Bogus agencies

UK businesses are being targeted by fake data protection 'agencies' posing as official government bodies. Their letters, which request sums of up to £135 to notify under the Data Protection Act, often use threatening language and are on official-looking headed notepaper.

There is no connection between the Information Commissioner's Office and any of these self styled 'agencies'.

The statutory fee for notification is just £35 a year. Organisations and businesses that need to notify should come directly to the ICO. Most businesses will notify themselves without help of intermediaries.

If you receive a letter, out of the blue, demanding more than £35 to notify under the DPA this will be a scam. Our simple message to businesses is to throw the letter in the bin and not pay the fee.

Local Trading Standards, the Office of Fair Trading and various police forces are aware of these activities and action has been taken against agencies posing as Data Protection Act regulators.

If you are in any doubt about a letter you have received you can call our notification helpline on 01625 545 740.

We are aware of mailings sent from:

• Data Collection Enforcement Agency
  51 Whincraig, Little Moss Hey, Merseyside, L28 5RR
• The Freedom of Information Bureau
  PO Box 1167, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY1 2WS
• Data Protection Agency Enforcement Services
  N.W.M. Services, Suite 113, Queens Dock Business Centre, Liverpool, L1 0BG
• Accountancy & Management Services
  Abacus , Stanton House , Eastham Village Road , Eastham , Wirral , CH62 0DE
• Data Collection Services (Enforcement Section)
  City Buildings, 21-23 Old Hall Street, Merseyside, L3 9BS
• Data Protection Enforcement Agency
  Drewery House, 11 Drewery Road, Keighley, West Yorkshire, BD21 2QE
• Data Protection Agency Enforcement Services
  Marshall House, 63 Marshall Cross Road, St Helens, WA9 3BY
• Data Protection Enforcement Agency
  P O Box 1098, Blackpool, FY1 2WS
  Now trading under:
  Data Protection Agency (Registration Enforcement)
  PO Box 1098, Blackpool, FY1 2WS
  Also trading as:
  Data Protection Agency (Registration Enforcement)
  PO Box 1173, Blackpool, FY3 7WQ
• Data Protection Register
  BCM Box 7143, London, WC1N 3XX
• Data Protection Agency , Enforcement Section
  Wycliffe House, 21 Tanhouse Street , Dewsbury , WF13 3ES
• Data Collection Services
  Larkhill House, 146-150 Queens Drive, Clubmoor , L13 0AL
• Data Protection Agency
  P.O. Box 90, Manchester, M26 1ZY
• DPR Services
  2 Wymans Court, Cheltenham,Gloucestershire,GL50 4TE
  Tel: 08456 444410
• DPR Agency
  2 Wymans Court, Cheltenham, GL50 4TE
  e-mail: admin@dpragency.org.uk
  tel: 08456 44 44 10
• Data Protection Registration Department (D.P.R.D)
  DPRD, PO Box 206, Emerson's Green, Bristol BS16 7ZX
• Data Protection Agency
  Sparth House , 49 Heath Street , Rochdale , OL11 4HF
• Data Protection Enforcement Agency
  Sparth House , 49 Heath Road , Rochdale , OL11 4HF
• Data Protection Commissioner Services
  193 Market Street , Hyde , Cheshire , SK14 1HF
• Data Protection Agency Services, DPA Enforcement Section
  Ferrars House, 94 Ferrars Road, Sheffield, S9 1RY
• DPAS (Renewals)
  30 Myers Road West, Crosby, L23 0RU
• Data Registration (Renewals)
  Hilton House, 71-73 Chapel Street, Manchester, M3 5BZ
• Data Protection Agency Services
  Sherbourne House, 80 Sherbourne Road, Blackpool, FY1 2PQ
• Data Protection Agency Services
  64 Brownley Road, Smallthorne, Stoke-On-Trent, ST6 1PY
• Data Protection Enforcement Agency
  Hilton House, 71-73 Chapel Street, Manchester, M3 5BZ
• Data Protection Agency Services
  Atlantic House, 1st Floor, 56 Ramsbottom Street, Crewe, CW1 3AN
• Data Protection Processing Corporation
  PO BOX 56, Guisborough, TS14 6WT
• Data Protection Agency Services
  Summerseat House, 39 Summerseat, Liverpool, L3 6HB
• Data Protection Agency Services
  Fleetwood House, Fleetwood Pier, Fleetwood, Lancashire, FY7 7BH
• Data Protection Agency Services
  Harrington House 90 Harrington Rd South Norwood London SE25 4LY
• Data Protection Registration Agency
  Hyde House 6 Plain Pitt St Hyde Cheshire SK14 4QL
• Data Protection Registration Agency
  Rugby House, 23 Rugby Drive, Aintree, Liverpool L10 8JU
• Data Protection Bureau
  PO Box 10899, Birmingham, B29 6ZR
• The Department of Company Registration
  140 Ashley Crescent, London, SW11 5QZ
• Crown Data Collection Enforcement
  Hyde House, 193 Market Street, Hyde, Cheshire, SK14 1HF
• Data Protection Agency Services
  Hyde House, 193 Market Street, Hyde, Cheshire, SK14 1HF
• Data Protection Agency Services
  Padgate House, 19a Princess Ave, Padgate, Warrington, WA1 3TS
• Data Protection Agency Registration Services
  Omega House, Lloyds Buildings, 126-128 Stanford St Central, Ashton-under-Lyne OL6 6AG
• Data Protection Agency Registration Services Ltd
  Unit 5, Omega House, Capital Business Park, Kirkby Bank Rd, Kirkby, Liverpool L33 7SY
• Data Protection Enforcement Agency (Data Protection Registration Service)
  Mulain Centre, Union ST, Chester, CH1 1QP

