An expose of bad businesses and their unethical practices

The chairman of Barclay’s Bank, Marcus Agius, was a recent victim of identity fraud. A con man talked the staff of a call center into issuing a credit card in his name, then used the card to withdraw ten thousand pounds from the account at a Barclay’s branch bank. Apparently, the scammer used the internet to collect personal information on Agius, then used that information to get the credit card.

Agius, who has been fully reimbursed for his loss per standard bank policy issued a statement aimed at calming the fears of people who became concerned after such a thing happened even to the big bank boss. Mr Agius said: "Credit card fraud is an issue which our industry continues to confront. Barclays is resolved to do everything possible on behalf of our customer, to minimise its impact."

Bank losses from identity theft amount to almost two billion pounds a year in Britain, and are thus Big Bad Business, indeed. Approximately 100,000 people a year are defrauded in ways similar to the Agius incident. It is a large and growing problem not only in England, but across the world.