Indian call center staff sold data, TV show says

An undercover TV investigation claims to have infiltrated criminal gangs selling thousands of U.K. credit card and passport details for as little as $9.50 each from offshore call centers.

The "Dispatches" documentary, shown on U.K.'s Channel 4, follows a 12-month investigation. It included footage of middlemen offering an undercover reporter the credit card details gleaned from Indian call centers of 100,000 U.K. bank customers.

But Indian IT trade organization Nasscom criticized Channel 4 for refusing to show it any of the footage before it was broadcast on Thursday evening. It urged the program makers to cooperate in rooting out and prosecuting any "corrupt" call center workers.

"The whole issue of data security is a global problem," said Sunil Mehta, a vice president at Nasscom. "There are bad apples in every industry around the world, and these incidents happen in India and the U.K. This is not a widespread problem in India. Security measures and practices that Indian companies have are the best in the world."

Mehta said in the case of recent high-profile incidents of Indian call center security breaches--such as that focused on bank HSBC--the criminals were identified and arrested within three weeks and are now awaiting trial. He also pointed to Indian initiatives such as a national registry designed to vet call center and IT workers and a regulatory body to improve the level of security in the industry.

"India is doing all it can to stay ahead of this," Mehta said. "We need to deal with this."

At the same time, the United Kingdom's largest private-sector trade union, Amicus, is calling for a government committee inquiry into the security of financial-services work being sent overseas to countries such as India.

David Fleming, national secretary of Amicus, said the union has "serious concerns" about the security of overseas call centers and that a clear business case for offshoring has yet to be made.

"We need to look at long-term implications for the U.K. economy," Fleming said in a statement. "To date, there is no evidence to suggest that offshoring benefits customers. But there is evidence that shows the negative effect of offshoring on those who lose their jobs and the existing U.K. work forces that have to deal with dissatisfied customers."

Andy McCue of Silicon.com reported from London.

[heystoopid]

Nice one!

Nice one, to try and put a reverse spin on the real problems all Indian Centers pose in respect to non existent security!

Oh well, that's life, for you pays your money and takes your choice, and the lowest bidder, as always cuts more corners than most!

[heystoopid]

P.S.

P.S. this has been common knowledge in India, since the days of yore!

[chuck_whealton]

Re: Nice one!

Well, certainly there's going to be crime and corruption
anywhere. Unfortunately, that includes India. Like anywhere,
I'm sure the vast majority of people in India are good, hard
working individuals.

What bothers me more is the quality of technical support I get
when directed there from the r vendor I have to deal with. For
all those extremely talented individuals we hear about (and I'm
sure exist in India), I don't think the large companies are hiring
any of them. As you said, they're going to the lowest bidder.

Charles R. Whealton
Charles Whealton @ pleasedontspam.com

[chuck_whealton]

Re: Nice one!

Well, certainly there's going to be crime and corruption
anywhere. Unfortunately, that includes India. Like anywhere,
I'm sure the vast majority of people in India are good, hard
working individuals.

What bothers me more is the quality of technical support I get
when directed there from the r vendor I have to deal with. For
all those extremely talented individuals we hear about (and I'm
sure exist in India), I don't think the large companies are hiring
any of them. As you said, they're going to the lowest bidder.

Charles R. Whealton
Charles Whealton @ pleasedontspam.com

[btljooz]

And the Out Sourcing beat goes on!...........

n/t

[wbenton]

Common Security Sense 101

The ONLY reason this is a problem now is because we decided to outsource internationally.

With that comes risks... thus risk hedgers were NOT on the ball on this one.

Common Security Sense 101: DON'T LEASE OUT SECURITY!!!

Walt

[matt_parker]

Here Here!

I can't agree with more!

[1bitterpill]

Security? What's that?

You think the Big business moguls care if the average joe gets ripped off by the foriegn companies they sold out to so they wouldn't have to pay Americans, plus taxes and benefits?

[mercuryrising]

Fraud happens only in India

In United States and UK , there are no frauds. All the problem these countries have is because of India . There have been no fraud reported Internet or of any other kind in these countries since dark ages and they are as spotless and shiny as a white satin sheet could be .

Of course all the problem started with India. Before that world was in peace.

[matt_parker]

Get A Clue To The Real Problem.

Think! If criminal activity with your personal records occurs in a call centre in the United States then authorities can arrest the criminals and you can get your identity back. If this happens on foreign soil - say India - what recourse do you think you will have? Are the police going to take a plane to India, get permission from India authorities, arrest the criminals and fix your records? Good luck! The Indian government certainly won't help you either!

[matt_parker]

Outsourcing Financial Records - REAL SMART

Why are they allowed access to our financial records in India? Their laws don't apply to us! What recourse do we possibly have? All that does is encourage criminal activity! American companies need to wake up and get a clue and stop being so short-sided!

[callcentersource]

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[callcentersource]

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