Don't call me at home
We don't like being jangled out of our peace and quiet at home. That is the reason we have a private number. We do not give out that number when filling out forms anywhere for any reason. We can easily be contacted on our mobiles. Preferably by sms rather than voice call if it's not anything long-winded or needs immediate response.
We are very annoyed with sales calls to the home phone. We usually give the caller a very rude telling off. And we always stress that this is an unlisted number, so how the f*** did they get our number in the first place. The caller always mumbled something about a data base. That would be true because they always ask for us by name.
That really pisses me off. Enough to finally call the telco to complain. The representative assured me that the telco does not sell subscriber information to anybody. She suggested that someone, possibly a family member, must have given out the information. That's out of the question, because no other family member lives with us.
I told the telco in no uncertain terms - there is a leak somewhere within their organisation. We pay them for our privacy. They will have to find that leak and plug it. Or I will lodge a complaint every time any telemarketer makes a cold call to that number.
Why am I so certain the leak is within the telco? Because I supplied a name that is deliberately spelt wrong. And that's the name the nuisance callers ask for. The trap is called disinformation - something I learned from watching so many spy movies. What's even more brilliant is that the telco still doesn't know about the ruse.
The telco representative assured me the company will look into the matter. It will be interesting to hear any follow up from them.
8 comments:
You are just so smart!
Which reminds me of UOB as well. After I sign up for their ladies card, I got like 3 cold calls a week asking for me by name if I m interested in this massage and that spa treat by more or less the same companies. EAch time it will be a different caller stating the same F***ing reason about having taken my contact from a database. I call up UOB and make a big fuss over it. The representative, also assured me that there is no such things as our informations being leaked out after a credit card deal is form with them. BUt he say he will let the "mechandise department" know that they should not let some of the merchants to contact their valued customers.
What stupid excuse is that? Isnt he slapping his own face?
The miracle is, all the calls, ALL OF THEM, DISAPPEAR COMPLETELY after that. If they are not guilty, why would the calls be gone as sudden as it had come?
bunny - clever hor? the cia and interpol uses it all the time heheh
i will be happy if the telco does what UOB did after you complained, and i don't get these sales calls anymore.
by the way, my calls were from hsbc, kirby, real estate agents. none of which i have any dealings with.
Hahhaa. I always use Englebert Humperdinck now, and no one has called me with that number yet!
For those who already have my number and make the mistake of disregarding my requests to have my number taken out of their database, they usually get a good screwing from me.
What is sad, though, is that I think forms people fill up for information like next-of-kin to contact in emergencies get sold too.
Screw them all, and screw them hard. The idea is to make their job so unpleasant, no one can pay enough to hire people to do it.
So clever! I would never have thought of that. But I would never have suspect the telco to be so careless. So u just hang up on the ones who call your handphone? Those are annoying too.
whoa hahaha... u are so smart! like a real spy. let me know how u can take yourself off the list. for me, the problem is that our number seems to be the former number of some airline, everyone seems to ask for the flight schedule when we pick up.
johnnym - englebert humperdinck? they leave you alone because they can't pronounce it. haha
i agree abt making life hell for the telemarketers.
wildgoose - i get very few sales calls on mobile. usually it's sms. but yes, i give the callers hell too but i accept that they could have gotten my mobile from any number of sources. except telco. u know i never understood there is no directory from telco for mobile numbers?
edpj - that's a bit hard to put a stop. you just have to wait till everybody has tried and realised it's now a residential number. we changed our previous numbers when one was a former julia gabriel tel, and the other was house of noble wood. neither was as busy as i imagine your former airline tel.
Considering my younger brother used to work as a telemarketer as a way to earn his living, I am slightly conflicted about abusing them.
That sympathy however doesn't extend to timeshare companies.
Anyway, banks have a code of conduct to adhere to. They must remove you from their database when you request it. After too many calls from the bank's representatives selling insurance, I invoked that code. I don't get such calls anymore.
eve - i feel bad for your brother, but i think telemarketers get abusive language hurled at them all the time. doesn't matter what they are selling, we just don't like to hear from them. he has a more meaningful job now i hope.
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