Dealers urged to safeguard customer
data

 

The National
Franchised Dealers Association (NFDA), part of the
Retail
Motor Industry Federation, has warned dealers that they need to
take more care with customers’ data to avoid falling afoul of the
Data Protection Act.

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In particular, care must be taken to safeguard credit card and
bank account details. Dealers wishing for more guidance should
contact the NFDA or the Office of the Information Commissioner,
said director Sue
Robinson.

The warning comes after a survey by Experian
found that car dealers are the least trusted of all kinds of
organisation when it comes to handling personal data, with 46 per
cent of respondents saying they would not count on car dealers to
keep their details safe (click
here for more).

Robinson added: “The loss of the personal details of 25m people
by HM
Revenue & Customs has highlighted the importance of
protecting sensitive information, and the consequences if a mistake
is made.

“Dealers need to make sure that data being held is secure, and
that controls are in place to make sure that only authorised access
is possible.”