Liverpool Crown Court sentenced four men to prison for their part in fake data protection agencies.

Francis Boyd pleaded guilty to dishonestly obtaining £401,545 from businesses demanding a payment to register under the Data Protection Act between 1 December 2002 and 2 April 2004.
Between 1 March 2004 and 17 March 2005 Michael Boyd, Paul Barton and Mark Deary worked together obtaining £206,596 in a similar fashion.

Francis Boyd was sentenced to two and half years in prison, while Michael Boyd was sentenced to eight months, and Paul Barton 12 months and Mark Deary 18 months.

The judge said this was 'a well planned and sophisticated enterprise.' It was a 'scam cloaked with the appearance of officialdom'.

If a business receives a letter out of the blue demanding more than £35 to register under the DPA this will be a scam. Our simple message to businesses is to throw the letter in the bin and not to pay the fee demanded.