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Latest Consumer News Daily Information Today Thursday March 11 2010

Thu, 2010-03-11

1.  Consumers be warned: online banking fraud has doubled in 2 years.

Official figures from the trade body UK Payments Association, just published,  indicate that online banking fraud increased to £59.7 million last year. This was an 18 per cent increase on the year before and more than a doubling since 2007 when there were £22.6 million of losses. The most common technique for implementing this type of fraud is for criminals to install malware into a consumers' computer – a piece of software that can sense a users' keystrokes. This means that a criminal, despite sitting on the other side of the world, can tell the password and account number of an online bank account that a customer is typing in.  You have been warned - keep your hard drive constantly purged of cookies if you do a lot of surfing.  And also install  a good quality anti virus package.  FULL STORY (telegraph.co.uk)

2. Privacy and data protection:  ICO publishes a draft code of its new data protection auditing powers.

The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) has just published a draft code of practice for its new auditing powers, which come into effect in April 2010. The ICO has invited stakeholders to give feedback by 24 March 2010 on the proposed framework for how audits will be conducted. The final version of the Code of Practice for Assessment Notices will be published in April 2010 in line with the extended data protection audit powers available to the ICO under the Coroners and Justice Act of 2009.  FULL STORY (computerweekly.com

3.  Citizens of Swansea invited to take part in a sophisticated public health survey.

The citizens of Swansea are being asked to help a project to improve prevention and treatment of a wide range of painful and life-threatening illnesses. The UK Biobank is asking 40 to 69 year-olds in the city to give up a few hours of their time to take part in tests. Scientists aim to discover why some people get illnesses like cancer and heart disease and others do not. A mobile unit has been set up in the west car park at the Civic Centre off Oystermouth Road. Those who agree to take part will spend about two hours in the vehicle where they will provide information on their health and lifestyles.  FULL STORY (bbc.co.uk)

4.  Home Secretary condemns Facebook for failing to implement an anti paedophile panic button.

Home Secretary Alan Johnson and Andrea Hall, the mother of murdered teenager Ashleigh Hall, have condemned Facebook, the social networking site, for its apparent reluctance to implement a panic button online security device as a measure to protect vulnerable young people. The teenager was murdered by a man who had befriended her on the site. The panic button allows children who fear they are being groomed by paedophiles to get expert advice online. The police can also investigate their complaints.  Mr Johnson said: “I don’t see any good reason why major sites wouldn’t want to offer the same option to help protect younger users.” FULL STORY (express.co.uk)

5.  Sting in tail of Royal Mail deal - a massive increase in unwanted junk mail for Consumers.

A peace deal between Royal Mail and postal workers ending the industrial strife that has dogged the service in recent months could lead to households being deluged with junk mail, the Independent reports.  Under the terms of the agreement reached on Monday night, 121,000 postal workers will abandon their limit of three items of "unaddressed mail" per home per week and instead deliver unlimited amounts of advertisements for takeaways, cash offers and other products. Consumer groups have warned the move could lead to a significant rise in the amount of junk mail landing on door mats, and increase the estimated nine million trees uprooted annually for paper for flyers.  FULL STORY (independent.co.uk)

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