Who is Mr Rollonais? My wife and I have a standard practice of throwing away all mail that comes to our house addressed to Mr or Mrs Rollonais. How did this start?
Some years ago I received the news that I was a first round winner in a well known reputable sweepstake and I needed to call to give consent to be put forward for the final draw. I felt I was on a good luck roll so I called.
I never got any more news of that final draw but I was again alerted by the same company that I was a winner and needed to call again. This time though, the mail was to Mr Rollonais. I figured they got it wrong from my last call. I wrote in to correct the mistake else I might get a cheque I could not cash. From that time on mail has been coming to Mr Rollonais from many different companies with many different offers.
The Data Protection Act (DPA) lists eight principles that a data collector should adhere to including the dictum that data should be accurate and up to date. Mr Rollonais is not my accurate name and there was no Mrs Rollonais at that time.
The DPA also states that companies collecting personal data should inform customers of the uses to which that data will be put and I do not remember reading fine print that said my name and address and that of my presumed spouse will be passed to other companies for sales promotions.
Those companies that are mailing to Mr Rollonais are now wasting their money and I hazard to think how many mismatched persons and addresses to whom they market. Apart from the lost investment there is also a danger that inaccurate information can lead to problems for both business and consumer.
I had the experience of being billed for gas and electricity for my address but not to my name, the result of someone on my street applying to a supplier. This led to a three months of calls and mails to three different utilities to clear my name and hopefully my credit rating.
Personal data is held by many businesses and the processing and sharing of this data is showing to be out of control. As a customer it is important to make every effort to ensure that businesses record your information accurately.
You are also responsible for updating your records when there is a change in circumstances. The process can be involved and fraught with missteps as in a woman’s change from maiden to married name on her driving licence and bank accounts. It is worth the trouble in the long run.
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