Unsolicited Calls

[schrodinger56]

Despite only a few people and even fewer organizations knowing my Vodafone mobile phone number I've beagn receiving very annoying marketing calls trying to sell me everything from a new boiler, accident claims to solar panels. How have these people gotten hold of my Vodafone mobile phone number because I certainly haven't given it to them??

[jeffkinn]

Having worked in the internet marketing arena including SMS and mobile phone calls, I can tell you that you'd be surprised how many numbers are out there circulating and where they come from. Any company that has your number, be it something you've signed up to online or manually, is capable of selling that information to a list provider to 'monetise' their data. That means that any revenue the marketing company earns from selling something is shared with the data owner.

In the case of Vodafone, they do not sell our numbers to general marketing companies. 

[schrodinger56]

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@jeffkinn wrote:

In the case of Vodafone, they do not sell our numbers to general marketing companies. 

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Does that also mean that Vodafone do not sell our numbers to anyone?

[jeffkinn]

If you read the terms and conditions clauses 13 and 14 say what Vodafone can do with our personal information:

http://www.vodafone.co.uk/about-this-site/terms-and-conditions/pay-monthly-airtime-conditions/index....

Also clause 15a is relevant - they can transfer the agreement to another company, and this does happen from time to time. The other company in this context will be a dealer that has partnered with Vodafone.

http://www.vodafone.co.uk/business/discover-vodafone/vodafone-partners/

[schrodinger56]

Thanks.  It's a bit clearer now as to why I've started getting these unsolicited calls on my Vodafone number.

[hrym]

One of the problems is that, due to the high demand, mobile numbers are recycled quite quickly.  This means that they don't stay out of circulation long enough for marketing companies to find out they're not in use.   I'd always recommend registering your number with the Telephone Preference Service (www.tpsonline.org.uk).   That stops a lot and they can also deal with complaints.   You can also ask companies not to call you and they should do that.

There is also the small possibility that someone is registering your number maliciously with marketing organisations, of course.