T-Mobile, ICO Knew of Customer Data Leak in 2008
Adding another disgrace to T-Mobile’s shamed public face, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has disclosed that the company was aware even last year that its staff was stealing personal data of its subscribers and selling them to third party brokers.
The revelation made by the ICO comes after information was sought on the issue under the Freedom of Information Act, which permits the public to ask government bodies for certain types of information. The latest statement from the ICO spells out clearly that T-Mobile had brought the matter to its notice on December 16, 2008.
The scandal rocked the telecoms industry and T-Mobile made it to the headlines in November this year, when its came to be known that the company’s employees were illegally trading customer information to third party agents, who were pushing it into the market again, thereby permitting other mobile network operators to poach T-Mobile’s customers while renewing their contracts.
T-Mobile’s violation has already been dubbed the largest ever of its kind to take place, and the ICO’s disclosure is only likely to add to the troubles of the company. Even as the ICO is investigating the matter, many are calling for more severe treatment of those who are caught using information in an inappropriate manner.
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