Data breach leads to neighbour harassment
The headlines lead us to believe that data breaches occur as a result of cyber-attacks. The reality is that the vast majority of cases take place as a result of human error. In these instances, the breach itself can lead to a damaging chain of events which could have been prevented.
Our solicitors see every day how clients are affected. Financial loss may not be a factor in all cases, but the damage and suffering following a breach can quickly escalate.
What happened in this case?
Our client lives in a privately managed block of flats and she made a complaint about another leaseholder to the management company.
The management company proceeded to forward her detailed email to all residents in the block, including the leaseholder being complained about.
This data breach, which appeared to have taken place due to an error of judgement rather than by mistake, started a frightening chain of events exposing our client to serious harassment and compromised the safety of her family.
Following the breach, our client, who has two young children, was subjected to having the gas pipe to her property deliberately cut with access to the mains deliberately obstructed.
She suspected that the volatile neighbour she had complained about was behind the vandalism, but he denied any wrongdoing.
Having lived at the property for some years, with generally good relations with the other neighbours, the data breach also led to these relationships becoming strained.
Alongside taking legal action against the management company, our client also reported the data breach to the ICO resulting in the business now being monitored to prevent further incidents.
We secured £3,000 compensation from the management company responsible for breaking data protection laws not least, due to the psychological suffering endured by our client and her young children.
The situation has become so intolerable that our client plans to sell her property and move her family in the near future.
Have you been in a similar situation? Contact us today.
Lessons learned
If you are an employee handling a customer complaint of any kind, consider how the complaint should be handled before sharing any information.
Consideration should be given to a possible solution to the complaint and thought put into the appropriate sharing of the complaint with individuals who may be part of the solution.
For more advice on how to keep your data safe, follow Hayes Connor on Twitter or give us a like on Facebook.
Alternatively, if you have been the victim of a data breach or cyber fraud, find out how we can help you to recover any losses or give us a call on 0151 363 5895 to discuss your case in more depth.