The Office of Fair Trading has taken action against:

Data Registration Services / Francia Elena Koseleff/ Miguel Boris Koseleff/ Carlos Monedero

PO Box 48829, London, WC2A 1WY

The Office of Fair Trading was of the view that the advertisements were misleading under the Control of Misleading Advertisements Regulations 1988 and obtained formal undertakings from Francia Koseleff, Miguel Koseleff and Carlos Monedero in January 2005 to refrain from further publishing and disseminating the misleading advertisements.

BLMC (Enforcement Section) / Brett Lee Morris / Tracey Crane

10 Elm Tree Close, Ashford, Middlesex, TW15 2HP

The Office of Fair Trading was of the view that the advertisements were misleading under the Control of Misleading Advertisements Regulations 1988 and obtained formal undertakings from Brett Lee Moris and Tracey Crane in February 2005 to refrain from further publishing and disseminating the misleading advertisements.

Data Protection Registration Department (D.P.R.D)/Peter Michael Hardy

PO Box 206, Emersons Green, Bristol BS16 7ZX

The Office of Fair Trading was of the view that the advertisements were misleading under the Control of Misleading Advertisements Regulations 1988 and obtained formal undertakings from Peter Hardy in June 2004 to refrain from further publishing and disseminating the misleading advertisements.

Data Protection Registration Agency/DPR Services/Steven Hester

2 Wymans Court, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire GL50 4TE

The Office of Fair Trading was of the view that the advertisements were misleading under the Control of Misleading Advertisements Regulations 1988 and obtained formal undertakings from Steven Hester in August 2004 to refrain from further publishing and disseminating the misleading advertisements.

Data Protection Agency Services Limited/Michael Sullivan (also trading as Data Collection Enforcement Agency)

Bold Court, 2A Bold Street, Southport, Merseyside, PR9 0BB; and

Data Protection Agency Services Ltd

37-39 Shakespeare St, Southport PR8 5AB

The Office of Fair Trading obtained a final injunction against Data Protection Agency Services Limited of Southport and their director Michael Sullivan on 30 May 2002. The injunction was obtained under the Control of Misleading Advertisements Regulations 1988. Companies House have negotiated a name change. The company changed its name to Data Services (North West) Limited on 20 August 2002.

