United Kingdom Loses Digital Records of 25 Million Citizens

zekrahminator · Nov 22, 2007

In what's very likely to be the worst technology blunder of the century, the United Kingdom appears to have misplaced the records of 25 million citizens. It all started when Her Majesty's Revenue & Customs (HMRC) decided to send two disks containing the birth records, bank accounts, insurance numbers, and all manner of other important personal information of 25 million citizens to the National Audit Office (NAO). The majority of the 25 million citizens whose information was on the two disks were recipients of Child Benefits. HMRC shipped the information out via post on October 8th, and on November 8th the NAO discovered that they did not have the two disks. While the British government spends their time pointing fingers at each other to properly determine who is at fault (you can read a more descriptive version of the drama via the source link), an American convict-turned-FBI Fraud Investigator is working hard on the case, and suspects foul play.

If you live in the United Kingdom and feel that you may have been affected by this fraud, the government has set up a hotline for you to call. The number is 0845 302 1444.

View at TechPowerUp Main Site

WhiteLotus · Nov 22, 2007

yea its all over the news here, big cock up hope they find them and everything turns out ok.

panchoman · Nov 22, 2007

they shipped all that data via post?!?!?!?!?! idiots.....

jaxxxon · Nov 22, 2007

I'm on that list too, but with my credit rating I'd like to see what they could get out of me lol

Basard · Nov 22, 2007

Shouldn't they have made a back up before sending out 25 million people's records to their demise? Yeah, thats foul play. Heaven forbid any kids get money for the holidays. I'm assuming "post" is UK for "mail" couldn't they just wire the records, seeing as they are digital? It would have taken all of 2 hours, instead of a month.

Wow, more like "hey take these 25 million records, put them on a disk, and throw them in the ocean... we don't want to fork out a billion dollars to feed them right now, we'll wait till the records get sorted out in FIVE years."

Unbelievable. The records had to come from somewhere, it's hard to believe they deleted all the information after they put it on disk. Sounds like they are trying to take advantage of peoples ignorance of technology.

Theres absolutely NO way that there isn't any foul play, thats obvious.

Well, there should be a backup right? They didn't just LOSE it all together? The copies just got stolen?

WhiteLotus · Nov 22, 2007

i dont believe they have lost them and we have had a postal strike - not sure if theyve cleared it all up but could just simply be misplaced. if they did just send them then even an idiot can stick a password on it. im betting the media has made it worse than it actually is. the UK media is well known to shall we say, make stuff up to make it better news.

0V3CHKiN · Nov 22, 2007

Disappointing to hear about this. Both organizations should stop worrying about who's at fault and make a joint effort to recover the data.

Was it reported how these CDs were sent?

theonetruewill · Nov 22, 2007

THIS WAS NOT SENT VIA THE POST OFFICE AS MANY THINK, BUT ACTUALLY BY A POST OFFICE RIVAL, TNT
We all hate Royal Mail but this was not their fault.

wazzledoozle · Nov 22, 2007

This is what happens when you give the government free reign over their citizen's information.

The UK is screwed :roll:

muon · Nov 22, 2007

wazzledoozle said:
This is what happens when you give the government free reign over their citizen's information.

The UK is screwed

Haha, i think thats more an effort to stop people feeling insecure on a bus. At night, the number of muggings on buses is ridiculous. The second one is about a neighbourhood watch, which is completely normal for residential areas.

They are rather ominous posters though.

Fuse-Wire · Nov 22, 2007

aww man we are screwed, this goverment is killing us and in quick fashion

Davidelmo · Nov 22, 2007

I don't think they LOST them, as in lost their only copies. I think some of you are interpreting this incorrectly.

However, they did send the details of 25m people out on 2 disks and don't know where they are. If they fell into the hands of identity thieves etc, it could get interesting. I just hope that the disks were encrypted etc

And I agree - giving the government too much power is stupid. If they are incompetent at looking after some records, I would dread to think how badly they will run ID cards with biometric info etc. If they bring that in, I'm leaving the country. I don't really want to be on a national database forever for no reason or tracked by an RFID chip.

