Passport security blunder

A mix-up at the Security Industry Authority has led to a security guard receiving somebody else’s passport and driving licence in the post.

Abid Hussain, aged 23, had applied to the SIA, the Government-appointed body responsible for regulating security staff, for a licence to enable him to continue working at Secure Areas Ltd in Harborne, Birmingham. 

After completing a four-day course and passing the requisite tests, Mr Hussain, from Stourbridge, was asked to provide supporting documents. 

He posted his passport and a bank statement to the authority, but was stunned when the wrong person’s documents were returned to him. 

A package sent by recorded delivery to Mr Hussain’s home contained a passport and driving licence belonging to a Mr Shazad Hussain, from Birmingham. 

When Abid Hussain contacted the authority to tell them about the mistake he was told that they had lost his documents, he said. 

The blunder has caused him to miss a scheduled holiday to Islamabad for a family wedding. 

Abid Hussain said: “Being told that my passport is missing is very worrying. 

“It has caused me to miss my cousin’s wedding and I am worried about my documents falling into the wrong hands. 

“I don’t want people getting hold of my bank details either - who knows what they could do with that information.” 

An SIA spokesman said the blunder may have been down to human error but there were investigating.