Warning issued over a £500 con

From the Echo, first published Friday 17th Oct 2003.

BUSINESSES across West Dorset have been put on alert over a scam demanding money to register under the Data Protection Act.

Firms are being sent official looking documents asking them to pay a fee of £95 to comply with government rules. But companies who send off their cash are paying £60 too much - and that's if they need to register at all.

Many like Mr Alan Stenning, who runs the Lothlorien Cattery at Walditch, near Bridport, are not affected by the Act.

But this week he received a cash demand from Data Protection Agency Services in a brown envelope marked "Urgent". The letter was from the "Enforcement Section" and warned Mr Stenning that failure to comply with the Data Protection Registrar "constitutes a criminal offence liable to a large fine."

The letter advised him to send £95 immediately to DPA Enforcement Section at an address in Sheffield.

But a Dorset Trading Standards officer said this week that the correct response to such a letter was to "bin it."

"They are offering a service for £95 which you can do yourself for £35," he said. "The tone of their letter seems to make it official and people get scared into doing it. But these people are currently under investigation by the Office of Fair Trading."

Mr Stenning said he was reporting the matter to the police and wanted others to be alerted.

"When I got the letter I though 'oh crikey' - it looked so authentic," he said.

"But we got in touch with the government and were told we don't need to register at all. And even those who do don't need to pay £95."

Trading standards officials say there is no connection between the firm sending out the letters and the Information Commissioner, who enforces and oversees the Data Protection Act and the Freedom of Information Act.

Firms which are processing data should contact the commissioner for advice but are reminded that apart from paying the annual statutory notification fee of £35 no other charge is made.

 For more information contact Dorset Trading Standards on 01305 224852. To contact the Information Commissioner telephone 01625 545745, or visit the website at www.dataprotection.gov.uk

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