The government was forced to admit the most fundamental breach of faith between the state and citizen yesterday when it disclosed that the personal records of 25 million individuals, including their dates of birth, addresses, bank accounts and national insurance numbers had been lost in the post, opening up the threat of mass identity fraud and theft from personal bank accounts.
MPs gasped when the chancellor, Alistair Darling, told the Commons that discs containing personal details from 7.25 million families claiming child benefit had been lost. They went missing in the internal post after a junior official at HM Revenue & Customs in Washington, Tyne and Wear, breached all government security rules by sending them by courier to the National Audit Office in London.
– The Guardian
Banks and building societies are bracing themselves for a deluge of inquiries from customers as experts warn that consumers are likely to panic over the loss of 25 million child benefit records.
Many banks have increased their call centre staff to cope with people wanting to change their passwords and account details following the fiasco.
– The Telegraph
Alistair Darling has apologised for the “very, very bad situation” that has left every parent in the country at risk of fraud after their addresses, bank details and other data were lost in the post.
However, asked whether he would resign, Mr Darling insisted that it was his responsibility to continue in his job to deal with the situation.
Experts have warned that the missing data could be hoarded for years by criminal gangs before being used to commit fraud on an unparalleled scale.
– The Telegraph
Millions of British families have been warned to look out for identity theft and watch their bank accounts for suspicious transactions after the government admitted it had lost child benefit details of 25m people in Europe’s biggest ever loss of confidential personal information.
Details of the the breach led to the resignation of Paul Gray, chairman of the HM Revenue and Customs, and could also create fresh problems for the government’s plans for a national identity card, supported by a database. On Tuesday George Osborne, the shadow chancellor said, the incident would be the “final blow” in destroying the government’s plans to set up a national identity card scheme, since nobody would trust the government to store sensitive personal data any more.
– The Financial Times
Iraqi refugees are returning home in dramatic numbers, concluding that security in Baghdad has been transformed. Thousands have left their refuge in Syria in recent months, according to some estimates.
The Iraqi Embassy is organising a secure mass convoy from Damascus to Baghdad on Monday for refugees who want to drive back. Embassy notices went up around the Syrian capital yesterday, offering free bus and train rides home.
Saida Zaynab, the Damascus neighbourhoods once dominated by many of the 1.5 million Iraqi refugees, is almost deserted. Apartment prices are plummeting and once-crowded shops and buses are half empty.
– The Times