DataBreaches.Net

Menu
  • About
  • Breach Notification Laws
  • Privacy Policy
  • Transparency Report
Menu

(Another) WINZ privacy blunder

Posted on September 13, 2014 by Dissent

John Cousins and Fritha Tagg report:

Confidential documents detailing the mental health conditions of beneficiaries were given to a woman in a major privacy blunder.

Waihi resident Tracy Hall says the documents, which contain the names, phone numbers and mental health details of dozens of Work and Income clients, were given to her in error.

The list was inadvertently bundled up with the beneficiary forms given to Ms Hall.

“People make mistakes, but this was an awful mistake.”

Work and Income have confirmed the mistake happened in Waihi’s Winz office early this year.

Read more on Bay of Plenty Times.

This is not the first WINZ breach to be reported on this site:

  • In December 2011, 5 WINZ employees were sacked for inappropriately accessing client files.
  • In July 2012, 10 more WINZ employees were fired for breaches that included misuse of private files belonging to friends and family.
  • In October 2012, personal info on children, beneficiaries and contractors of Ministry of Social Development were found to be available on kiosk computers. Two investigations into the breach cost $500,000.
  • In May 2013, a WINZ employee emailed the private details of 34 beneficiaries to another claimant by mistake.

And now this breach involving sensitive information.

Frankly, this is one of those situations where naming and shaming would probably not be effective, as WINZ has already gotten so much bad press over the years. What else does the NZ Privacy Commissioner have in his toolbox to protect people’s information?

Category: Commentaries and AnalysesExposureGovernment SectorNon-U.S.

Post navigation

← Mississippi woman sentenced for role in stolen identity fraud case
A few more recent additions to HHS's breach tool →

Now more than ever

"Stand with Ukraine:" above raised hands. The illustration is in blue and yellow, the colors of Ukraine's flag.

Search

Browse by Categories

Recent Posts

  • Rewards for Justice offers $10M reward for info on RedLine developer or RedLine’s use by foreign governments
  • New evidence links long-running hacking group to Indian government
  • Zaporizhzhia Cyber ​​Police Exposes Hacker Who Caused Millions in Losses to Victims by Mining Cryptocurrency
  • Germany fines Vodafone $51 million for privacy, security breaches
  • Google: Hackers target Salesforce accounts in data extortion attacks
  • The US Grid Attack Looming on the Horizon
  • US govt login portal could be one cyberattack away from collapse, say auditors
  • Two Men Sentenced to Prison for Aggravated Identity Theft and Computer Hacking Crimes
  • 100,000 UK taxpayer accounts hit in £47m phishing attack on HMRC
  • CISA Alert: Updated Guidance on Play Ransomware

No, You Can’t Buy a Post or an Interview

This site does not accept sponsored posts or link-back arrangements. Inquiries about either are ignored.

And despite what some trolls may try to claim: DataBreaches has never accepted even one dime to interview or report on anyone. Nor will DataBreaches ever pay anyone for data or to interview them.

Want to Get Our RSS Feed?

Grab it here:

https://databreaches.net/feed/

RSS Recent Posts on PogoWasRight.org

  • How the FBI Sought a Warrant to Search Instagram of Columbia Student Protesters
  • Germany fines Vodafone $51 million for privacy, security breaches
  • Malaysia enacts data sharing rules for public sector
  • U.S. Enacts Take It Down Act
  • 23andMe Bankruptcy Judge Ponders Trump Bill’s Injunction Impact
  • Hell No: The ODNI Wants to Make it Easier for the Government to Buy Your Data Without Warrant
  • US State Dept. says silence or anonymity on social media is suspicious

Have a News Tip?

Email: Tips[at]DataBreaches.net

Signal: +1 516-776-7756

Contact Me

Email: info[at]databreaches.net

Mastodon: Infosec.Exchange/@PogoWasRight

Signal: +1 516-776-7756

DMCA Concern: dmca[at]databreaches.net
© 2009 – 2025 DataBreaches.net and DataBreaches LLC. All rights reserved.