Vodafone Shared Personal Information With DCA

[orchardw]

Hi there,

 

I would like to get some advises regarding Vodafone had shared my personal information regarding (full name, address, DOB, email address)

 

Undeniable, once a contract has been formed in between Vodafone, if without monthly payment, Vodafone will pass the information and shared with Debt Collection Agency because Vodafone appointed DCA to collect the debt on behalf. Vodafone claimed that, that clause was in the contract. (Thats what I have been told by Vodafone after the incident.)

 

However, I do not owe Vodafone any money nor any outstanding amount, however, my account was closed yet Vodafone did not do a proper job to close my account, leaving my records in their systems as debit situation hence passing my information to DCA without me knowing it at the first place.

 

A few months later, I got 2 letters, 2 emails from DCA (generic name Jayne Carter) asking for payment as I owed Vodafone, out of the blue, I have no ideas because during the time I had left Vodafone, I have ensure no outstanding payment, which I got a text message from the Customer Service department to confirm that (still have the text message as evidence).

 

I went to Vodafone, they never admit it was their systems fault due to the system automatically flagged up as outstanding and and accidentally passed my personal information to DCA. During the months, no letters from Vodafone or emails to stated that I am owing them money, but directly passed my information to DCA. Numerous phone calls and complaints lodged, Vodafone finally contacted DCA to close my case and no outstanding amount.

 

However, my concern is, Vodafone told me, they couldn't ask DCA to delete my personal information which they had passed to them in the first place because of their mistakes.

 

I have phoned to DCA, they said the same thing and they will archive the record but could not delete my personal information even though they will not need it anymore (from my view, no reasons they will withhold my personal information).

 

Could anyone please advice? is it worth for me to send the SAR to DCA to ask for the information they are holding?

 

thanks for your advises and very much appreciate.

 

Regards,

[Bazooka Boo]

Completely pointless sending powerless DCA's SAR's.

 

Unless they have marked your credit files with adverse, inaccurate data then you're relieving yourself into the wind IMO.

 

P.S. Don't ring DCA's, it gives them delusions of grandeur, and makes the telephone jockey think they do a meaningful job.

[BankFodder]

Vodafone have responsibility for all your data. Wait until 25th of May and the beginning of the new GDPR regime and then put an SAR request into them immediately. Once you get your data and you have the whole story in front of you then complain to the information Commissioner. You will probably receive in due course from the information Commissioner a message saying that in all likelihood Vodafone has failed to comply with their data protection obligations.

 

At this point, if you want to take some action then we will help you. It seems to me that you can claim some moderate compensation here and also force the deletion of the data. The DCA are obliged not to store your data if it has no purpose. It is called over processing and it is contrary to 1 of the six cardinal principles of the Data Protection Act.

 

Beware, when you send an SAR to Vodafone, there will probably try to get you to fill in some form. They are not allowed to do this as long as you provide them with all the information they need to be satisfied as to your identity. If they start trying to force you to comply with their own formalities then let us know – but also you should make an immediate complaint to the ICO.

 

Vodafone are a shocking company. Their customer service is extremely bad and the complaints handling is so poor that they have repeatedly been fined by the communication ombudsman. They regularly acted an unlawful way preferring simply to call in the debt collectors when people legitimately complain about the poor service. It's about time people started hitting back.

[orchardw]

Hi Bazooka Boo,

 

Thanks for your reply and appreciate.

 

Does that meant that I have no way to get DCA to delete my personal information that they are holding of me even though I don't think they will need it and it shouldnt be with them at the first place?

 

I have check my credit rating with MoneySavingExpert.com Credit Club, did not see any credit files listed as DCA or Vodafone, I believed Vodafone has contacted DCA to close the case as I do not have any outstanding with Vodafone.

 

I have no choices but force to phone to DCA because Vodafone will not help me to resolve whatever mess they have started in the first place.

 

thanks,

 

Hi BankFodder,

 

Thank you for your information and it is very helpful and appreciate your prompt responses. I will keep my eye close to the date 25th of May of new version of GDPR and send them the SAR. The cancellation of my contract with Vodafone shouldn't be happened in the first place if they served their customer right, because of their systems are so poorly designed and took about 1 month to create my profile, hence the cancellation of the contract within the 30 days period and all the nightmare has began.

 

thanks,

[Bazooka Boo]

Correct your argument is firmly with Voda, they have to answer and be made accountable for their poor systems.

 

The cynic in me would be forgiven for thinking that this is how half of these debts are put in the hands of powerless DCA's, a licence to print money!

[dondada]

I believe your action should be a Right to Erasure request, not SAR

 

Like someone said, wait until the 25th of May before making the Right to Erasure request

 

In the meantime do a little research on Right to Erasure

 

It is commonly known as Right to be forgotten.

 

You can also claim a little compensation because your personal data wasn't processed lawfully

 

It most likely would be a very small amount which would make it almost not worthwhile

 

However, I wish you make a Claims so as to send a message

 

Whichever way you choose, I wish you the very best

[orchardw]

Thanks dondada.

 

To me, I am more concern about DCA has my personal information (full name, address, date of birth etc).

Vodafone has been actively phoning me and told me they could not contact DCA to delete my records, because they said they couldn't do it.

I told them do not to close the case until they have my personal information have been deleted.

Yes i am now just waiting for the 25th May to arrive and then send them the SAR as advise.

 

Vodafone also claimed that they have pulled my account back from the Collection Agency it was assigned to and this was completed on 25 April 2018, which is a lies as DCA still hold my information in their systems (that can be verified by a quick phone call to DCA to confirm that with the references number).

 

Also the way how DCA responded, they will archive the record which DCA shouldn't store in the first place, as they do not need it, or the fact that my personal information shouldn't be there at the first place.

 

DCA also said that they do not disclosed customer information to anyone, but I wouldn't know that, when asking for deleting the personal information, they indicated that they will not share customer information to another company or public, instead said that customer information can be disclosed via another source such as utility bills company or registration with other parties, which was not very nice of DCA when they said so.

 

I just want my personal information to be deleted from DCA and then subsequently with Vodafone because I don't think I will be their return customer in my life time.

 

Thanks,

[dx100uk]

really cant see why you are bothering

any DCA can get you info anytime they like by getting your credit file.

they have a CSL licence

[orchardw]

Hi dx100uk,

 

thanks for your reply, appreciate but out of no choices and Vodafone is trying to push the ball to DCA by saying they couldn't contact DCA to delete my records but do it myself. But DCA said that they couldn't delete it but they will archive the information which was not suppose to be with them in the first place.

 

If Vodafone did their job right, I wouldnt need to contact DCA in the first place as that cost me time and money to phone them too.

 

I have stopped contacting DCA but how would I know Vodafone has instructed DCA to delete the records in the first place, which was started with their poor systems fault.

 

thanks,