Michael Isaacs, a former tracing agent, has plead guilty and will be fined for illegally obtaining personal information to check if customers of the high street bank Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) could repay their debts.

Isaacs, who was the sole director of the tracing agent company Datasearch Services Limited, located people who owed money to RBS, and also tried to establish what assets they held along with their ability to repay their debts.

After receiving a complaint from RBS, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) started investigating Isaac’s activities, and found that he frequently contacted organizations while pretending to be the person he was investigating. ICO found that Isaac was calling utilities companies, local councils, and GP surgeries, and was using voice changing software to successfully impersonate specific individuals and also to cover his tracks.

“Mr Isaacs … used voice changing software and falsely impersonated people to get their most private details from organisations. This is unacceptable and against the law.”

Andy Curry, Head of Investigations

He would then use the personal information, like monthly direct debits, bank account details, and outstanding mortgages, to create in-depth profiles of a people for RBS. Not only was the information obtained illegally, the detail levels were “wholly outside of the remit and agreement with RBS”.

“Mr Isaacs went to great lengths to obtain people’s information illegally. He used voice changing software and falsely impersonated people to get their most private details from organisations. This is unacceptable and against the law,” said Andy Curry, Head of Investigations.

The Proceeds of Crime Act

Last year, Isaacs pleaded guilty to six counts of unlawfully obtaining personal data contrary to section 55 of the Data Protection Act 1998.

On June 15, 2023, the Kingston-upon-Thames Crown Court ruled, in lined with the Proceeds of Crime Act, that Isaac should pay back £38,000 ($48,400) because he had benefitted from his criminal conduct. He was also fined £10,560 ($13,450) with court costs totalling £15,000 ($19,100)

Curry uneqivocally pointed out that this case “demonstrates that we will use the Proceeds of Crime Act, so offenders are forced to repay the funds they have obtained through the misuse of data”.