MPs back calls for identity theft jail sentences

Parliamentary lobby group Eurim backs Information Commissioner

Parliamentary lobby group Eurim is supporting the UK Information Commissioner's calls to jail identity thieves.

Earlier this month Information Commissioner Richard Thomas told government that the sale of stolen personal information – gathered from phishing and other identity theft scams – was getting worse.

He also recommended a two-year jail sentence for convicted fraudsters that traded individual's stolen financial or sensitive data.

Labour MP Margaret Moran, chairman of IT parliamentary lobby group Eurim has now backed Thomas's recommendations.

'I strongly support the Information Commissioner's call for prison sentences for illegal buying and selling of information,' she said.

Moran added: 'We also need to address the copying of files of personal details to support systematic identity theft and fraud and the provision of personal data to terrorist groups, whether from the files of the DVLA, the shareholders registers of pharmaceutical companies GSK or intelligence files of law enforcement agencies.'

The current UK Data Protection Act does not include prison sentences, with the highest fine to date equaling £7,000.

However, Eurim added that, despite security fears, joined-up information systems in government and business are vital.

Moran added that better guidance was needed in terms of outlining who should have access to IT systems and how they should be secured.

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