Gardai giving out personal info?

05-09-2019 11:52am #1

Hi folks.

Unsure if this is the correct place to post this. Mods can feel free to move it to anywhere better suited.

Pretty much, I do a bit of work around the place, often involving taking photos of property, landmarks, historical sites etc.

Anyway I got a phone call today off someone who wanted to know what I was taking photos of near his business. Which is grand in itself.

However, he addressed me by my full name, obviously had my phone number to ring me, and he said he got these details 'from a friend', as he seen me on cctv and had my car reg plate.

He was polite, and I was polite with him in return. After the call ended, I rang the local (to him) garda station, who were adamant they'd never give out personal details.

But I can't imagine any other way of getting my details?

My car is a plain private car (ie not a commercial van with branding or information on it).

I asked the Garda was there anything I could do to figure it out and they pretty much just said no. Which seems odd.

Anyone been in a similar situation before? Unsure how to proceed. Not happy with my info being handed over to someone (especially as my line of work would sometimes take me to malicious people).

Kenny Logins · 05-09-2019 11:53am

Clamper? Not sure who else would have access to that info.

p to the e · 05-09-2019 11:55am

I'd say he started at 087 000 0001 and worked his way up until he got his man. That's what I'd do.

kneemos · 05-09-2019 11:56am

Kenny Logins wrote: »

Clamper? Not sure who else would have access to that info.

Hardly have his number?

05-09-2019 11:57am

Kenny Logins wrote: »

Clamper? Not sure who else would have access to that info.

why would a clamper ?

EmmetSpiceland · 05-09-2019 11:57am

Why were you taking photos of/near his “business”?

ParkRunner · 05-09-2019 11:58am

Your car is probably registered with nct centre, your insurance company, revenue, a toll tag if you have one etc, it could have come from one of many sources

Kenny Logins · 05-09-2019 11:59am

kneemos wrote: »

Hardly have his number?

BrownFinger wrote: »

why would a clamper ?

I'm probably talking sh!te but I did hear of this once, although that was in the UK.

Motortax office would have a phone number.

murpho999 · 05-09-2019 12:01pm

Why would you assume it's the Gardai?

How would they have your number anyway?

Maybe somebody you know works there or knows him and recognised you on CCTV.

murpho999 · 05-09-2019 12:02pm

ParkRunner wrote: »

Your car is probably registered with nct centre, your insurance company, revenue, a toll tag if you have one etc, it could have come from one of many sources

None of those organisations would ever give out a number to anyone.

the beer revolu · 05-09-2019 12:03pm

murpho999 wrote: »

None of those organisations should ever give out a number to anyone.

FYP

mikhail · 05-09-2019 12:04pm

murpho999 wrote: »

None of those organisations would ever give out a number to anyone.

As organisations, no. Occasionally, an employee might do something dodgy for a friend though. Risking their job if they get found out, mind.

harr · 05-09-2019 12:10pm

He more than likely asked around employees or locals and said he needed to contact you about something... it really isn’t that hard to find someone’s phone number in Ireland... some one always knows someone who would have your contact details especially if you are involved in local events or taking photos of local stuff.

I wouldn’t worry about it . As a business owner he probably wanted to know why you were taking photos around or near his business..while it was innocent on your part he wasn’t to know that .

JohnnyFlash · 05-09-2019 12:14pm

Have you a head on you like a traveller? The fella was probably concerned you and the lads were going to rob him blind.

odyssey06 · 05-09-2019 12:15pm

Not being snotty, but when he said he got the information from a friend, were you tempted to ask, "Oh what's his name, maybe I know him?"

FishOnABike · 05-09-2019 12:16pm

Why don't you just ask him who the 'friend' was that provided your details?

05-09-2019 12:17pm

Just to add, it was on practically the opposite side of the country. I have only been there about half a dozen times in my life, so no one would know me to see, or know my name etc.

05-09-2019 12:17pm

FishOnABike wrote: »

Why don't you just ask him who the 'friend' was that provided your details?

I did. He didn't want to answer that.

the beer revolu · 05-09-2019 12:21pm

Deleted User wrote: »

I did. He didn't want to answer that.

I wouldn't be telling him what I was doing (other than taking photographs in a public place) unless he told me where he got my details from.

Boom_Bap · 05-09-2019 12:23pm

There are access audit logs on the system the Garda use, you should ask to see when you were last looked up and by whom.
It's a pretty serious breach if a Garda is using the system for personal use.

Will I Am Not · 05-09-2019 12:27pm

Boom_Bap wrote: »

There are access audit logs on the system the Garda use, you should ask to see when you were last looked up and by whom.
It's a pretty serious breach if a Garda is using the system for personal use.

The system was down that day.

