In today’s digital age, personal data is one of the most valuable assets that anyone can have.
For companies across the globe, knowledge of customer’s personal data means that they have a library of information available for target marketing, advertising, sales, business projections, and more. The list is endless. Because of the value of personal data in today’s world, data breaches and stolen data are becoming more and more commonplace. As well as acting as important business information, personal data can be used for fraudulent criminal activities including bank appliactions, fake passport production, and more. Sophisticated hackers can, and do, steal personal data for reselling, often compromising your privacy and safety online. If you’ve been the victim of a data breach, the team at MyCase Solicitors is here to help.
HOW IS PERSONAL DATA STOLEN?
Personal data can be stolen in a number of ways, and is also be classified as a form of identity theft. Many data breaches can occur from faults in online platforms, while others can be targeted hacker attacks, email scams, social media scams, and more. Identity thieves can use countless methods to uncover your personal data and can use it to open bank accounts, take out credit cards, apply for fake passports, buy products online, and more. As well as putting a dent in your bank account and compromising your privacy, having your personal data stolen can put you at risk of being wrongfully accused of illegal activity. If you’ve been the victim of a personal data breach, it’s important to act fast.the victim of a personal data breach, it’s important to act fast.
WHAT SHOULD I DO AFTER EXPERIENCING A DATA BREACH?
If you’ve been told that your personal data was compromised, it’s important to act quickly to reduce the damage that could potentially be caused. If the data breach has happened with a third party company, contact the company for details and liaise with them on what the next best steps would be to take. If the data breach has occurred on a personal online platform such as social media or email, make sure you change your password immediately and notify the company of the data breach. Many companies will deal professionally with internal data breaches, and oftentimes, no further action is needed. If, however, the data breach is serious and large amounts of your sensitive personal data have been stolen, it may be time to get legal advice.
HIRING A PERSONAL DATA PROTECTION SOLICITOR
Thankfully, EU laws exist to protect citizens’ personal data, most notably GDPR law. Under this law, it is illegal to take someone’s personal information without first asking them and getting consent. If your personal data has been compromised or stolen, the team at MyCase Solicitors are here to help. We offer professional GDPR solicitor services to our clients who have been a victim of serious data breaches, with a team of expert personal data protection solicitors available to help you protect and secure your identity online, especially after a data breach. We work with companies and individuals on both sides of the data breach in order to ensure you are legally compliant and your data (or customer’s data) is safe and well-protected. As a team with years of expert experience, we pride ourselves on offering professional, efficient, and reliable services.
HOW CAN I PROTECT MY PERSONAL DATA?
While all people have a right to have their personal data kept private, we also have a responsibility to protect our personal data. When online, ensure that you use different passwords for all online accounts you own, varying numbers, capital letters, and symbols to make the password more secure. Never give out bank details or other sensitive information over phone or email to an unauthorised person, and always read through terms and conditions before signing up to a new online service. For more information about data protection and GDPR law, get in touch with the team at MyCase Solicitors. We’d be happy to help.