Italy fines Enel US$85 million for failing to protect data from “abusive harassers”

The Italian Privacy Guarantee Authority has sanctioned Enel Energia with a fine of 79 million euros (US$85.2 million) for “failing to protect your databases from access by abusive stalkers”, announced today the person responsible for data protection.

The Guarantor highlighted that the fine, the largest ever imposed by the agency, responds “to serious deficiencies in the processing of personal data of several users in the electricity and gas sector for telemarketing purposes”.

On its website, it explains that the procedure originated from an investigation by the Finance Guard (financial police) for which fines worth 1.8 million euros had already been imposed on four companies and some databases used to illicit activities.

“Subsequent investigations carried out by the Guarantor revealed that Enel Energia had acquired 978 contracts from the four companies, even though they did not belong to the company’s sales network.”, it is indicated on its website.

Furthermore, following subsequent inspections at the Enel Energia premises, the agency found that “The information systems intended for customer management and the activation of services by the company had serious security deficiencies.”.

“Enel had not implemented all the necessary measures to prevent the illegal activities of abusive harassers, who – by identifying easy ‘entry doors’ in the company’s information systems – fueled an illegal business for years through calls, promotions of services and signing contracts without any real economic benefit for customers”he added.

In view of the serious violations detected, which affected the execution of at least 9,300 contracts over time, “The Guarantor imposed a penalty of 79,107,101 euros on Enel Energia, the largest penalty ever imposed by the organization”, he concludes.