Tweet
The National Westminster Bank admitted last month that it keeps
personal information about its customers - such as their political
affiliation - on computer.
But now Computer Weekly reveals that a financial institution, sadly
unnamed, has gone one better and moved into the realm of personal
abuse.
The institution decided to mailshot 2000 of its richest customers,
inviting them to buy extra services. One of its computer programmers
wrote a program to search through its databases and select its
customers automatically. He tested the program with an imaginary
customer called Rich b*st*rd. Unfortunately, an error resulted in all
2000 letters being addressed \"Dear Rich b*st*rd.\" The luckless
programmer was subsequently sacked.
personal information about its customers - such as their political
affiliation - on computer.
But now Computer Weekly reveals that a financial institution, sadly
unnamed, has gone one better and moved into the realm of personal
abuse.
The institution decided to mailshot 2000 of its richest customers,
inviting them to buy extra services. One of its computer programmers
wrote a program to search through its databases and select its
customers automatically. He tested the program with an imaginary
customer called Rich b*st*rd. Unfortunately, an error resulted in all
2000 letters being addressed \"Dear Rich b*st*rd.\" The luckless
programmer was subsequently sacked.