Watchdog and Kent Police warn that household survey could spark identity theft

Police in Kent would like to make people aware of the following report on BBC’s “Watchdog” programme featured on 4 November 2010 about the following survey that is soon to be sent to over 1 million homes.

N-Power, Unilever and Talk Talk are among the many companies sponsoring a survey that is to be sent out by TNT. They request you fill in a questionnaire detailing your personal information and to leave it on your doorstep in an unsealed paper bag for collection the following day. 

The questionnaire is five pages long and contains one hundred and eighty six questions about your personal circumstances.

The Information Commissioner's Office has stated that;

"These surveys usually require people to provide a large amount of personal information - ranging from whether they have any outstanding medical conditions, to details of their household income. Anyone approached to fill in one of these surveys should think twice before leaving information like this on their doorstep. They should be aware that anyone could potentially pick it up, opening the way to identity theft. People completing these forms should also understand who will have access to their information and what it will be used for."

More advice and information is available from the Watchdog website link.<http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/watchdog/2010/11/tnt_survey.html>

Very many thanks,

Jonathan Styance

Kent Police Apprentice.