This is hard to credit

In seeking to trace customers who owe them money, credit unions have hired private investigators, some of these have been accused of using illegal methods to obtain information.

It has been alleged that these detectives are being paid lucrative fees to secure information, such as addresses and social welfare details from the Department of Social Protection. It is a criminal offence to obtain such information without the prior consent of the data controller.

There is nothing wrong with any credit union hiring private investigators, but they must act within the law. The credit unions have stressed that they would not condone any illegal methods.

There have been suggestions that some officials may have been “duped” into divulging information, and the Department of Social Protection is cooperating with the investigation.

The Data Protection Commissioner has commenced prosecution proceedings in the District Court of private investigators suspected of breaching Data Protection Acts. Presumably, therefore, there will more information on these unseemly matters in coming days.