FishOnABike · 05-09-2019 12:28pm

Deleted User wrote: »

I did. He didn't want to answer that.

the beer revolu wrote: »

I wouldn't be telling him what I was doing (other than taking photographs in a public place) unless he told me where he got my details from.

Was just about to say the same but it's too late after the event. I'd be more concerned though that this businessman would have gone to such lenthts and could possibly have been party to a data breach in tracking down the details of someone going about their perfectly lawful business.

Is there any legitimate reason why this person would be so sensitive about someone taking photos near (not even in or of) his business?

kneemos · 05-09-2019 12:29pm

Will I Am Not wrote: »

The system was down that day.

Yeah.

IAMAMORON · 05-09-2019 12:31pm

I am struggling with this one op, sorry. The vaguest pile of shight I have heard in a while.

Why would a business owner be spooked by you taking photos near their business? Why would they care enough?

Why would they care enough to bother finding out who you are and what you do?

In fairness I think my skepticism of your story is justified in your lack of clarity as to what you were doing and why you were doing it? What is that all about?

Feisar · 05-09-2019 12:33pm

FishOnABike wrote: »

Was just about to say the same but it's too late after the event. I'd be more concerned though that this businessman would have gone to such lenthts and could possibly have been party to a data breach in tracking down the details of someone going about their perfectly lawful business.

Is there any legitimate reason why this person would be so sensitive about someone taking photos near (not even in or of) his business?

It's all about the context, was this in an out of the way location with little to no footfall or in a busy are?

Big difference in an out of the way industrial business park type setting or in Liffey Valley for example. The laws may be the same however the perception is completely different.

Stevieluvsye · 05-09-2019 12:33pm

Deleted User wrote: »

Hi folks.

Unsure if this is the correct place to post this. Mods can feel free to move it to anywhere better suited.

Pretty much, I do a bit of work around the place, often involving taking photos of property, landmarks, historical sites etc.

Anyway I got a phone call today off someone who wanted to know what I was taking photos of near his business. Which is grand in itself.

However, he addressed me by my full name, obviously had my phone number to ring me, and he said he got these details 'from a friend', as he seen me on cctv and had my car reg plate.

He was polite, and I was polite with him in return. After the call ended, I rang the local (to him) garda station, who were adamant they'd never give out personal details.

But I can't imagine any other way of getting my details?

My car is a plain private car (ie not a commercial van with branding or information on it).

I asked the Garda was there anything I could do to figure it out and they pretty much just said no. Which seems odd.

Anyone been in a similar situation before? Unsure how to proceed. Not happy with my info being handed over to someone (especially as my line of work would sometimes take me to malicious people).

Something not adding up here.

Are you a hitman?

Feisar · 05-09-2019 12:40pm

Stevieluvsye wrote: »

Something not adding up here.

Are you a hitman?

I'd say an insurance fraud investigator or something along them lines.

Stevieluvsye · 05-09-2019 12:41pm

Feisar wrote: »

I'd say an insurance fraud investigator or something along them lines.

Makes sense actually orrrrrrrrrrrrr the Sheriff's office

05-09-2019 12:51pm

I'm a photographer. I'm self employed. Sometimes I work for companies that wouldn't really be liked by the general public and people that do similar work to me might end up getting a lot of harassment or abuse directed at them (despite doing no wrong).

So, I'm deliberately being vague about the job itself.

This chap seemed alright, he was pleasant etc. but being in confrontational situations isn't unusual to me. I would however be concerned about someone who has taken a dislike to me, being able to get my number, address etc.

CrankyHaus · 05-09-2019 12:53pm

Deleted User wrote: »

I'm a photographer. I'm self employed. Sometimes I work for companies that wouldn't really be liked by the general public and people that do similar work to me might end up getting a lot of harassment or abuse directed at them (despite doing no wrong).

So, I'm deliberately being vague about the job itself.

This chap seemed alright, he was pleasant etc. but being in confrontational situations isn't unusual to me. I would however be concerned about someone who has taken a dislike to me, being able to get my number, address etc.

Most likely he's mates with a Garda who gave him the info. This is not unusual. Good luck proving it. Could be other sources, probably within the Public Sector.

Stevieluvsye · 05-09-2019 12:54pm

Deleted User wrote: »

I'm a photographer. I'm self employed. Sometimes I work for companies that wouldn't really be liked by the general public and people that do similar work to me might end up getting a lot of harassment or abuse directed at them (despite doing no wrong).

So, I'm deliberately being vague about the job itself.

This chap seemed alright, he was pleasant etc. but being in confrontational situations isn't unusual to me. I would however be concerned about someone who has taken a dislike to me, being able to get my number, address etc.

He may have actually been a guard you were talking to on the phone

Gardai giving out personal info?

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