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Data breach probe after names and addresses found discarded by side of the road in Easter Ross


By Louise Glen

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Cllr Alasdair Rhind: 'Serious breach'.
Cllr Alasdair Rhind: 'Serious breach'.

A "very serious” data breach is being investigated after paperwork including names and addresses of businesses and residents in Ross-shire was found discarded at the side of the road.

Customers who were expecting a delivery in the Invergordon area on Friday, May 14 may have been the victim of a data protection crime.

The North Star was handed sensitive information relating to delivery company DPD that had apparently been discarded at the side of the road.

The information on two sheets of paper refers to homes in Reid Road, Bermuda Road, Ness Gardens, Rosskeen Drive, a dental practice in Invergordon as well as other areas around the Easter Ross town

The information was lying at the side of an unclassified road between Logiehill and Scotsburn Road in Tain.

Also discarded was general rubbish including a plastic drink bottle and food wrappings.

Councillor Alasdair Rhind, Tain and Easter Ross, said: “It is a very serious breach – whether it is a private or public company it is imperative that people’s sensitive data is kept and remains private.

Personal details of people in Easter Ross were found discarded at the side of the road.
Personal details of people in Easter Ross were found discarded at the side of the road.

“This is data that refers to people, and they have a right to have that kept sensitively.

“Other people who could have picked up this data could have got hold of it and could have treated it fraudulently and caused harm to the people on these lists.

“In this day and age this should not happen. The company need to urgently look into its practice and apologise to all the people concerned.”

Delivery company DPD said it had launched a probe into the data breach.

A spokesman for the DPD said: “We would like to apologise to anyone impacted by this potentially very serious incident.

“We are treating this as a data breach and have informed the Data Protection Office.

“Both the littering and the data breach are totally and utterly unacceptable and we would like to reassure everyone that a full and thorough investigation is taking place to ensure that this is a one-off incident, and never happens again.

“All DPD delivery information is normally stored safely and securely on the driver’s handheld device.

“Therefore, we need to understand why, on this occasion, paper has been used.

“At DPD we take the environment and the protection of personal data incredibly seriously, and firm action will be taken against those who fail to meet our very high standards in these areas.”

The North Star immediately shredded the information it had been passed by the concerned member of the public, who was keen to help ensure similar data breaches don’t happen again.


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