Snaffled: Data on 100,000 Bulldog customers

The contact details of 100,000 Bulldog broadband customers have been stolen, according to Cable & Wireless, Bulldog's former parent company.

An unnamed third party obtained the details in December 2005, according to a report in The Guardian last week. The newspaper quoted a customer saying bank account and credit card details were stolen.

Cable & Wireless confirmed the number of records stolen was "in the region of 100,000" but said there is "absolutely no evidence" that banking details were used illegally. It also confirmed it had "received a very small number of complaints from customers who had experienced unsolicited and possibly repeat telemarketing calls using contact details that we believe were illegally obtained over two years ago".

According to The Guardian report, Cable & Wireless declined to reveal the identity of the thief, who is now the subject of legal action the telco has brought.

Cable & Wireless bought Bulldog in 2004 before it sold the business to Pipex in 2006.

David Meyer writes for ZDNet UK