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Gardai giving out personal info?

[Deleted User]

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).

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paw patrol

he may have a mate in a motor insurance company.

I have worked in general insurance and they held any quote details even if you never took out the insurance.
By looking up the car reg his mate could have your name , address and phone number and other details too

the systems in most are archaic so there is no audit system to who looked up your details.

Jimmy McGill

Anything your eyes can see in a public place you're entitled to take a picture of it by law. Nothing illegal about it at all, but there certainly is misconceptions about it. I'd definitely look into it further if a Guard gave your details to someone, that's a data protection breach for starters.

TheChizler

If the guy who rang you is a business and has clearly processed your personal information, could you put in a data access request to see what information they have and how they got it? The fear of being in trouble with the DPC might be enough for him to cough up.

1o059k7ewrqj3n

It's more likely he knew someone who did in fact know you and had your number, and if you are in the job of taking photos, it's likely you have a website, facebook page or something similar where your number is listed and he went that option. If not, simply asking for a local photographer's number through contacts would have probably yielded your details in the end.

Ireland is a small place, everybody knows everybody or knows someone who knows everybody.

Lux23

Do you think you may have done business with him at some stage?

odyssey06

Steyr 556 wrote: »

It's more likely he knew someone who did in fact know you and had your number, and if you are in the job of taking photos, it's likely you have a website, facebook page or something similar where your number is listed and he went that option. If not, simply asking for a local photographer's number through contacts would have probably yielded your details in the end. Ireland is a small place, everybody knows everybody or knows someone who knows everybody.

Seems a bit of a stretch though. The OP said they weren't local to the area and there must be a lot of photographers in the country, so unless it's a 'niche' type job I don't think a random hit will find it.

The OP's vehicle was unmarked, the only thing the business owner had to go on with a car reg and a face.

I probably know people from all around Ireland, but that doesn't mean I'd be able to connect their presence to an event based on this description and a car reg.

mickdw

Gardai or motortax would be my guess.
They seem to do it all the time.

Purple Mountain

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.

So you're the dude who insurance companies hire to prove that Mick doesn't have a wonky back when he can lift two crates of beer home from the offie?!

Gregor Samsa

There's more to the business guy's story than he's telling you. Someone running a business doesn't just see someone random with a camera near his business, and then go to great lengths to track that person down and contact them to find out why they were taking photos. If he had seen you at the time, he would have just come out and asked you face to face what you were up to. I know you said he mentioned CCTV, but even then, he must have had a reason to go back over the footage (assuming this bit is even true).

Someone else who knows you may have seen you and said it to him. "There was a guy, KKV out there taking photos earlier. I know him from before. He does XYZ. Are you in any trouble?"

The guy may not have had your number, but with a name, it's easier to get a phone number than with a car reg. You might not even have been the first person he called asking about it.

Stevieluvsye

He's defo a PI of some sorts

1o059k7ewrqj3n

odyssey06 wrote: »

Seems a bit of a stretch though. The OP said they weren't local to the area and there must be a lot of photographers in the country, so unless it's a 'niche' type job I don't think a random hit will find it.

The OP's vehicle was unmarked, the only thing the business owner had to go on with a car reg and a face.

I probably know people from all around Ireland, but that doesn't mean I'd be able to connect their presence to an event based on this description and a car reg.

I like to go with the simplest explanations before I go further. It could be that this business owner is familiar with local Gardai, possibly a detective, who could run that license number through pulse, but I've no familiarity with that system or what information it contains. I guess it does contain an owners number?

Feisar

Also OP, you said that you rang the local Garda station, his mate could be in the other end of the country.

kneemos

You need to look like a tourist when taking photos.

Being official and efficient looking would raise anybody's suspicion.

Strumms

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.

This... and too I’d be going back tomorrow and taking more shots. His actions and words don’t represent a ‘polite’ enquiry it’s an attempt at intimidation.

Abba987

Im fairly certain if you were looked up on PULSE anyone who accessed your details will be listed

sbsquarepants

I don't know OP.

Some "businessmen" very much dislike "photographers". Maybe next time you're innocently taking photos of the historical landmark next door to his business, you should park a few streets over?

Seems like an easy way to get yourself hurt to me!

