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BCW Debt Collection using my 6 year old child's details

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    #32
    former legend
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,309 ✭✭✭former legend


    Fred Swanson wrote: »
    This post has been deleted.

    But not in this case, I think it's important to note.


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    #33
    Fred Swanson
    Closed Accounts Posts: 21,730 ✭✭✭✭Fred Swanson


    This post has been deleted.


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    #34
    dudara
    Registered Users Posts: 33,518 ✭✭✭✭dudara


    @Fred Swanson Let's focus on the issue at hand here, rather than speculating about debt collectors in general.

    dudara


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    #35
    former legend
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,309 ✭✭✭former legend


    I hope I don't incur the wrath of the mod here, but a 10-second google will tell you a lot about who BCW are.


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    #36
    yipeeeee
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,605 ✭✭✭yipeeeee


    You can ask them to remove your number from their system once they have an address for you.


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    #37
    jonnny68
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,670 ✭✭✭jonnny68


    Pay these parasites nothing and only deal with BG themselves, if BG don't want to deal than do nothing.


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    #38
    melekalikimaka
    Moderators, Education Moderators, Music Moderators Posts: 10,686 Mod ✭✭✭✭melekalikimaka


    jonnny68 wrote: »
    Pay these parasites nothing and only deal with BG themselves, if BG don't want to deal than do nothing.

    then get blacklisted from all suppliers? probably not wise


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    #39
    my3cents
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,764 ✭✭✭my3cents


    melekalikimaka wrote: »
    then get blacklisted from all suppliers? probably not wise

    So what you are suggesting is that BCW circulate your information to other companies in direct violation of data protection legislation?


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    #40
    ANXIOUS
    Registered Users Posts: 3,095 ✭✭✭ANXIOUS


    Direct your complaint in there to Mark Chandler. Head of operations.


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    #41
    Five Lamps
    Closed Accounts Posts: 687 ✭✭✭Five Lamps


    Cabaal wrote: »
    Its not a matter for the Gardai, it'll only waste Gardai time.

    The Data Protection Office would be the best port of call, and also a formal complaint to the debt company and BG.

    OP, please don't waste Gardai time with something like this.

    Exactly.

    I would start by writing a matter of fact letter to the utility company making a complaint on how the debt collection agency contacted you. At the same time, ask them to furnish:
    a) All data that they hold on you on their system
    b) All data that they have passed to BCW.


    I would then write to the debt collection agency and ask them to provide all data that they hold on you.

    Note you may have to pay a fee to both co's (€6.50) to get the data from both companies.

    It its completely unacceptable for the collection agency to contact anybody other than you in connection with the debt - unless your wife is guarantor or is a joint account holder.

    It's quite possible that the debt collection agency is creating profiles of people using publicly available information. However, it is odd that they would do so for a relatively small debt (it would cost them more than the amount to send somebody down to get birth records etc.). That's assuming that they got it legitimately - we know that there is shady things going on in that industry.

    In tandem you could make a complaint to the Data Privacy commissioner. However, he may state that you need to complain to the utility company before they will take it up. You may want to wait until you get the data or response from the two companies first.

    However, it is a pretty serious state of affairs that a debt agency is harvesting and storing information on individuals and their family and sending unsolicited messages to them. This ought to be of interest to the DP and to be frank a company doing this should not be authorised to process or control data. Effectively they are using the "we know where your family lives" approach used by criminals.

    To throw a bit of petrol on the fire, Irish Water is a subsidiary of BGE. I wonder what debt collection agency that they'll be using?!?


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    #42
    Five Lamps
    Closed Accounts Posts: 687 ✭✭✭Five Lamps


    Just in - the shady world of debt collection agencies and the collection of personal data [company featured is not the company referenced by the OP]: http://www.newstalk.com/Data-Protection-Commissioner-welcome-landmark-case-against-private-investigators


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    #43
    former legend
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,309 ✭✭✭former legend


    Five Lamps wrote: »
    Just in: http://www.newstalk.com/Data-Protection-Commissioner-welcome-landmark-case-against-private-investigators

    How does this story relate to the Bord Gais one?


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    #44
    athtrasna
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,420 ✭✭✭✭athtrasna


    Any update OP?


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    #45
    Five Lamps
    Closed Accounts Posts: 687 ✭✭✭Five Lamps


    former legend wrote: »
    How does this story relate to the Bord Gais one?

    The company referenced is not the one referenced by the OP. However, it is yet another story about this this industry and it's data gathering practices.


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    #46
    former legend
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,309 ✭✭✭former legend


    Five Lamps wrote: »
    The company referenced is not the one referenced by the OP. However, it is yet another story about this this industry and it's data gathering practices.

    But since the OP never came back with an update, we've no idea what happened and whether this BCW crowd did anything like that. Unfair assumption imo.


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    #47
    ytpe2r5bxkn0c1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 32,688 ✭✭✭✭ytpe2r5bxkn0c1


    Five Lamps wrote: »
    The company referenced is not the one referenced by the OP. However, it is yet another story about this this industry and it's data gathering practices.

    Are you insinuating that the company in question on this thread may have obtained information illegally? If so you have absolutely neither proof nor any evidence to suggest so. You cannot jump in with wild assumptions like this. The OP has not come back with an explanation yet. Therefore your linking to that other story is at best misleading.


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    #48
    Five Lamps
    Closed Accounts Posts: 687 ✭✭✭Five Lamps


    Weston Delightful Tux wrote: »
    Are you insinuating that the company in question on this thread may have obtained information illegally? If so you have absolutely neither proof nor any evidence to suggest so. You cannot jump in with wild assumptions like this. The OP has not come back with an explanation yet. Therefore your linking to that other story is at best misleading.

    No, but that entire industry in now open to question given recent investigations by the Data Protection commission and ones that are pipeline. I don't think it's misleading at all - it's the current news about an industry that is under close scrutiny.

    The OP has raised a very valid question about a how a debt collection agency can be possession of a considerable amount of personal information about him and his family.

    He is certainly right to start raising questions with the Data Controller (utility company) and how is his/her data is being used and it if it is line with data protection laws.


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    #49
    James esq
    Closed Accounts Posts: 84 ✭✭James esq


    Using information about kids, generally not allowed.


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    #50
    rawn
    Registered Users Posts: 3,093 ✭✭✭rawn


    I got an email from BCW this morning FAO my partner asking him to call urgently. I literally have no idea why they would have my email address, and we have no idea what the debt is for, as the only bills we have are our mobile phones bills which are up to date! I'm afraid to call them back in case they take it as an invitation to pester me, but I really don't know why they have my email address at all.


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    #51
    seagull
    Registered Users Posts: 2,342 ✭✭✭seagull


    Forward it to the data protection office.


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