Sky selling on my details - where do I stand?

Darkangel

Hello,


Last November I did a home move with Sky (TV, phone and broadband). As I was sorting this out over the phone the CS advisor told me that I would be given a new landline number, which was fine as I never use the landline. They then asked if I wanted to opt out of marketing calls etc. and if I wanted to be ex-directory. I said yes to both as I don't want to be bothered by nuisance calls.


Within a week of my new phoneline being activated I was left answerphone messages during the day (I never picked up the phone as I was at work). These were automated messages asking for someone who has never lived at my address to call back on the number supplied. After googling the number I've discovered it belongs to a debt collection agency. I have never given my landline number out to anyone (I don't even know what it is) so the only conclusion I can draw is that Sky have sold on my details to a third party company without my consent. I get phone calls and the same answer phone message left on my machine every day, even on weekends which is very infuriating.


I emailed Sky to complain but all I got back was "sorry" and "next time pick up the phone and tell them that the person in question doesn't live there" (they phone during the day when I'm at work). The rest of the email wasn't even relevant; just telling me how to use Sky Active and set up new users online.


I'm quite p*ssed off that this has happened in the first place and that is still happening. Is there anything I can do or complain to more about this? Sky don't seem to be that bothered by it.

toffifee

Could it be that the number you have been given recently belonged to someone else, and that's who the debt collectors are looking for?

marsman802

I get the feeling it has nothing to do with Sky - you say this is a debt collection agency.
Well they don't buy random phone numbers as they're trying to recover debt from specific people. Are they actually phoning for you or someone else?

Darkangel

They're phoning for someone else, but it's an automated message that is left every time which is why (to me anyway) it sounds a bit dodgy.

I also think I'm getting calls from ppi people too. New numbers have come up on my call log, another phone number beginning in 009

Heinz

I agree with toffifee.

Suggestion: Change your answering machine's outgoing message to something like:

"This telephone number was only allocated to me in November 2013 and, consequently, it is no longer allocated to (name the person the DCAs are chasing here). I do not know (name the person again here) or his current whereabouts. You are wasting your time trying to contact him on this number. Please desist"