Banks have caused the most complaints to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO regarding data protection issues.
A Freedom of Information (FOI) request submitted by security supplier Axway has revealed the number of complaints per sector with lenders the most complained about in 2011 and 2012.
The recent leak of the personal details of 38,000 participants in the London Marathon, when the organiser’s website accidentally made the details available, highlighted the risks of passing personal information to organisations.
While lenders caused the most problems with 2,356 complaints in the two years, local government organisations were second with 2,080.
The FOI request also revealed that the ICO has received an average of eight complaints per day this year so far, with 1,002 complaints that raised concerns over the disclosure of personal data or breaches.
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Top 10 Data Protection Act offenders by sector, according to Axway FOI request.
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| Ranking | 2010 | No. of complaints | Ranking | 2011 | No. of complaints |
| 1 | Lenders | 1,851 | 1 | Lenders | 1,505 |
| 2 | Local Government | 1,012 | 2 | Local Government | 1068 |
| 3 | General business | 876 | 3 | General Business | 1053 |
| 4 | Health | 825 | 4 | Health | 941 |
| 5 | Central Government | 756 | 5 | Central Government | 662 |
| 6 | Policing | 665 | 6 | Policing | 482 |
| 7 | Telecoms | 512 | 7 | Telecoms | 428 |
| 8 | Education | 339 | 8 | Education | 361 |
| 9 | Insurance | 304 | 9 | Insurance | 334 |
| 10 | Internet | 299 | 10 | Debt collectors | 309 |
