Lost CD puts thousands at risk of fraud

Published on Sunday 4 November 2007 00:14

A CD containing the personal details of thousands of Standard Life pension holders has gone missing, leaving them at heightened risk of identity theft, according to HM Revenue and Customs.

Nearly 15,000 customers have been warned to be on high alert for potential scams after their data was lost in transit by an external courier.

The loss, which follows the theft of an HMRC employee's laptop containing the personal data of around 400 individuals from a car earlier this month, was made public by BBC Radio 4's Money Box programme.

An HMRC spokesman said they took the security of customer information "very seriously" and had already improved the arrangements for moving such sensitive material.

He said:

"We have asked customers to remain vigilant and have set up dedicated HMRC telephone hotlines."

The information on the CD is believed to include names, National Insurance numbers and pension plan reference numbers - enough to be used by fraudsters to steal an identity.