Stamford’s mayor victim of Capita pension cyber attack

The mayor of Stamford was the victim of a major cyber attack.

Andrew Croft, a Stamford Town Councillor, had his information stolen by cyber criminals during a hack of one of Britain’s biggest pension outsourcers, Capita.

Members of hundreds of schemes across the country had data stolen in March but were not told until May.

While the hackers, Andrew believes, can’t access his money they have been able to gain all of his personal details including where he lives and his telephone number.

“It is really worrying that someone can find your identity, details and where you bank,” the 70-year-old said.

Last month he received a logbook for a Vauxhall Meriva through the post which had been registered under his name.

He sought advice from a police officer who explained cyber attackers obtain people’s information and then sell it on to criminals via the dark web.

Criminals are then able to purchase cars in other people’s names which allow them to commit crimes while being untraceable to automatic number plate recognition as the vehicle isn’t registered to them.

The mayor has now received a notice of prosecution by Cambridgeshire Police to say that the car he ‘owns’ had been caught at a speed of 47mph in a 30mph zone.

Andrew contacted the police to log that it is not his vehicle to prevent any further fines coming his way.

“It is scary how somebody could do anything in your name,” Andrew said.

He is now having to be careful about phone calls, emails and anything he receives through the post.

As a form of apology from the pension provider, he has been given free membership with Expedia which will alert him if any bank accounts have been set up in his name.

Andrew’s pension fund is from his time working at a big employer in the local area so he fears others with the same provider could also fall victim and urges them to check.

“It seems as though this crime is a common thing now - there is more of it going around,” he said.