O2 have SOLD my number to sales companies!

OneADay

JJ_Egan wrote: »

I have the same problem with the Royal Mail they know where i live and are selling my address to junk mail .

jje

You joined the mail preference list?
http://www.mpsonline.org.uk/mpsr/

There is also telephone preference service
http://www.mpsonline.org.uk/tps/

TPS doesn't stop the scammers though. ICO don't care if you complain to them. O2 can't do much about scam texts (which I have had the pleasure of receiving on my O2 number). T-mobile (received a few of these texts) - same as O2, they say they will pass your information but to who - do the scammers get chased and punished?

hcb42

I am getting these on Orange lately too - its not O2.

I think it is connected to insurance. I put my no in and was getting about 10 calls a day just before renewal as well

Guys_Dad

I am getting these scammers on my TV set as well. Some actor who pretends he is an injury lawyer invades my privacy and tells me "I Know what to do". But I don't!!!!!

And then there's that escapee from "I'm a celebrity" who talks to giant mutant canines after inhaling helium. I'm worried about him.

And do you know what stupid advice I was given?? I was told to ignore them or change channels. Can you believe it??

I want to know if the TV licensing authority told them I had a TV or if Sony sold them my address.

JJ_Egan

OneADay wrote: »

You joined the mail preference list?


Its called a J O K E .

jje

vikingaero

It's not autodiallers anymore. It's never been cheaper for companies to use spam sms messages. Whereas a consumer will pay 10-12p per message, a skanky marketing company will be able to spam hundreds of thousands of mobiles for a few hundred quid.

OneADay

JJ_Egan wrote: »

OneADay wrote: »

You joined the mail preference list?


Its called a J O K E .

jje

Very good - I will try to explain it to myself.

Wintermute

vikingaero wrote: »

It's not autodiallers anymore. It's never been cheaper for companies to use spam sms messages. Whereas a consumer will pay 10-12p per message, a skanky marketing company will be able to spam hundreds of thousands of mobiles for a few hundred quid.

It wont even cost them that if they're a dodgy company (the kind that appear as mobile numbers rather than short codes), they'll just abuse SIM only contracts or even unlimited text offers on pay as you go until they get detected and cut off so they can hit thousands of people for a tenner a month (or sometimes less!).

O2_Company_Representative

RealGem wrote: »

I have been with O2 for 11 years with the only sales calls coming from O2, but today I have had two sales calls and one text message.

It said:
"Our records indicate you may be entitled to 3750 pounds for the Accident you had..."

(I have had no accident, but I might commit one!)

"...To claim for free reply with AID to this msg. To opt out text STOP"

So even if I opt out it might work for this company, but I'm gonna get loads now aren't I?

I am livid that O2 have sold my personal information to sales companies.

Also, how can I stop getting these calls and messages again from other companies?

thank you

Hi

Firstly, O2 won't ever sell your mobile number - so don't worry about that. We only share customer information in line with the terms of your agreement.

The message you've received is the result of unscrupulous people using Pay & Go SIM cards with free texts, as Wintermute has mentioned above.

The SIM cards are used in a machine which sends text messages continually, using a 'hit & miss' approach with mobile numbers. Incidentally, I've received this exact message once or twice before, and I've never been involved in an accident.

This practice certainly isn't advocated by O2 - in fact, these people are breaching the terms of use of the SIM card and, as such, we'll disconnect any that we find which are being used in this way.

This is where you can help us. When you receive a message like this, if you're an O2 customer, you can forward the text on to 7726 (SPAM). One thing we ask is that you add the sender's number so that we can investigate further. If it transpires that the sender is using an O2 SIM and that they're violating the terms of use, we'll act accordingly.

Hope this helps
Chris
O2 Social Media Team

derdle

Thanks O2 Company Rep (above).

Can the other providers chip in with their SPAM reporting procedures? I'm with Vodafone (but used to be an O2 number!) and receive these messages every couple of weeks. I've never replied, but have reported it to the ICO.