Concern over DVLA data breaches

Concerns have been raised over the surprising volume of DVLA data breaches reported to the Information Commissioners Office (ICO) in 2019.

A data breach has to be significant enough to be reported to the ICO in most cases, so concerns over exactly what data has been breached, and how it has occurred so many times, have been raised.

Your Lawyers, as leading specialists in the field of data breach compensation law, have years of experience representing thousands of people for a host of privacy and information incidents. If you have suffered having had your data lost, stolen, exposed, or misused as a result of DVLA data breaches, you could be entitled to make a claim with us today.

Worrying amount of DVLA data breaches

There has been a worrying number of DVLA data breaches reported to the ICO over the last few years. In March 2019, BBC Watchdog Live submitted a Freedom of Information request to find out the number of reported data breaches after viewers of the show reported concerns over the handling of their personal data.

It was reported that, in the ten months leading to March 2019, 439 data breaches were reported to the ICO by the DVLA, affecting over 2,000 people. To compare, other government agencies, such as the Passport Office, submitted 5 data breaches during the same period and HM Revenue & Customs reported 10.

Earlier this year, a Freedom of Information request was also reportedly submitted by Apricorn EMEA, and it was found that 181 DVLA data breaches had occurred across 2019-2020.

What data was involved in these breaches?

Many of the DVLA data breaches consisted of highly sensitive documents being sent out to the wrong addresses. The documents included driving licenses, passports, and even marriage certificates.

One BBC Watchdog viewer told the programme that he sent off for a new driving license and received one for a woman he had never met.

An incident like this can amount to a serious breach of the GDPR, and cases involving over 2,000 people for information being handled incorrectly is substantial. The large statistic is quite shocking, and it seems clear to us that the DVLA needs to work on the procedures and systems that they have in place to prevent incidents like this from happening again.

Victims of DVLA data breaches could be exposed to serious risks that include potential identity theft and scams. These are things that victims of a data breach could be eligible to receive compensation for.

Claim with Your Lawyers – the Data Leak Lawyers

Anyone that has been subject to DVLA data breaches, where private information has been shared or exposed, could be eligible to claim compensation for a GDPR breach.

We currently represent claimants across over 50 different multi-party and group action cases as well as in individual legal cases. We are also able to represent eligible victims on a No Win, No Fee basis for those who are eligible.

We know how scary the loss of control of your personal information can be – we could help you claim the compensation that you deserve. Contact us now to speak to one of our expert team today.

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