Being aware of the data that is kept about us, and ensuring that those holding that data are protecting it, has become an important part of our culture.
It has become vital to make sure that we are informed about how our data is being kept, where and what is being kept and how it should be protected.
We should also have a good understanding of what happens if it is not protected properly and we become victims of data loss at the hands of a company or business that we should otherwise trust.
In recent years a number of large companies have admittedly lost the confidential personal data of tens of thousands of UK customers.
Data loss is a serious issue, especially when the data that has gone astray contains all of the important access information like bank account numbers, sort codes, addresses, and personal contact details.
In the wrong hands, these details can easily be used to fraudulently mimic a persons identity for, at the very least, monetary gain.
While we hear of companies apologising to their customers, there is often little mention of the fact that these offences are serious breaches of the Data Protection Act - an Act that ensures that you are able to claim compensation in the event that you are affected by the loss of your personal data.
Anyone that has been a victim of data loss is within their rights to claim compensation from the company that exposed their data to an outside source.
Victims should voice their concerns with the company in question as early as possible and report the loss directly to the Information Commissioners Office, which was set up to uphold the provisions of the Data Protection Act.
From there, a claim of Data Loss will be investigated and, if upheld, that accusation can be the basis of a claim for compensation against the company in question.