James Bond Junior

@KKV you need to get over to the AMA thread.. I feel like you have a story to tell..

IAMAMORON

Op , I am still struggling with your story. Are you enjoying that little fact by any chance?

Your story doesn't make any sense to me.

Why were you taking photos of someone's private property? Enough photos for that person to find out who you are?

Finally, why did the business owner not just call you out on the spot?

Purple Mountain

kneemos wrote: »

You need to look like a tourist when taking photos.

Being official and efficient looking would raise anybody's suspicion.

The insurance fraudster scum will love his lack of covert!

Stevieluvsye

So i'm caught between the sheriff's office looking for assets, insurance fraud and a messy "i have fcuking nothing left" divorce

skooterblue2

murpho999 wrote: »

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

Not openly but there have been cases where a civil servant gave out information to debt collectors and the like in Donegal. IT was in court. Guards are much sneakier, when they want to vet someone they get their mate to do the vetting so it never shows up on the PULSE system. At anyone time 250 different organisation keep information on you.

[Deleted User]

Just to try clear things up a bit more. I don't work or live near him or his business.

I used a drone at the time, and he mentioned his sister or something had kids in their nearby house and I think he was trying to guise it as a 'somebody think of the children' kinda thing. But that's what made his attention be drawn to me.

When I'm out taking photos in this line of work, I don't try to hide what I'm doing. I'm fairly approachable and talkative to people. As others have said, I'm doing no wrong, but I do get into small rows, scuffles etc. And arguments with people.

That's all fine though. I can get my head around them.

It'd just the matter of going from a reg plate to a phone number and calling me by my full name. I can't grasp how that happened.

My local garda station would indeed (I'd imagine) have my number as I reported issues in the past and have passed along photos to them before from when I do a bit of photojournalism.

So I'd imagine my number is indeed on pulse.

I'll ring again shortly and ask is it actually the case that pulse logs everyone someone looks me up. I'm not sure if that's true or not.

Then I'll consider ringing yer man back and pressing him for an answer.

mickuhaha

How could you make a car untraceable to the public. You would need to register it under your name or company name at an address which is not connected to your personal life. You would also have to set up an online phone number using a one off gift card that you can access for registration purposes. You would need to then register your driver license under the new address and insurance . You would then need to move home. The only way to connect your actual car and you would be your driver license via your pps no .

mickdw

Stevieluvsye wrote: »

He's defo a PI of some sorts

First rule of PI school is not to be easily identifiable.
Using your own personal car and parking at the scene would seem to be shoddy work.
Going on a national forum and telling everyone about it would appear to be even more shoddy.

[Deleted User]

IAMAMORON wrote: »

Op , I am still struggling with your story. Are you enjoying that little fact by any chance?

Your story doesn't make any sense to me.

Why were you taking photos of someone's private property? Enough photos for that person to find out who you are?

Finally, why did the business owner not just call you out on the spot?

Presumably they never seen me there at the time. The business was closed at the time I was near it.

Hence him using cctv to get my car reg details. If we'd spoken in person I wouldnt have an issue. It's getting my phone number and name out of thin air that's bugging me.

Gregor Samsa

IAMAMORON wrote: »

Op , I am still struggling with your story. Are you enjoying that little fact by any chance?

Your story doesn't make any sense to me.

Why were you taking photos of someone's private property? Enough photos for that person to find out who you are?

Finally, why did the business owner not just call you out on the spot?

OP’s story makes perfect sense. He’s a professional photographer and he was taking photos in a professional capacity.

It’s the other guy’s story that doesn’t add up.

Stevieluvsye

mickdw wrote: »

First rule of PI school is not to be easily identifiable.
Using your own personal car and parking at the scene would seem to be shoddy work.
Going on a national forum and telling everyone about it would appear to be even more shoddy.

and also actually knowing three of them, they ALL used to be guards so that is probably out of the question

sbsquarepants

This gets more and more James Bond.:D

Feisar

mickdw wrote: »

First rule of PI school is not to be easily identifiable.
Using your own personal car and parking at the scene would seem to be shoddy work.
Going on a national forum and telling everyone about it would appear to be even more shoddy.

OP needs to look at his SOPs!

Midnight_EG

Biggins, is that you?