We're aware that a number of local voluntary organisations are being contacted by unscrupulous firms claiming to represent the Government's Information Commissioner. The Information Commissioner is responsible for enforcing and overseeing the Data Protection Act.

Letters typically demand payment of a fee, usually of around £95, to notify the Information Commissioner and imply that notification is a mandatory legal requirement.

They also imply that fines will be levied against groups who don't make immediate payment. The correspondence usually refers to 'notification under the Data Protection Act 1998', and may contain threatening language such as 'failure to register is a criminal offence' and 'final demand'.

Please be aware that these demands for payment are not connected with the Information Commissioner and should be ignored.

The actual fee for notification is £35 - and some voluntary groups processing personal data are exempt from notification. Visit www.dpr.gov.uk/donotbemisled.html for more information on this scam and a list of the known companies that are sending out this correspondence.

8 For more details about Data Protection and to find out if your group needs to notify or is exempt log on to www.dataprotection.gov.uk

( For more information on Data Protection you can also contact Lisa Garnham at Derby CVS on 01332 227730 or email lgarnham@cvsderby.co.uk

(from Network News, Nov/Dec 2003)