Just need to vent in regards The Data Protection Act!

I recently joined a book club, and as usual have misplaced my membership number. Wanting to pay and order a few more books I need the number, no problem, phone the book club and get the number from them, right?

Wrong, phoned and navigated the endless telephonic menus.
Accidentally stumble upon a method of getting to an offshore call centre.
Establish my identity and ask about payment and number.
Payment is OK, number is no. Why?

The Data Protection Act! An act put together to protect me in regards the data (concerning me) held by the company. Telephonically, after establishing my identity, they can accept payment, take new orders etc… but not give me my membership number (not even via email)!

I had just paid for outstanding books, and asked for them to give me my number over the phone or by email, to an email address I (not them) had confirmed as the original email I registered with them.

Yes, I do understand the security implications, but it was not security that was quoted back to me, but The Data Protection Act!

i know what you mean eric,

it is just as bad for the company believe me,

ive worked for several where they are prevented from doing the logical and most suitable thing by the act

one of our more stupid laws!

regards

joe

Thanks James, that’s why I paid, thus ensuring that they would send me an invoice. It’s just the futility of it!

I am forced (by law) to complete the Census! The Government removes certain data (name, address etc…) and then sells off this data to a third party. This third party recompiles the data (Name, address etc…) and sells it on. This comes back to bite me in the form of junk / unsolicited mail.

Yet, thanks to ‘The Data Protection Act’, information required by me, about me, from a company holding this information for me, is kept from me in my own best interests??????????????

Hi Eric

That is a pain! I had similar problems with Squadron - all my fault, because I lost my account details. They couldn't send me the info, so I started all over again with a new account. That may be the best option with the book club.

All the best

Rowan

Will they snail mail it to you?

I'm going to have to do that to find out the PIN number for my credit card since I've had it since the days before the PIN number was any use.

Might have to do the same with MAFVA as I managed to lose the membership card and I never keep envelopes.

Guys, thanks for the comments and support. I am annoyed iro the Data Protection Act, I have to say that the Book Club helped out all it could.

Rowan, yeah I am more than lax when it comes to mail, (I tend to shred things and SWMBO gets touchy) that’s how I ended up with this problem in the first place.

David, an invoice is winging its way to me as we speak, 7 – 14 days.

James, thanks I had a couple (maybe too many :-) ), didn’t help, we’ll see……….