Red herrings from direct marketers

I can’t help thinking that the DMA, concerned as it may be about the Information Commissioner’s Office ICO’s campaign (MW August 23) is somewhat over-reacting . It would seem to me that the campaign is more concerned with credit card fraud than with direct mail. That, at least, is the impression it gave me, and as one of the many thousands of people who has suffered from the fraudulent use of credit card details I can only give the ICO a warm round of applause.

There is a serious issue here: call centre employees, bartenders, petrol station attendants and Internet companies all have access to our details, and not everyone can be security-vetted. Nor should they be – why should a low-paid shop assistant submit to a background check? We need a complete review of the card system, and the DMA’s blustering is merely muddying the waters.

John Barnaby

Rocket Clearing

Bury

Lancashire