Giving IBAN number

Strange, I wonder why it let me in, I don't pay either!! It may be 12 years old, but our banking systems haven't changed in that time!!

Motoring television presenter Jeremy Clarkson has been forced to eat some uncharacteristic humble pie after playing down the severity of Labour's lost data scandal.

The Top Gear host was so sure that the furore over the lost CDs of data was nothing but "a storm in a teacup" he printed his own bank details in a newspaper, convinced his money would be safe.

He also included instructions on how to find his address on the electoral roll and gave details about the car he drives, claiming he had "nothing to fear" from identity fraud.

But the exercise left the newspaper columnist with egg on his face when he had to admit that he had been the target of an internet scam.

An unidentified reader copied his details and set up a £500 direct debit from his account payable to the British Diabetic Association.
The charity is one of many organisations which does not need a signature to set up a direct debit.
Clarkson, 47, wrote in the Sunday Times: "Back in November, the Government lost two computer discs containing half the population's bank details.
"Everyone worked themselves into a right old lather about the mistake but I argued we should all calm down because the details in question are to be found on every cheque we hand out every day to every Tom, Dick and cash and carry.
"To hammer the point home I even printed my own bank account number and sort code.
"And guess what? I opened my bank statement this morning to find out that someone has set up a direct debit which automatically takes £500 from my account.
"The bank cannot find out who did this because of the Data Protection Act and they cannot stop it from happening again.
"I was wrong and I have been punished for my mistake."
The discs, which contained the personal details of 25 million Britons, were lost by HM Revenue and Customs and have still not been found.
At the time, Clarkson wrote: "I have never known such a palaver about nothing. The fact is we happily hand over cheques to all sorts of unsavoury people all day long without a moment's thought. We have nothing to fear."
But yesterday, the newly-chastened pundit had changed his tune.
"Contrary to what I said at the time, we must go after the idiots who lost the discs and stick cocktail sticks in their eyes until they beg for mercy," he said.
 
There are no signatures involved when setting up a utility company ie. Broadband also no written contracts, so you don't know what you agreed to.
 
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