DPARS Limited/Gary McNeish (both also trading as Data Protection Act Registration Service)

51 Brackley, St Georges, Manchester M15 4FS

The Office of Fair Trading obtained a final injunction against DPARS Limited of Manchester and Gary McNeish on 12 November 2002 . The injunction was obtained under the Control of Misleading Advertisements Regulations 1988.

Christopher Yewdall

Criterion House, 3 Thorngrove Ave, Baguley, Manchester M23 9PQ

The Office of Fair Trading obtained a final injunction against Christopher Yewdall on 4 December 2003. The injunction was obtained under the Control of Misleading Advertisements Regulations 1988. The OFT contended that Mr Yewdall was involved with misleading advertisements that used various names.

Data Processing Protection Corporation Limited/Barry Parvin/Lee Parvin/Joan Parvin

PO BOX 56, Guisborough, TS14 6WT

The Office of Fair Trading obtained a final injunction against Data Processing Protection Corporation Limited of Guisborough, the company officers Lee Parvin and Joan Parvin, and the proprietor of the business Barry Parvin, on 6 February 2004. The injunction was obtained under the Control of Misleading Advertisements Regulations 1988.

Data Protection Agency Registration Services/Richard Webb/John Sullivan

Omega House, Lloyds Buildings , 126 - 128 Stanford Street Central, Ashton-under-Lyne, OL6 6AG

The Office of Fair Trading was of the view that the advertisements were misleading under the Control of Misleading Advertisements Regulations 1988 and obtained formal undertakings from the above individuals in September 2002 to refrain from further publishing and disseminating the misleading advertisements.

Data Protection Agency Registration Services Limited/Richard Webb/John Sullivan/Paul Marrow

Unit 5, Omega House, Capitol Business Park, Kirkby Bank Rd, Kirkby, Liverpool, L33 7SY

The Office of Fair Trading was of the view that the advertisements were misleading under the Control of Misleading Advertisements Regulations 1988 and obtained formal undertakings from the above company and individuals in September 2002 to refrain from further publishing and disseminating the misleading advertisements.

Data Protection Agency Registrations/Finbar Fox

2 Ambleside Road, Lytham St Annes, Lancashire FY8 2LJ

The Office of Fair Trading was of the view that the advertisements were misleading under the Control of Misleading Advertisements Regulations 1988 and obtained formal undertakings from the above individual in September 2002 to refrain from further publishing and disseminating the misleading advertisements.

Data Protection Registration Agency/Keith Kennedy

Hyde House, 6 Plain Pitt St , Hyde, Cheshire SK 14 4QL

The Office of Fair Trading was of the view that the advertisements were misleading under the Control of Misleading Advertisements Regulations 1988 and obtained formal undertakings from the above individual in January 2003 to refrain from further publishing and disseminating the misleading advertisements.

Crown Data Collection Enforcement Agency (also trading as The Data Collection Enforcement Agency)/Christopher Williams/Francis Boyd/Gerry Stanley

193 Market Street , Hyde, Cheshire SK14 1HF

The Office of Fair Trading was of the view that the advertisements were misleading under the Control of Misleading Advertisements Regulations 1988 and obtained formal undertakings from Christopher Williams and Francis Boyd (both involved with Crown Data Collection Enforcement Agency and The Data Collection Enforcement Agency) in April 2003 to refrain from further publishing and disseminating the misleading advertisements. Gerry Stanley, the proprietor of the contact address for these advertisements, also gave a formal undertaking in April 2003 relating to his involvement.

Data Protection (Renewals)/Trevor Hawkes

2 Talman Grove, Ashton in Makerfield, WN4 8XW

The Office of Fair Trading was of the view that the advertisements were misleading under the Control of Misleading Advertisements Regulations 1988 and obtained formal undertakings from the above individual in October 2003 to refrain from further publishing and disseminating the misleading advertisements.

Data Protection Agency Services/Michael Robinson

64 Brownley Road , Smallthorne, Stoke-on-Trent ST6 1PY

The Office of Fair Trading was of the view that the advertisements were misleading under the Control of Misleading Advertisements Regulations 1988 and obtained formal undertakings from the above individual in November 2003 to refrain from further publishing and disseminating the misleading advertisements.