CONCERNS about confidentiality of mobile telephone numbers have been raised by the data protection commissioner. Dr Peter Harris has echoed individuals’ worries about the way Cable & Wireless has changed its top-up methods, requiring customers to give their phone number to shop staff. He has suggested that the company changes the system - and it said today that it would as part of its mobile rebrand as Sure on Friday.
Recently, customers have had to reveal their number to a shop assistant, or enter it into a PIN machine. The concern is about what might happen if the number of a young or vulnerable person got into the wrong hands.
Dr Harris said the top-up method was an abuse of people’s right to privacy.
‘Individuals have pay and go phones for a variety of reasons and one of these might be to remain anonymous,’ he said.
‘It would be a good idea for Cable & Wireless to find another way for people to top-up which doesn’t compromise their privacy.
‘If the wrong person overheard a number in a queue, it could lead to some rather unpleasant calls or messages or worse.’
C&W changed its system and scrapped scratchcard top-ups only recently. It defended the new method as secure and flexible, offering choice and reducing paper waste.
The company said that it would offer more ways to top-up from Friday when it rebrands - although the response was not prompted by the security concerns. Customers will also be able to use the internet to top-up or do so directly through their phone, as well as through shops. It will also issue swipe cards to be used at outlets without the need to key in a number, or give it to the retailer.
A mother of two daughters, who did not want to be named, said she was shocked when she was asked to write her number down on a piece of paper in order to top-up.
‘My worry is where that piece of paper might end up,’ she said.
‘It’s bad enough for me, but I have two teenage daughters and I’m really not happy about them giving out their numbers to strangers. I’m sure the shop assistants are good people, but you just never know. You hear all sorts of things in this day and age and I do not like the thought of someone else having anyone’s telephone details, let alone those of young people.’
A reader wrote to the Guernsey Press last week with her concerns. She was told she could not have credit after refusing to reveal her number. ‘Anybody who wishes to be nasty is then free to give you nuisance calls as often as possible,’ she said.
Article posted on 30th May, 2007 - 12.00am
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