Grings · Nov 22, 2007

you like that picture dont you wazzle?

now i see why people keep complaining about you trollbaiting

wazzledoozle · Nov 22, 2007

You know schools in the UK are fingerprinting kids without parent's consent? They claim its to make the library easier to use. WTF? What happened to good old library cards?

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=447420&in_page_id=1770

And yes grings, I like that picture. I think it sums up everything going on in the UK in one subtle frame. Trollbaiting? I think you're just afraid of the truth.

Every time I hear about a new big-brother tactic in the UK I shake my head. It saddens me, if only because I know such measures are only years delayed here in the US.

Cold Storm · Nov 22, 2007

wazzledoozle said:
You know schools in the UK are fingerprinting kids without parent's consent? They claim its to make the library easier to use. WTF? What happened to good old library cards?

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=447420&in_page_id=1770

And yes grings, I like that picture. I think it sums up everything going on in the UK in one subtle frame. Trollbaiting? I think you're just afraid of the truth.

Every time I hear about a new big-brother tactic in the UK I shake my head. It saddens me, if only because I know such measures are only years delayed here in the US.

You are totally right. They all ready made a show called "big brother". Its just a matter of time when they do put a camera on every corner and try to get one on every building for their purpose.
It bites to hear about what happened to the UK citizens. What happened to the good old days when you had high ranked people carry around a handcuffed brief case with the ability to shot on site? :shadedshu

InnocentCriminal · Nov 22, 2007

Don't forget we're the cockends that put these people in power... or are we?

Governments should be scared of their people, not people scared of their Governments. I expect the Britons amongst us know that they didn't report the loss of these records to the police until 5 days after they lost them.

Makes y'think...

Fuse-Wire · Nov 22, 2007

gotta feel sorry for the 7.5 million families caught up in this, most of them depend on thier benefits and details being held secure. Looks like Gordon Brown cant handle it as PM, in a time like this im not ashamed to say "where is blair?"

Ripper3 · Nov 22, 2007

Big Brother has a tight grip on our balls.
It's only a matter of time until we all start being fed Soylent Green, and the food is just for the rich.
It's a bit of a police-state atm (and what a state, police don't hit you or anything, but nearly everything's illegal... I mean, c'mon, cannabis illegal? pfft, idjiots! Legalise it!), and what's worse, is that we, the public, pay the government, we employ the government, yet they tell us what to do.
I gotta say, if that's not a call for revolution, I don't know what is.

Fuse-Wire said:
gotta feel sorry for the 7.5 million families caught up in this, most of them depend on thier benefits and details being held secure. Looks like Gordon Brown cant handle it as PM, in a time like this im not ashamed to say "where is blair?"

We bitch, and we moan all year round, about how Blair is terrible, but I gotta say, Brown is terrible, with Blair being brilliant in comparison. At the very least, he was decisive, and wasn't so damned nervous all the time.

Fuse-Wire · Nov 22, 2007

Ripper3 said:
Big Brother has a tight grip on our balls.
It's only a matter of time until we all start being fed Soylent Green, and the food is just for the rich.
It's a bit of a police-state atm (and what a state, police don't hit you or anything, but nearly everything's illegal... I mean, c'mon, cannabis illegal? pfft, idjiots! Legalise it!), and what's worse, is that we, the public, pay the government, we employ the government, yet they tell us what to do.
I gotta say, if that's not a call for revolution, I don't know what is.

HERE YEE!!!! CALL FOR A REVOLUTION :rockout:

Cold Storm · Nov 22, 2007

I got to say... I can hate all I want on how us, Americans, are done day in and day out... But, you then look at what others are put through because of where they live and you think and thank what you have... 5 days it took for them to take action... I hope they can get everything right and soon!

