Customers of the Carphone Warehouse (AOL UK, TalkTalk) will be aggrieved to learn that some of their personal details could have been bunged into a recycle bin somewhere in Lisbon, Portugal.

Carphone reportedly sends paper copies of its direct billing authorisations and contracts off to a outsourced company in Lisbon, otherwise known as the "Departamento de Reconciliação", for validation

Unfortunately the details, which used to be stored after the process was complete, are now allegedly being thrown into a rubbish bin for recycling because they have become too expensive to retain.

The Inquirer claims that no effort is made to make the documents unreadable and the bins are left outside in the street for any old ID theft criminal to come along and abuse. Carphone has yet to comment on the accusations, which could involve thousands of customers’ details.

Ironically the Information Commissioners Office (ICO) has just warned chief executives over the vital importance of protecting staff and customers’ personal information. This follows an alarming number of security breaches reported to his Office in the past six months: