The Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data has issued warning letters to three foreign domestic helpers for misusing employers' personal data for loan applications without consent.

Its announcement on Tuesday about the letters came after the watchdog received complaints from employers of the helpers.

It said financial institutions contacted two of the complainants and requested them up to four times a day to remind the migrant workers to settle their debts, while the third employer received overdue payment notices addressed to his helper.

One firm also warned that a debt collector would head to the home of one of the employers if repayments were not made by the deadline.

All three helpers were dismissed after they defaulted on repayments.

They also admitted to offering their employers' personal information – including names, home addresses and telephone numbers – to local and overseas lenders in the process of applying for loans.

One of the three applied to four financial institutions for loans.

Privacy commissioner Ada Chung said these migrant workers contravened the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance as they failed to obtain permission to use the particulars of their employers for loan applications.

"We have explained the requirements of the ordinance in question to them clearly," she said.

"We are aware that they understand the requirements, and they have agreed that they will not commit the same mistake in the future."

The trio are required to strictly comply with the ordinance, Chung added.

She also said they would not be prosecuted.

The watchdog called on employers to make it clear to foreign domestic helpers that their personal information may only be used for matters related to employment and that the helpers should obtain their consent before using it for other purposes.

They should also be careful when signing documents for workers and study the contents carefully.

For migrant workers, the watchdog prepared a pamphlet that also comes in Tagalog and Bahasa Indonesia with the aim of raising their awareness on using employers' personal data.

Meanwhile, with enhanced regulations of licensed money lenders having taken effect this month, Chung expects complaints or enquiries over misuse of employers' data by foreign domestic helpers to be fewer.

This came as the regulations place restrictions on the ability of money lenders to request borrowers to provide loan referees.

The watchdog logged 14 enquiries and seven related complaints as of June 30 this year.


Edited by Tony Sabine