Pesnion - Data protection breach or identity fraud?

[Recardo]

Hoping for a bit of advice please.

I have a pension which I can review online. Along with my pension, I seem to have another pension against me, of a lesser value for a pension scheme / employer I have never worked for.
I have raised this with the pension provider in February, who initially said the pension is definitely mine - which I have challenged several times now.

Recently my pension provided informed my address had changed (it hasn't in the last 5+ years and isn't going to).
Checking online, I still see my pension, plus the "other" pension, and my address now being somewhere at the other end of the country. Again challenged Pension provider, who are investigating.

So, currently I am concerned that this could either be some kind of elaborate identity fraud where someone at the"new" unknown to me, address at the other end of country can now request online access and access my pensions and possible move them else where, or a pension provider data protection issue where they have mixed up policy holders(?)

I'm still awaiting an explanation from my pension provider, and am becoming increasingly concerned the longer this goes on.

I have requested escalation and an update from pension provider within 48 hrs (have been chasing for at least 2 months now).

If I don't receive the requested update or an outcome, I will look at engaging with the Financial Ombudsman.

Is there any further advice anyone can offer?

[nemesis45]

Re: Pesnion - Data protection breach or identity fraud?

Hi Welcome to LB,

Have you raised this matter as a Formal Complaint?
May be worth having a word with the Information Commissioners Office
regarding a possible breach of the Data Protection Act 1998.

nem

[Recardo]

Re: Pesnion - Data protection breach or identity fraud?

Thanks Nem.

I haven't raised this as a formal complaint with the Pension provider yet. I have only raised it as a concern and requested they confirm what has happened.

I am ready to raise a formal complaint with the Financial Ombudsman, this week if I do not receive a satisfactory response, as I'm fed up chasing this.

I'm not aware of the Information Commissioners Office (excuse my ignorance!). Who are they and what can they help with regarding my situation and the Data Protection Act 1998?

many thanks

R

[nemesis45]

Re: Pesnion - Data protection breach or identity fraud?

The ICO is the regulator for the Data Protection Act 1998, it covers a multitude of matters relating to the use/processing data, and in particular personal data the use of processing of it.

It appears as you have said that there could be a breach in regard to the processing of the
pensions data.

The FOS will expect you to have fully exhausted the pension providers complaint procedures and to have been sent a final response letter from them.

nem

[Recardo]

Re: Pesnion - Data protection breach or identity fraud?

Update - Received the following reply via email today:

"Thank you for your recent communication. We had your details mixed up with another client of ours in error due to same name and DOB as you. I can confirm there is no fraud occurred on your account and we have now fixed the error. We have also added extra security measures to stop this happening in future. Please accept our sincere apologies for any inconvenience this may have caused."

I will be calling the complaints advisor who was handling my complaint (different person than the email sender).

I really don't have any confidence in the provider and oops it was a mixup doesn't cut it with me.
If their position is still the same tomorrow then I think I should raise this as a complaint with Financial ombudsman.
Is this a reasonable course of action?

[Debt Camel]

Re: Pesnion - Data protection breach or identity fraud?

I am not sure what you will be complaining about? There was an error, the company has acknowledged this, corrected it and appologised.