Discussing Private Matters

foggy_lad

drunkmonkey wrote: »

Glad you agree on something:)

We all agree except you that meteor are completely in the wrong in this case! They spoke to a third party about a customers account giving details not just about the account but also financial details about a debt owed by one of their customers.

To suggest they are somehow in the right because they are owed money by the account holder is akin to people who owe arrears on their mortgages being listed in the times once a week or their relatives being phoned to see if they are willing to pay the arrears, a reputable company with good credit control agents will never do anything like what meteor have done.

Originally Posted by drunkmonkey

I was curious to know if the bill was paid as it wasn't when the thread was started but op is now in contact with meteor.
Whether paid or not makes no difference to anything, meteor should not have mentioned anything to anyone apart from the account holder!

When OP made a contract, he used his home address and landline number on the application. That's the number which was contacted.
But his mother is not him! Even if he was a lodger at the address years ago she still has NO RIGHT to be told information about another persons personal account and dealings with meteor or any other company or organisation

We don't have the transcript of the call yet to confirm the data breach but going on the facts not much account if any account details were revealed.
She is a woman obviously not the op so to continue the conversation beyond asking if he is there and we're can he be contacted is a definite data breach

Is it a data breach to call someone at their registered address and registered landline when calls to their mobile number have failed? (No)
Is it a data breach to tell a complete stranger who just might be your mother all about your mobile phone account/health status/lottery winnings/court appearance etc? (YES)

Is it ok for meteor to ask how can they contact op as every other method has failed? (Yes)
They can ask for alternative contact details YES but they are NOT ALLOWED mention any previous attempts at contacting him or that "all other methods have failed"!

Is it ok for op's mum to ask what this is all about? (Yes)
BUT A DATA BREACH FOR METEOR TO ANSWER HER

Is it ok for meteor to say it's in relation to his account? (Yes)
But to say anything more is a data breach

Op's Mum did not know if OP owed money that's why she asked him so Meteor didn't discuss op's account beyond what could be considered a data breach.
She has no right to know anything about the account or whether money is owed!

dudara

dub45 and drunkmonkey both of you have taken this thread way off tack. Surely you'd have more sense at this stage in your Boards careers.

dub45 - Infraction awarded for telling posters "to mind their own business". You're very lucky that it wasn't a stiffer penalty

dudara

drunkmonkey

foggy_lad wrote: »

We all agree except you that meteor are completely in the wrong in this case!

I never said they were in the right, I put forward a possible scenario in reply to dub45. I've said their in the wrong going on what was said. I'm not backing up Meteor, hope you didn't read it like that it's not what I meant.

All the points you highlighted above in the possible scenario above i'd agree with.



@dudara, I should have had more sense than to get drawn in, sorry.

Zab

drunkmonkey wrote: »

I never said they were in the right, I put forward a possible scenario in reply to dub45. I've said their in the wrong going on what was said. I'm not backing up Meteor, hope you didn't read it like that it's not what I meant.

There really is no scenario where Meteor phone OP, get his mother on the phone and have the right to tell her anything about the account. It doesn't matter that he has used her address (she can ask them to stop sending things to her). It doesn't matter if she offers to pay off the debt. Nothing really matters. Unless his mother pretended to be him on the phone there's no reason for them to give her the amount owed, so all of your scenarios are flawed.

dotsman

OP, do we know what exactly they said to your mother? After all, it's the content of the conversation is what's important here.

As your contact information is for your mother's house, then there is no issue there. Next, it depends on what they said to your mother. Possible scenarios include:

"Can you please ask your son to contact our debt collection team..."
Possible breach of Data Protection as, for the most part, the only reason why someone would need to contact a "debt collection" team is if they are a bad debtor.

"Can you please ask your son to contact us @ 01 1234567..." and the mother imagines that the main reason why a phone company would be specifically calling her son is in relation to unpaid bills. Especially given any of the below*
No breach here. They are not saying anything specifically and are making contact with the contact details provided.

"Are you his mother? Well, guess what, he owes us loads of money. He's being using his phone to ring loads of sex lines, and download midget porn, racking up huge bills and now won't pay them back..."
Obvious breach of Data Protection for obvious reasons

*OP, how come meteor didn't phone you on your mobile? Have you already been disconnected? Might your mother have already been suspicious and merely put two and two together when meteor rang for you?

Zab

dotsman wrote: »

OP, do we know what exactly they said to your mother? After all, it's the content of the conversation is what's important here.

According to the OP his mother was told the amount he owed.

dotsman

Zab wrote: »

According to the OP his mother was told the amount he owed.

Didn't notice that!
Then, yes, there was a breach of Data Protection.

foggy_lad

drunkmonkey wrote: »

I never said they were in the right, I put forward a possible scenario in reply to dub45. I've said their in the wrong going on what was said. I'm not backing up Meteor, hope you didn't read it like that it's not what I meant.

All the points you highlighted above in the possible scenario above i'd agree with.



@dudara, I should have had more sense than to get drawn in, sorry.

There is NO possible scenario where they would or could be in the right in what they have done(divulging private account details to a third party) and it is ridiculous to suggest otherwise.

foggy_lad

drunkmonkey wrote: »

Have you paid what you owe them yet?, i'd advise doing that before going down any route about them having a word with your mum.

If your running up bad debts with your Mothers address I say she has every right to know what's going on.

The op could owe the company thousands or more but they are still entitled to data protection and to know that their private account is not the talk of the town! just because you owe money or are in arrears with any account does not mean you give up your rights to be treated properly by the company you owe the debt to.

Have you had any suggestion from any post on this thread that leads you to question if the op is running up bad debts with his mothers address? Even if there were several debts and bad debts she would still not be entitled to be told any information about them!