Getting hassled by a company called Linear

basically_bankrupt

First of all, I apologise if this is in the wrong section of the forums but it is somewhat insurance, or at least accident related, so I thought this would be the best place for it.

Yesterday I was called by someone on my mobile phone, from a company identifying themselves as Linear, asking whether I had been in an accident in the last 3 years.

I asked where they got my details and the lady said I must have been in an accident in the last few years and that's how they had got hold of them.

I haven't been in any accidents, vehicular or otherwise, at any point in the recent (or not so recent) past, so I can only assume that someone, somewhere has added my details to a list that has been sold on, against my wishes.

I asked the lady to remove my details from the system so that I wouldn't get any more calls.

Today, I got a second call from the same company. Once again identifying themselves as Linear, following the same script and the lady on the phone had a Liverpool accent.

I immediately asked to speak to a supervisor and, when I was finally passed over the second lady I spoke to identified herself as Keri (or Kerry, Kerri, not sure) De Souza and claimed to be a director of the company.

I complained about the fact that they had called my twice within 24 hours and she proceeded to reel off some nonsense about that not being possible because they had only just got my details. I questioned whether she was concerned that another company was identifying themselves as Linear and using the same script when they called so she asked me what number I had been called from.

On both occasions the number had been withheld so I wasn't able to provide it, again I was told this was impossible and she tried to fob me off with a vague explanation of the data protection rules, saying I must have filled in a survey.

She told me she wasn't able to tell me what database they had obtained my details from.

Ok, so my question is, does any one else have any experience with this company? A quick google search turned up this:

whocallsme.com/Phone-Number.aspx/07715815648

(unlinked because I'm not allowed to link)

It's clear some of their employees have been on there astroturfing in response to some of the complaints about them.

but I can't find much else about them. I think they are in breach of data protection rules as are the people who sold them my details in the first place, so how do I go about investigating this further?

thanks for your help

I just wanted to add, since posting this I have had another call from a company identifying themselves as Tellus Solutions of Salford. When I asked where they got my details from, the guy gave me the postal address for the Post Offices Customer Service department (without the company name). Something fishy is going on here

InsideInsurance

Unfortunately there is big money in PI claims, miss sold PPI, debt management and a whole host of other things.

It is sufficiently enough for companies to be set up that do nothing but call peoples numbers that they either buy in as cold or warm leads or even just randomly dial numbers and hope that if you thrown enough mud something sticks somewhere.

They can then resell the details as a hot lead, ideally, or even just resell it as a luke warm lead.

I am certain that there is at least some random number dialing as I have 2 mobile wifi points that technically have a mobile number (no idea what either are) and both within the first week of me having them started to receive txt messages talking about the PPI refund or PI compensation "I" was due.


Ultimately you can threaten to report them to the appropriate body but it is unlikely to do anything

Yorkie1

Register yourself with the Telephone Preference Service (landline and mobile numbers).

If / when they ring again, tell them that you are registered with the TPS and that you will report them for breaching this.

I think it's random calling from someone's database which has been sold, as you said. Completely unacceptable.

forgotmyname

Its a scam. You say yes you had an accident. They sell your details to another company.