Give this defunct ‘data’ firm the Mexican wave...
Probes a world of scams and scandals
S.G. writes: Our son complained to the tour operator about a holiday he took in Mexico, so when a call came on his mobile from a company called Parker Kendall Limited, it seemed genuine. The caller said they had received so many complaints about the hotel that the travel company had told them to pay back between £2,000 and £3,000 to each customer.
The caller asked for a copy of our son’s booking, which he sent, but then he called again, asking for his full name and address and National Insurance number. I intervened and asked why the NI number was needed. They said it was to check no other claims had been made, but I suspect if we had proceeded, they would then have requested his bank details. PARKER Kendall Limited is – or was – based in Manchester, but this is all that can be said with any certainty. Almost everything else about the company is a mess.
It says it is registered with the Information Commissioner, allowing it to process personal data, and this is correct – though the address used is not the real one.
The company registration says its work involves mortgage and insurance services, yet it is not licensed by the Financial Conduct Authority in either of these fields, nor is the company a licensed claims management firm.
It has been operating a website at simplechoicecover.co.uk, saying that Parker Kendall is a representative of a genuine financial firm called Tuto Money. But my enquiries show that this relationship ended last April.
According to Parker Kendall’s boss Paul Finn, customers can be reassured because ‘Assured Finance Limited follows robust practices to ensure all data is protected and information is secure.’
Well, not quite. Assured Finance was another of Finn’s companies, but according to Companies House it was compulsorily struck off last March after an initial warning.
So it is hard to see how this defunct firm can safeguard anybody’s data. In fact, there are complaints on an internet consumer site from people who say they have been cold-called by Parker Kendall, despite being registered with the Telephone Preference Service, which points towards a disregard for people’s data protection.
I tried to contact Finn to invite him to comment on all these points, but – perhaps predictably – it turned out he and his company had left their registered office without informing Companies House.
When I did make contact, he told me he was busy, but added: ‘I have no issue with providing a written response.’
No such response arrived. Instead, Finn has applied to Companies House to have Parker Kendall struck off. It is due to be dissolved by the end of next month, and will cease to exist. Good.
If you believe you are the victim of financial wrongdoing, write to Tony Hetherington at Financial Mail, 2 Derry Street, London W8 5TS or email tony.hetherington@mailonsunday.co.uk. Because of the high volume of enquiries, personal replies cannot be given. Please send only copies of original documents, which we regret cannot be returned.