300 Organisations Hire Rogue Hackers and Private Investigators

Drug companies, banks, insurers, law firms, big businessmen and jealous spouses are among those routinely hiring rogue private detectives to hack phones, bug computers and 'blag' or otherwise steal personal data to order, it has emerged.

At least 300 organisations are known by authorities to have employed investigators in the theft of privileged information.

A list of 102 names of individuals and organisations who have commissioned the theft of personal information was passed to MPs this week. However, Scotland Yard has refused to divulge to parliament a second list of 200 names, saying they "feature directly" in criminal investigations.