Islington Council Break Payment Card Rules

Islington Council may have violated the payment card industry’s security rules by asking residents to share their credit card details via email.

13:41 22 June 2018

In a move that experts say violates the payment card industry’s security rules, Islington Council had required residents to send their credit card information along with other personal details via email for parking bay suspensions.

 

The matter came to light after one resident, who works for a technology consultancy, contacted the council to secure a spot outside his home for a furniture-moving service. Dafydd Vaughan said: "I was really surprised that they were collecting credit card details over email, because email isn't secure," 

 

"If something happened and the details were leaked, they could be used by other people, and the bank would hold me responsible for sending my details in an insecure way.

 

"I asked the council if I could pay online or over the phone, but was told that email was the only option."

 

Following an investigation, the system was suspended. A spokeswoman for the local authority said: "We have begun an internal investigation into the process of applying for and paying for parking bay suspensions,"

 

"In the short term, we have removed that form from our website."