A Wilmslow home has been searched as part of an extensive ongoing investigation by the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO).
The investigation relates to nuisance calls that encourage people to make personal injury claims about road traffic accidents being linked to the theft of data from car repair centres.
The ICO executed two search warrants last week, one in Wilmslow on Thursday, 8th June, and the other in Gatley on Wednesday, 7th June.
Computers and phones were seized during the searches as the ICO continues to investigate nuisance calls prompted by the theft of people's details from car repair centres throughout the UK. The items will now be subject to forensic examination and investigation.
Mike Shaw, ICO Criminal Investigations Group Manager, said "This illegal trade has multiple negative effects – both on the car repair businesses targeted for their customer data and the subsequent nuisance calls made to customers. These can be extremely unsettling and distressing.
"Our searches this week are the latest step in us tracking down the unscrupulous individuals involved in this industry. These people won't get away with it – any person or business involved in the theft and illegal trade of personal data may find themselves subject to ICO action."
ICO investigators are looking at how the data was stolen, who stole it and which companies have subsequently made calls to the public encouraging them to make compensation claims about the accidents they may have been involved in.
The ongoing investigation, named Operation Pelham, started in May 2016 and has so far involved a business and two homes in Macclesfield and Heald Green which were searched by ICO officers in December 2016. The business was linked to the making of telephone calls to numbers originating from some of the car repair centres. Computers, telephones and documents were among items seized from the residential properties. Then in April 2017 searches were carried out at homes in Macclesfield and Droylsden.
The ICO continues to work closely with the National Body Repair Association on the investigation.
