Clarkson caught by ID thieves
Jeremy Clarkson has been caught out by identity thieves after publishing his own bank details.
After the government admitted losing the personal details of 25 million people in November, Clarkson reacted by making his own personal details public - including details of where to find his address, bank account number and sort code - in the Sun, claiming more data were needed to access someone's finances.
His details have now been used to make a payment to a charity by direct debit.
The motoring journalist explained in his Sunday Times column yesterday: "Everyone worked themselves into a right old lather about the [government] mistake but I argued we should all calm down because the details in question are to be found on every cheque we hand out every day to every Tom, Dick and cash and carry.
"To hammer the point home I even printed my own bank account number and sort code.
"And guess what? I opened my bank statement this morning to find out someone has set up a direct debit which automatically takes £500 from my account."
The waggish fraudster established a direct debit to the charity Diabetes UK - which like many organisations does not require a signature to set up payments.
CDs sent by internal mail from HM Revenues & Customs (HMRC) in Newcastle to the National Audit Office (NAO) in London were initially lost in October, but the problem only came to light in November.
Despite a wide-ranging investigation they have still not been recovered.
Clarkson has now called on those responsible for the loss to have "cocktail sticks [stuck] in their eyes until they beg for mercy".
He added: "I was wrong and I have been punished for my mistake."
The Top Gear presenter also ironically revealed the bank cannot uncover who was responsible due to the Data Protection Act.
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