Unwanted calls from accident assistance companies

benny30

Hi,
I know there have been threads about this in the past, but only for specific companies.

Since a minor accident back in January I have been bombarded with phonecalls from companies i've never heard of.
I'm with Direct Line, the other guy was with Admiral.

I reported it to Direct Line at the time and also Admiral got in touch with me and took my details. The other party admitted liability and settled accordintly and all went smoothly. I was not injured, and don't believe in false claims for the sake of it, even if some of my friends do! :-/

The phone calls began a couple of months after that.
123 Accident, Number One Accident claims, Boston Legal, these are only a few I can remember. If I try and tell them I'm not interested they hang up, if I ask how they've got my details they hang up. I've also get texts from them.

I've ignored calls and let it go to answerphone and they never leave a message. At what point does this become harrassment and therefore a criminal offence?

I've never given my details to these people, and i'm pretty sure Direct Line wouldn't have done. Would Admiral have do you think? Even though they were the other party's insurers?

Unless I find another way to stop these people, I'm going to report them to the police.

I'd be grateful for your comments guys.

The_Pedant

Firstly, is your number registered with the Telephone Preference Service?

If it is, then you can report all of the companies that call you using the above website (provided you have no previous relationship with them).

Usually after confirming who they are and informing them you're registered with the TPS & that you will be reporting them for committing an offence under the "The Privacy and Electronic Communications (EC Directive) Regulations 2003" is enough to profess how sorry they are and confirm they will remove your details straight away.

Failing that, when any of them call, get them to confirm who is calling and where they are based and then request that they remove your details from their system. Follow this up by getting the company address and send a letter to the "Data Controller" (the Information Commissioner's Office website has a search of data controllers registered : http://www.ico.gov.uk/ESDWebPages/search.asp) stating that you revoke all rights to use any of your personal information for direct marketing of their services, allowed under the Data Protection Act 1998, and they should no longer contact you. Any further contact by phone can then be reported (after giving a few weeks to remove your details) to the ICO.

InsideInsurance

You have to remember how much money is involved in Personal Injury claims and that people get hefty fees for selling data. Unfortunately it could have been almost anyone who has done it and getting to the bottom of it will be next to impossible. It could be either of the insurers, it could be any accident repair company you went to see, could be GPs.... these days it could be the bloke down the pub.

The TPS can be a way of stopping them but it takes time for that to take effect.

Crazy_Jamie

benny30 wrote:

I've never given my details to these people, and i'm pretty sure Direct Line wouldn't have done.

I wouldn't be so sure about that. As InsideInsurance said, it could feasibly be any party involved in this case. It's more than possible that your own insurer, who are clearly also aware that liability has already been settled in your favour, making any personal injury claim far easier to succeed with, have passed on your details. It's very poor practice, but sadly it does happen.

Makeandsave

I very rarely have sales calls now, The odd ones gets through and i have a bit of fun with it, I am on TSP. I ask them silly questions and they hang up on me

benny30

Thanks for all your replies. :T I haven't registered with the TPS so will give that a go.

I'm aware data gets passed on but they have to ask your permission to do it due to the data protection act. This could be a tick that you tick or untick that escapes most people but I'm meticulous when it comes to this.
If Direct Line or Admiral have passed my details to anyone I haven't given my consent. Simple as.

I'll register with TPS, find out who each one is that calls me, and just say if you don't take me off your records it's harrassment and I'll go to the police.

Crazy_Jamie

benny30 wrote: »

I'm aware data gets passed on but they have to ask your permission to do it due to the data protection act. This could be a tick that you tick or untick that escapes most people but I'm meticulous when it comes to this.
If Direct Line or Admiral have passed my details to anyone I haven't given my consent. Simple as.

Yes, we're aware of that. The whole point is that this could quite feasibly have happened without your consent.

The_Pedant

The whole point is that this could quite feasibly have happened without your consent.

And exactly why the government put its foot down against the 'referral fees' fees that encourage such breeches, around the middle of this year. The bill is currently working its way through the House of Lords (http://services.parliament.uk/bills/2010-11/legalaidsentencingandpunishmentofoffenders.html).

dacouch

These calls are often generated by insurance comparison sites selling your details, if you enter a quote showing a non fault accident they sell your details on...

withabix

Buy a football whistle and keep it next to your phone.

I find this reduces the number of unwanted calls quite quickly.