InnocentCriminal · Nov 22, 2007

Like I said, people are scared and would rather be sheep than actually make a stand and make socialism our future. Nobody gives a shit and if they do, they're aren't enough of us to make any real noise about it. No offence Ripper3 but I honestly believe their are far bigger problems than the legalisation of Marijuana.

Still, I'm thankful I don't live in a under-developed country or one that suffers extreme conflict, but that doesn't mean we can't do anything about our own state of affairs, it's just most efforts are either wasted don't have the power that they should.

If people in our country don't think our politicians are corrupt let alone our Government, then their stupid!

Ripper3 · Nov 22, 2007

I really hope they don't. This would definately mean a vote for some different party to be in charge this time around. I'm not into politics much, but as long as those environmentalist nut-jobs (fine, we should use less gas and electricity, but I don't want them in power, they'd jsut end up banning everything, the pricks), and the racist pigs aren't in power, I can take a bit of lee-way on who's in control.
Also, wouldn't mind if Ken Livingstone was replaced as Mayor of London by a dog. The dog would probably be better at the job, and would always agree that the plans for congestion charging are "rough" at best.

InnocentCriminal said:
Well like I said, people are scared and would rather be sheep than actually make a stand and make socialism our future. Nobody gives a shit and if they do, they're aren't enough of us to make any real noise about it. No offence Ripper3 but I honestly believe their are far bigger problems than the legalisation of Marijuana.

Still, I'm thankful I don't live in a under-developed country or one that suffers extreme conflict, but that doesn't mean we can't do anything about our own state of affairs, it's just most efforts are either wasted don't have the power that they should.

I agree, there are huge isssues to deal with, the legalisation was a joke. This country, and many others, are in way over their heads.
People are too scared, and then the majorty of the voters will likely be anyone that's impressed by big words, and gimmicks, over people with cold hard real life facts.

Weer · Nov 22, 2007

wazzledoozle said:
You know schools in the UK are fingerprinting kids without parent's consent? They claim its to make the library easier to use. WTF? What happened to good old library cards?

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=447420&in_page_id=1770

And yes grings, I like that picture. I think it sums up everything going on in the UK in one subtle frame. Trollbaiting? I think you're just afraid of the truth.

Every time I hear about a new big-brother tactic in the UK I shake my head. It saddens me, if only because I know such measures are only years delayed here in the US.

It's the new world order.

Coming to the UK first, because they are weaker and more trusting.
But it will be here soon. We may be stronger and more skeptical, but most of our country is filled with idiots who will vote for security over liberty. Ignorant, yet strong.. that is this country's curse. Too easily taken advantage of by the Neo Conservatives.

Black Panther · Nov 22, 2007

panchoman said:
they shipped all that data via post?!?!?!?!?! idiots.....

And didn't have a backup?!? double idiots........ :twitch:

and what's much much worse... in who's hands did that information now turn up???

InnocentCriminal · Nov 22, 2007

Ripper3 said:
... but as long as those environmentalist nut-jobs (fine, we should use less gas and electricity, but I don't want them in power, they'd jsut end up banning everything, the pricks), and the racist pigs aren't in power, I can take a bit of lee-way on who's in control.

Environmentalist nut-jobs? LOL! I wouldn't go that far, and it's attitude like that pisses me off. I'm slightly contradicting myself when I say I'm an environmentalist, as I have more than one PC full of hazardous materials but I'm extremely energy considerate (don't leave my PC on 24/7) I recycle all my empty glass ale bottles and I try my hardest not to use plastics when they're not needed. If only everyone did these little things, such as recycling we'd save enough money to run these big fuck off expensive computers that we're all so addicted to!

Still, it's hard to imagine a country run entirely by the people, that would just never happen, plus it would most likely cause wars.

I hate people as a collective, we're so fucking stupid!

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United Kingdom Loses Digital Records of 25 Million Citizens

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