Company pretended to be my bank; can I use the Data Protection Act to request a copy of the call?

[GSDog]

Hi all.

 

I received a phone call today from somebody claiming to be Santander. This is not unusual because I very recently set up a bank account and mortgage with Santander.

The house which has the Santander mortgage in my name is currently unoccupied as it is being renovated, in the mean time I am staying at a different address.

The person said he needed to ask some security questions before he could continue, and he went on to ask for the first line of my address, which I gave to him. He then said "That is not the address we have on our system" before telling me the address of my unoccupied property! I thought it was very unprofessional that he gave out my address, as I could have been anyone. He then started to ask some very personal questions, such as why I was not living at the address, and when was I planning to move into it, etc. I started to become very suspicious and just as I was about to hang up he said "No worries, it's just a courtesy call" before hanging up.

 

Obviously, I was very alarmed at this point and promptly put the phone number into Google. I have since learnt that it's a telemarketing number from the company "Homeserve", who provide "Home Emergency Cover and Domestic Repair Services". It has absolutely nothing to do with Santander. This person deliberately lied to me on the phone in order to get as much information out of me as possible. From that phone call, which I never requested, that company now has my name, the current address which I am living at, the address of my unoccupied property, my mortgage provider, my bank provider, and my mobile phone number; all by misleading me into believing that it was my bank. I am absolutely furious. I had never heard of this company or contacted them before prior to this phone call.

 

I would like to request a copy or transcript of that phone call and I would like to know exactly what information they have about me.

 

How do I go about doing this? Can I use the Data Protection Act?

 

Many thanks in advance.

[perplexity]

Prosecute the offence.

 

The court would have the power to sort it out appropriately and the duty falls to Trading Standards or any other enforcement agency to enforce the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008, especially if what these spivs are up to is their usual practice.

 

8)

[buzby]

You'll probably find you opted in. Santander mortgages have a 'feature' that helps new homeowners get their new property insured, protected, double glazed and the rest. They no doubt also get kick backs from the firms awaiting the data. I think they called it their Home Benefits package - and HS were touting for business.

 

You may find the call was not recorded, but a SAR will get the data they have. It won't get it removed though.

[GSDog]

You'll probably find you opted in. Santander mortgages have a 'feature' that helps new homeowners get their new property insured, protected, double glazed and the rest. They no doubt also get kick backs from the firms awaiting the data. I think they called it their Home Benefits package - and HS were touting for business.

 

You may find the call was not recorded, but a SAR will get the data they have. It won't get it removed though.

 

Thanks. I believe they do record their phone calls as somebody else who complained to the company about exactly the same thing was able to get it confirmed that the salesman did pretend to be Santander.

 

If I'm honest I'm not sure how to request a Subject Access Request as I've never done anything like this before. Do I need to include a fee? How can I word it most effectively? Do I need to specifically ask for any recordings?

 

Many thanks for your help so far.

[buzby]

Its an expensive process for information you've already given them - the maximum fee is £10, but the best route is to complain abouth the misrepresentation, ask for data they hold, and if they mak a fee, they'll tell you.

[perplexity]

So much of this sort of thing is a cock up rather than a conspiracy;. With an out out deception you would not have got so much as a telephone number. None the less, whatever the story is, you shouldn't have to sort it out on your own, not if what is going on is the usual practice.

 

I am not promising that Trading Standards would take an interest but they should.

 

8)

[HomeServe Customer Service]

HomeServe are sorry that you are having issues, please contact heretohelp at homserve.com and we will be happy to assist you.

[citizenB]

Speak to your bank and see if they have passed this information on to the company who called you.