My mother used to work in debt recovery for a major catalogue. All telephone staff were issued with a pseudonym to provide to customers which could be used to identify them internally. This removed a large portion of risk with regard to the public using names to identify individuals. This was more than 20 years ago. I can't see why it couldn't be used now, so long as the false name could be tied with the real name by appropriate management. Simon Howarth. -----Original Message----- From: This list is for those interested in Data Protection issues [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Emma Bothamley Sent: 15 November 2004 17:59 To: [log in to unmask] Subject: [data-protection] Providing names in a work context We seem to have a little bit of an issue arising - think it might be a case of our DP training being too effective! Some of our call centre staff are starting to refuse to provide their surnames to customers as they say this is their personal data and they don't need to provide it (and we shouldn't force them - we're not forcing them, by the way). This is causing complaints from customers who think that if call centre staff won't give out their full names, is it because they are providing incorrect information and don't want to be held responsible. I appreciate that where someone has an unusual surname, a specific individual can be identified from the information and therefore this is technically covered by the DPA. But . . . surely in a work environment, there must be a reasonable expectation from the employee that their name may be provided in a work context and that anonymity cannot be guaranteed. I just can't see how anonymity would be a practical option. Any thoughts on this one? Any help on the best way to tackle this would be most appreciated. Thanks in advance, Emma Emma Bothamley Data Protection Consultant 01733 471226 UKLS Financial Services Ltd No. 3715118, NPI Ltd No. 3725037, National Provident Life Ltd No. 3641947, NPI Investment Managers Ltd No. 0962757, NPI Portfolio Managers Ltd No. 2238069, London Life Ltd No. 1179800, London Life Linked Assurances Ltd No. 1396188, Pearl Assurance plc No. 1419, Pearl Assurance (Unit Funds) Ltd No. 1027138, Pearl Assurance (Unit Linked Pensions) Ltd No. 1122485, Pearl Unit Trusts Ltd No. 958262, Pearl ISA Ltd No. 3597973 are the companies that make up the HHG Life Services Marketing Group and are authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority for pensions, investments and life assurance. Pearl GI Ltd No. 2587380 is a member of the General Insurance Standards Council. UKLS Financial Services Ltd is registered with the Mortgage Board. All companies are registered in England at The Pearl Centre, Lynch Wood, Peterborough PE2 6FY. Tel. 01733 470470. We may record or monitor telephone calls to improve service and protect customers. The information in this e-mail is confidential and may be legally privileged. It is intended solely for the addressee and access to this e-mail by anyone else is unauthorised. Although this message and any attachments are believed to be free of any virus or other defect that might affect any computer system into which it is received and opened, it is the responsibility of the recipient to ensure that it is virus free and no responsibility is accepted by any company within the HHG group of companies for any loss or damage in any way arising from its use. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ All archives of messages are stored permanently and are available to the world wide web community at large at http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/data-protection.html If you wish to leave this list please send the command leave data-protection to [log in to unmask] All user commands can be found at : - http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/help/commandref.htm (all commands go to [log in to unmask] not the list please) ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ All archives of messages are stored permanently and are available to the world wide web community at large at http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/data-protection.html If you wish to leave this list please send the command leave data-protection to [log in to unmask] All user commands can be found at : - http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/help/commandref.htm (all commands go to [log in to unmask] not the list please) ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^