As if to demonstrate the effects of identity theft, UK Justice Secretary unknowingly had his computer hacked into by Nigerian fraudsters who sent messages to his friends asking for money.
The computer’s security was breached by Nigerian hackers, who managed to send out hundreds of emails in Mr Straw’s name requesting cash to help him get home.
Headed “the Right Hon Jack Straw MP”, the emails claimed his wallet had been lost whilst in Africa on charity work and that he needed $3,500 USD to get home.
It’s believed they hacked into computers at Mr Straw’s constituency office in Blackburn, and then sent the emails to “a significant number” of people in his address book – including Labour members, government bosses and council heads.
Various constituents then contacted Mr Straw to check if this really was the case. Reports confirmed that one respondent replied to the scam, which could have plunged them almost £2500 in debt.
This could have been disastrous and forced victims to seek debt management or IVA advice if their accounts had been cleared. Fortunately no funds changed accounts.
As a debt management and IVA advice specialist, we have the responsibility of safeguarding our client’s confidential personal, and financial data. For a number of years now we have managed to do this without one single client being emailed by a Nigerian prince, due to a lapse of our data protection procedures!
It’s good to see that the security at local councils is watertight. They’d never let that happen with our records would they…..would they?