Umbrellas selling your personal details

[rjunk]

I have just received some unsolicited direct marketing from a small independent financial company & a large banking group.
The enclosed pension quotation contained personal information address, DOB ... which were passed to them by my umbrella company JSA.

I have asked JSA for contract confirmation, that they are able to do this.
I think most people would be surprised that a Employer could/would sell your personal information.

As my De facto employer you would think there would be a moral if not legal obligation not to sell my personal details

[SallyPlanIT]

I have just received some unsolicited direct marketing from a small independent financial company & a large banking group.
The enclosed pension quotation contained personal information address, DOB ... which were passed to them by my umbrella company JSA.

I have asked JSA for contract confirmation, that they are able to do this.
I think most people would be surprised that a Employer could/would sell your personal information.

As my De facto employer you would think there would be a moral if not legal obligation not to sell my personal details

I'm surprised that your Umbrella Company would pass on confidential information regarding you. Does this not contravene the data protection act?

[ilovehr]

Most umbrella companies have a relationship with an IFA firm and will let them have your information though normally only if you ask them to.

Maybe you agreed when you first joined the umbrella and didn't realise. I know when I started with my brolly a couple of years ago that they bombarded me with information but at least it was mentioned verbally in the sales process.

The brolly I went with when I started contracting used Contractor Financials. I agreed to be contacted by them at outset and they did do some work for me. Presumeably the brolly got a share of the commission on the products I took out with the IFA.

Might be worth checking the info you got when you started with them and check if it's tucked away in the terms and conditions. If not then it sounds like they have contravened Data Protection.

[SallyPlanIT]

It is quite a common practice for accountants and umbrellas to be associated with an independent financial adviser and even take a commission for products sold.

However under accounting body regulations, the client must be advised that they receive a commission and also must ask your permission before passing over your details.

[GillsMan]

What form was the direct marketing?

If it was electronic (i.e. email or SMS) then you would have had to have opted in to receiving unsolicited transmissions - in other words you would have had to actively tick a box or display your interest in receiving this stuff.

It was paper-based (i.e. a letter) then it's opt out so they could tick a box and it would have been up to you to read the contract and untick that box.

HTH.

[rjunk]

As to the legality of this, i am still awaiting a reply from JSA.
I have been with them for approximately 3 years now and have never been marketed before.
Selling addressee information, is sort of understandable, personal identifiable information a step too far.

As far as i am concerned i gave them my personal identifiable information for the sole purpose of submitting records / payment to the Inland revenue on my behalf.


Essentially they are my employer and as such i would expect them to guard my details with their lives and not sell them to the highest bidder.