London, February 13 (RHC)-- Investigations are underway following reports that confidential files relating to customers of Britain's second-largest bank, Barclays, have been stolen and sold to brokers. The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) launched the investigation after The Mail newspaper revealed that a database of information on up to 27,000 customers has been sold to "unscrupulous brokers."

According to the British paper, the database reportedly covered money and health matters and attitude to risk, national insurance and passport numbers. The Mail added that the leak was exposed by an unnamed whistleblower who handed the paper a memory stick containing personal data belonging to 2,000 customers. The whistleblower said data belonging to a further 25,000 was on sale for £50 per customer.

The weekly claimed that such information is valuable on the black market because it allows individuals to be targeted in investment frauds. The whistleblower estimated that up to 1,000 people could have been "scammed."

Barclays said it is taking all necessary steps to contact and advise its affected customers to ensure the safety of their personal data. An ICO spokesperson described protecting personal information as "crucial," saying that the office will be working with police and the newspaper "to get further details of what has happened."