PBS (Pengeinstitutternes Betalingsservice) was created in the 1980s by the Danish banks and the National Bank, originally to facilitate the Danish national credit card, Dankort. Eventually PBS also took control of all credit cards by Danish card holders including Visa and MasterCard through arrangements with said credit card companies.
Eventually PBS got privatised and joined with the Norwegian equivalent and became Nets (yes, the name is stupid). Nets - in Denmark at least - has access to all credit card transactions by Danish credit card holders.
At least since 1996, Se og Hør has been doing something like this, but it was not until 2008 the process got streamlined. Effectively they paid an IBM employee (because Nets had outsourced that department to IBM Denmark) 10.000 DKK a month to trace credit cards and send journalists at Se og Hør updates when specific cards were in use.
In addition to celebrities, royals and politicians, also regular persons were targeted in cases related to murder, traffic accidents and so forth.
In 2008, the use of this information meant that a Se og Hør journalist knew the heir and his wife bought a ticket to Canada, so he could be on the same plane (much to the surprise of the Prince).
In addition to the data originating from Nets, it is now clear that Se og Hør had sources at SAS (Scandinavian Airlines) and the CPH airport, so they could verify the passenger lists for each flight. And that's how the journalist managed to be on the right plane.
Moreover, it is now apparent that not only journalists at Se og Hør were aware of it, but also editors and owners as well. New information in this scandal is practically coming in by the hour.
PBS (Pengeinstitutternes Betalingsservice) was created in the 1980s by the Danish banks and the National Bank, originally to facilitate the Danish national credit card, Dankort. Eventually PBS also took control of all credit cards by Danish card holders including Visa and MasterCard through arrangements with said credit card companies.
Eventually PBS got privatised and joined with the Norwegian equivalent and became Nets (yes, the name is stupid). Nets - in Denmark at least - has access to all credit card transactions by Danish credit card holders.
At least since 1996, Se og Hør has been doing something like this, but it was not until 2008 the process got streamlined. Effectively they paid an IBM employee (because Nets had outsourced that department to IBM Denmark) 10.000 DKK a month to trace credit cards and send journalists at Se og Hør updates when specific cards were in use.
In addition to celebrities, royals and politicians, also regular persons were targeted in cases related to murder, traffic accidents and so forth.
In 2008, the use of this information meant that a Se og Hør journalist knew the heir and his wife bought a ticket to Canada, so he could be on the same plane (much to the surprise of the Prince).
In addition to the data originating from Nets, it is now clear that Se og Hør had sources at SAS (Scandinavian Airlines) and the CPH airport, so they could verify the passenger lists for each flight. And that's how the journalist managed to be on the right plane.
Moreover, it is now apparent that not only journalists at Se og Hør were aware of it, but also editors and owners as well. New information in this scandal is practically coming in by the hour.