We are taking legal action having received instructions about the British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS) email data leak that occurred earlier this year.
Your Lawyers, as leading Data Leak Lawyers, is often contacted by those affected by such privacy breaches. We are always happy to advise those who approach us and, for eligible clients, we are able to offer No Win, No Fee legal representation.
You can speak to the team here now for free, no-obligation advice.
About the British Pregnancy Advisory Service data leak
According to the instructions that we have received, the British Pregnancy Advisory Service data leak stems from an email that was sent out on 4th January 2022. The email was in relation to a survey that had been sent out to patients and possibly partners about their experiences with the company.
Unfortunately, as has happened on so many occasions in the past, the method that was used to send out the email was archaic and risked a data breach. We assume that they intended to use the “Blind Carbon Copy” (or “BCC”) function to send the email and mask the recipients’ information. This was not used, and the result was that others who had received the email could now see the personal and sensitive details of other recipients.
This method of sending emails should not be used at all. As we often say, there are plenty of readily available mailing platforms that can be used to safety send a bulk email, whereas this kind of method risks a data leak occurring. Unsurprisingly, it has happened, and the damage has been done.
The significant damage that can be done
Never be fooled into thinking that an event like the British Pregnancy Advisory Service email data leak could be seen as a “minor breach”. It is all about the context when it comes to the impact of the data breach, and this can come down to what has been sent and to whom it has been sent to.
Some people may need to keep their association with a company like BPAS completely confidential. This could be for domestic reasons, or family reasons, or even relating to their culture. It is not just a case of personal details being leaked; it is about the context in which they are leaked. When you consider the context, the impact on the victim can be substantial.
An example we often use is that of the 56 Dean Street Clinic leak of 2015 where this style of email data leak occurred. Unfortunately, most of the recipients were users of the clinic with HIV, so their very personal and sensitive medical status has been leaked as a result of the data breach.
Claiming data protection breach compensation
You could be entitled to claim data protection breach compensation if your personal information has been misused or exposed. Whether that is as a victim of the British Pregnancy Advisory Service email leak or another form of breach, we may be able to help you.
You can contact the team here now for free, no-obligation advice about how we may be able to help you now.