Bank details for sale on internet

THE Information Commissioner launched an investigation last night after it was revealed thousands of Britons' bank details are available for sale on the internet.

It emerged more than 100 websites are offering to sell personal bank details, including account numbers, PINs and security codes, including those of a High Court judge.

One fraudster is offering to sell 30,000 British credit card numbers for 1 each, it was reported.

A spokesman for Richard Thomas, the UK Information Commissioner, said the data on offer appeared to be for active accounts. "From what I have seen, the information would be enough for someone to go online and spend money, but at this stage there is no way of knowing which cards are on there," he said.

"Clearly, it's a matter of concern if people's personal banking details, which should remain private, are on a public website. What we are going to do is look at the evidence and how people's numbers appeared on these websites."

He said the investigation would initially focus on what security breach, if any, had taken place to allow the information to get into the public domain.

If the data was acquired fraudulently, or by theft, the matter would be passed to the police as a criminal inquiry.

However, if the websites are based overseas, then they are beyond his remit.

Mr Thomas will address a House of Commons committee tomorrow to ask to be given extra powers to tackle data protection breaches.