THOSE BRITS who had or have dental insurance plans with Boots the Chemist have just been informed that their personal data might have fallen into the wrong hands.

The data includes dates of birth and bank account details.

The Dental plans are administered on behalf of Boots by Medisure whose MD, Jamie Wilson, has just sent out letters to all affected.

Lucky it wasn't by email because most recipients would have thought it was some kind of scam.

Anyway, Medisure claim that the data was held on an overnight backup tape [do they really still use tape, Ed?] from one of its vehicles.

Medisure says it's reviewed the incident closely with the police who regard it as an opportunist theft rather than a planned operation. The company claims that the data can only be cracked by highly trained specialists.

So that's alright then because surely there are no ties between thieves in this country and hackers in, for example, the former Soviet bloc?

The letter concludes by saying that there's no need to change your bank account. Luckily this particular hack just has – and is regretting the move tremendously. But this news cheered me up.

There's a helpline for anyone concerned on 0800 980 8545. µ