Charities investigated after 87-year-old loses £35,000

A retired army colonel with dementia has lost £35,000 to scammers after his personal details were sold or passed on by charities up to 200 times, it has been claimed. The Information Commissioner is looking into Samuel Rae's case, says the Daily Mail.

Some charities allegedly carried on contacting the 87-year-old for as long as five years after he asked them to stop. Rae's son, Chris, says the way his father has been treated by charities is "disgraceful".

The problems began when Rae filled in a newspaper's lifestyle survey in 1994. He may have forgotten to tick the box marked 'do not share my details' - though it is impossible to establish whether he did or not over two decades later.

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In one answer, he mentioned owning a pet cat. Two animal charities reportedly bought his details and contacted him. After he signed up to donate to one, the charity allegedly sold his details ten times through intermediaries. The details were said to be bought by companies including a medical insurance firm, a gambling firm and a jewellery firm.

Since then, companies across four continents and some 77 charities have contacted Rae, according to the Mail investigation. He is believed to feature on up to 11 'suckers lists', registers of people known to be likely to respond to letters about sweepstakes.

Some charities asked him for money as often as 38 times a year.

Chris Rae says his father has lost up to £35,000 to scammers who wrote to him telling him he has won a cash prize but must buy a product to claim it. The cash prizes, of course, never materialise.

Contacted by the Mail, the Information Commissioner's office said the story was "clearly concerning".

It added: "If charities are buying and selling personal information without any thought of the wishes of the people involved it suggests not only a disregard for the law, but also a disconnect with the supporters whose generosity they rely on."