have accidentally been thrown out as rubbish. Police have visited several tips around London to check what waste was delivered there.
The first two missing discs hold the personal details of all families in the UK with a child under 16.
The data on them includes the name, address, date of birth, National Insurance number and, where relevant, bank details of 25 million people.
The discs were intended for the National Audit Office (NAO) in London, but never arrived from HMRC's office in Washington, Tyne and Wear.
In March, officials at HMRC began the practice of downloading the entire Child Benefit database onto CDs and sending them through the internal mail to the NAO for auditing.
The practice came to light only on Tuesday when it was revealed the two discs had been lost - raising fears that data protection laws had been broken.
Two missing computer discs containing the personal details of 25 million people could be worth up to £1.5bn to criminals, say the Lib Dems.
Acting leader Vincent Cable told MPs an "enormous amount" was still at stake, after discs containing the entire child benefit database got lost in transit.
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has made a series of mistakes as it tries to apologise to parents for the loss of their personal details in the post, the Tories disclosed.
REVENUE officials have been routinely posting out people’s confidential data in bulk and without proper security, a Sunday Times investigation has found. It undermines Gordon Brown’s claim that the loss of 25m child benefit records was the fault of a lone junior official.
More bad news in the post Millions of people are at risk of fraud because sensitive government data has gone missing. Gordon Brown and Alistair Darling blame a ‘junior official’. But new evidence suggests responsibility lies closer to home
A ‘calamitous breakdown in communication’ at Revenue & Customs has left thousands more people exposed to risk of identity fraud
Quote:
At least two more CDs that could leave thousands of people open to identity fraud have been reported missing by staff at HM Revenue & Customs this week, The Times has been told.
Police have started an investigation into the loss of the unencrypted files, which went missing in transit from tax offices in Washington, Tyne & Wear, and contain “sensitive information” including national insurance numbers and dates of birth. They were sent to offices in London and are yet to be accounted for.
The loss of these files are in addition to a series of recent blunders by HMRC, including the announcement this month that a CD-Rom that contained information on 15,000 Standard Life customers had been lost.
The latest disclosure will increase the pressure on Alistair Darling, the Chancellor, who faced calls yesterday for his resignation over the loss of details of 25 million Britons from the Washington office of HMRC.
If you are a recipient of child benefit in the UK, the chances are your records and bank details were included in one of the two CDs that Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has lost. HMRC has said we have nothing to fear, despite the fact it doesn't know where these unencrypted CDs are or who has been accessing them.
All the same, APACS, the British banking payments association, is advising people concerned about the situation to ring a dedicated Revenue phone line - 0845 302 1444. APACS reassures parents that "there is no evidence that the lost data has fallen into criminal hands".
The organisation, in an advisory page on its website, said: "The missing data contained sort code and bank account details, national insurance numbers, dates of birth, names and address details, of all families in receipt of child benefit, as well as the names and dates of birth of those children for whom child benefit is payable."
It again claimed that this information, on its own, was insufficient for a fraudster to access your account.
APACS advises people not to close accounts but to look out for dodgy transactions. If you spot such a transaction you should get in touch with your bank. If, however, you receive post suggesting you have opened an account or applied for a card with a company you have had no contact with, possible evidence that your ID has been copied, you should contact the police. APACS' advice is here... apacs.org.uk/AdviceonIDtheftforchildbenefitrecipients.html
What has happened?
HM Revenue and Customs has lost computer discs containing the entire child benefit records, including the personal details of 25 million people - covering 7.25 million families overall. The two discs contain the names, addresses, dates of birth and bank account details of people who received child benefit. They also include National Insurance numbers. How were the discs lost?
They were sent via internal mail from HMRC in Washington, in the North East of England, to the National Audit Office in London on 18 October, by a junior official, and never arrived. That broke data protection laws and is the reason Revenue and Customs chairman Paul Gray resigned.
What is the government saying?
Prime Minister Gordon Brown told MPs: "I profoundly regret and apologise for the inconvenience and worries that have been caused to millions of families who receive child benefits. When mistakes happen in enforcing procedures, we have a duty to do everything we can to protect the public." He denied the data was lost because of "systemic" failures at the HMRC saying it had been due to procedures not being followed. He ordered security checks on all government departments to ensure data is properly protected.
What is being done to find the discs?
The Metropolitan Police, National Audit Office, Revenue and Customs staff and courier firm TNT have all been searching for the discs.
How worried should people be?
The details on the lost discs would be sought after by fraudsters. Mr Darling says the information was password protected, but that was not good enough. He said there was no suggestion that anything untoward had happened as a result of the discs' loss to date. Experts say such data should normally be sent in encrypted form. Analysis: How worried should we be?
How could the information be misused?
Banks say the information on its own would not be enough to allow someone access to your bank account, as other security information and passwords should be required. But the details would be enough for criminals to use in other types of fraud, such as setting up credit or financial agreements like mobile phone accounts. There may also be child protection concerns, as the discs contained names, addresses and dates of birth of children.
What are people advised to do?
Mr Darling said people should check their bank accounts for any "irregular activity"
He said there was no need for people to close accounts as the details would not be sufficient to allow fraudsters to access them
But people should not give out personal or account details "requested unexpectedly" by phone or by email
People who bank online should monitor accounts and change passwords if they are a child's name or date of birth
Contact your bank immediately, but only if you spot something suspicious as banks are expecting to be overwhelmed with calls
Banks also warn customers to be on the lookout for signs of ID theft and fraud - such as regular post like bank statements going missing, bills for items you have not bought, or letters approving or denying you credit you know nothing about
Is my money safe?
Mr Darling said there was no evidence of fraud or that the details had fallen into the "wrong hands", but said that anyone who loses money as a result of fraud resulting from the lost discs would be reimbursed. But he said there was no need for anyone to close their bank accounts.
How can I find out more?
Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs has set up a Child Benefit Helpline on 0845 302 1444 for customers who want more details.
What has been the political reaction?
Prime Minister Gordon Brown has apologised for any inconvenience and worry caused. David Cameron says the government has failed in its duty to protect citizens. Lib Dem acting leader Vince Cable questioned whether the buck should stop with Mr Gray or whether ministers should share blame.
Sequence of Events
18 October - Junior official from HMRC in Washington, Tyne and Wear, sends two CDs containing password-protected records to audit office in London through courier TNT, neither recorded nor registered
24 October - When package fails to arrive, second one is sent by registered post and arrives safely
3 November - Senior managers are told first package has been lost
10 November - Prime minister and other ministers are informed
12 November - HMRC tell ministers CDs will probably be found
14 November - When HMRC searches fail, Metropolitan Police are called in
15 November- Richard Thomas, Information Commissioner, says remedial action must be taken before public is informed
20 November - HMRC Chairman Paul Gray resigns; Chancellor Alistair Darling makes announcement to House of Commons
21 November - Prime Minister Gordon Brown apologises and orders security checks
Here is an excellent series of articles by the BBC Newsnight team looking into the data debacle and the mendacious way the Brown Government has handled the aftermath...
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