LESTOCK, Sask. – In a small town, everyone seems to know a little bit about everybody else’s business.
In Lestock, Sask., a community of just over 100 people, that euphemism became a reality when 18 residents learned their personal files had been poked around in by a private insurance dealer.
“(They) viewed my autopay contract and viewed banking information,” said Bernadette Mostad. “I wasn’t even there, haven’t done any business since 2012.”
Mostad, like the other residents, discovered the privacy breach through a freedom-of-information request to find out if their records were being viewed.
In every instance, the breach came from Lestock Motors, a private insurance dealer contracted by Saskatchewan Government Insurance (SGI). Employees of the dealer viewed information including license plate numbers, driving records, phone numbers and partial bank account numbers at all hours of the day for no reason at all, according to SGI.
“They say no transactions and no notes, because we weren’t there for it,” Mostad said.
Suspensions handed down
SGI isn’t going as far as shutting the dealer down, but the Crown insurance company did suspend Lestock Motors’ insurance services for two weeks, ending July 20, and put the dealer on a one-year probation period. An employee was also suspended indefinitely.
“We make it very (clear) there are consequences,” said Earl Cameron, SGI Auto Fund vice president. “Unfortunately, there are people who choose to ignore that, like this incident.”
SGI is able to track every key stroke to determine if files are opened and what information is viewed, but Cameron says there are too many transactions to prevent someone from opening files they shouldn’t.
Lestock Motors would not comment on any of the privacy breaches.
Privacy training
Ron Kruzeniski, Saskatchewan’s privacy commissioner, stresses the importance of ensuring employees have regular training as to what they can and cannot do with personal information.
READ MORE: Sask. privacy saws outdated and difficult to navigate, says commissioner
“It becomes so tempting with electronic systems for employees to just say, ‘I’m going to take a peek,’ ” Kruzeniski said. “That is basically an unacceptable practice.”
So far, it doesn’t appear any personal information was disclosed; the victims suspect it is a case of snooping.
Comments