ARGOS spying for tv licensing!!??

victoriav

Well!! I have to say I'm a tad outraged...I went to buy an extra freeview box yesterday from argos. Whilst purchasing I was asked name address postcode,etc, 'for the purposes of tv licensing people'..

Well I do have a tv license, this property has done for at least over 60 years..but if now argos need to know your details to pass to tv licensing, then what is the function of the tv detector van, and those horrible ads??

What's to stop anybody giving false details, especially in a queue of people who can hear everything, and if you refused then would argos say "ok then I am unable to sell you the freeview box if you don't submit your details"... Has anybody else found this, last time i bought one (last year) this did not happen..

robt_2

Ermmmm..... it is the same for any shop from Tesco to Argos to specialist TV shops.

It is a legal requirement to request your details when purchasing anything with a tuner in it. If you have bought something in the past from somewhere else then the sales people were not doing their job properly.

There is nothing to stop you giving false details if you want to. Apart from the law.

horsechestnut

When I bought my TV, 11 years ago, I had to give my details for licencing.
Again when I bought my Free view box i had to do this.
Neither store was Argos!

espresso

Why are you whingeing about this? If you have a TV licence what is your problem? This is not a techie question, the rant board is this way.

victoriav

I think ESPRESSO, YOU HAVE TOTALLY MISSED MY point. point BEING, WHY if shops are gathering and passing information as to whether you've bought a tv/freeview box, and do or don't have a licence, WHY then have we still got the TV detector VANS..ie What then would be their purpose...???? Do you see??? However just to please you, I will put this on the RANT board as well.......

latecomer

Because not everyone buys their TVs new from retailers perhaps....

robt_2

victoriav wrote: »

I think ESPRESSO, YOU HAVE TOTALLY MISSED MY point. point BEING, WHY if shops are gathering and passing information as to whether you've bought a tv/freeview box, and do or don't have a licence, WHY then have we still got the TV detector VANS..ie What then would be their purpose...???? Do you see??? However just to please you, I will put this on the RANT board as well.......

Because as you have already said, there is nothing to stop people giving a false address, nor is every TV obtained from a shop.

Did you get out of bed on the wrong side this morning? :D

HelzBelz

Because not everybody buys things either new or through legitimate sources

[Deleted User]

victoriav wrote: »

I think ESPRESSO, YOU HAVE TOTALLY MISSED MY point. point BEING, WHY if shops are gathering and passing information as to whether you've bought a tv/freeview box, and do or don't have a licence, WHY then have we still got the TV detector VANS..ie What then would be their purpose...???? Do you see??? However just to please you, I will put this on the RANT board as well.......

I think you'll find they rely on databases to locate those with and those without licenses and drill down on the ones that don't for further investigation, rather than sending mythilogical vans around the streets..

savemoney

They all do this. I am off to buy a LCD for kids today and know doubt they will want to know

The only issue I have with companies is when it isnt a tv and its for marketing purposes or other things.

victoriav

robt wrote: »

Because as you have already said, there is nothing to stop people giving a false address, nor is every TV obtained from a shop.

Did you get out of bed on the wrong side this morning? :D

No I didn't get out of bed the wrong side ..:rotfl: just that I have something to say!!!

There is nothing to stop people giving wrong details..so how could it be effective...??It seems quite ridiculous to me....what if you were buying one to then go and emigrate to australia for instance? then the next person in your property could theoretically be logged as having one but maybe haven't.