Cell phone companies giving out customer numbers
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I was pretty upset yesterday when my wife and I both got an automated telemarketing call to our cell phones. It was a recording and it called both of our phones. So I decided to call up my cell phone provider (TMoblie) to complain. As I was explaining my problem with what just happened the customer service rep said that TMobile has just installed a policy to allow telemarketers access to there customers phone numbers. He said that the only way to prevent them from calling is to sign up on https://www.donotcall.gov/default.aspx. I have already but my home phone number on here and it seems to work, but the fact that these companies are allowing telemarketer’s access to their customer’s numbers really upsets me. :mad: :mad: It just does not seem right that I have to pay for my minutes and have to waste them on people trying to scam me! I guess there is not anything we can do about it but I thought I would let everyone know.
There are 10 kinds of people in this world. Those who understand binary and those who don't. We shouldn't assume something's debugged just because everyone in the whole world has access to the source code.
I guess I used forsight.... When I changed my home number last year, I added my cell phone to the do not call list. I figured this was coming. As the economy sank and profit margins wane, regardless of the implications, the idea of selling some little piece of electronic data becomes more realistic. You already have the data, you are not adding any extra costs to providing that data to a 3rd party, so if the bottom line gets too low, you start selling your numbers. The only way to prevent is to keep the sales from cold-calling at 0. This makes the phone number lists of absolutely no value. As long as people listen and buy from cold-calls, even though that percentage is a very low percentage, your phone number in a list has value that can be bought and sold. It's expensive to break contract and switch, so few will do it. But as Tmobile's stock value increases due to this practice, others will have to increase profit by selling their lists, so I don't know if switching will buy you more than time. That may be the pessimist in me though. _________________________ Asu no koto o ieba, tenjo de nezumi ga warau. Talk about things of tomorrow and the mice in the ceiling laugh. (Japanese Proverb)
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I was pretty upset yesterday when my wife and I both got an automated telemarketing call to our cell phones. It was a recording and it called both of our phones. So I decided to call up my cell phone provider (TMoblie) to complain. As I was explaining my problem with what just happened the customer service rep said that TMobile has just installed a policy to allow telemarketers access to there customers phone numbers. He said that the only way to prevent them from calling is to sign up on https://www.donotcall.gov/default.aspx. I have already but my home phone number on here and it seems to work, but the fact that these companies are allowing telemarketer’s access to their customer’s numbers really upsets me. :mad: :mad: It just does not seem right that I have to pay for my minutes and have to waste them on people trying to scam me! I guess there is not anything we can do about it but I thought I would let everyone know.
There are 10 kinds of people in this world. Those who understand binary and those who don't. We shouldn't assume something's debugged just because everyone in the whole world has access to the source code.
Yikes. And I was thinking of switching this week from Verizon to TMobile so I could get a new phone with a one year contract. I'll rethink that. "One of the Georges," said Psmith, "I forget which, once said that a certain number of hours' sleep a day--I cannot recall for the moment how many--made a man something, which for the time being has slipped my memory."
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I was pretty upset yesterday when my wife and I both got an automated telemarketing call to our cell phones. It was a recording and it called both of our phones. So I decided to call up my cell phone provider (TMoblie) to complain. As I was explaining my problem with what just happened the customer service rep said that TMobile has just installed a policy to allow telemarketers access to there customers phone numbers. He said that the only way to prevent them from calling is to sign up on https://www.donotcall.gov/default.aspx. I have already but my home phone number on here and it seems to work, but the fact that these companies are allowing telemarketer’s access to their customer’s numbers really upsets me. :mad: :mad: It just does not seem right that I have to pay for my minutes and have to waste them on people trying to scam me! I guess there is not anything we can do about it but I thought I would let everyone know.
There are 10 kinds of people in this world. Those who understand binary and those who don't. We shouldn't assume something's debugged just because everyone in the whole world has access to the source code.
I've had a grand total of one telemarketing call on my cell number in the two years i've used it as my primary. I told the caller that it was a cell number, and if i ever heard from them again they would be seeing me in court. I've never had another telemarketing call. Medication for us all You think you know me, well you're wrong
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BrockVnm wrote: He said that the only way to prevent them from calling is to sign up on https://www.donotcall.gov/default.aspx. I have already but my home phone number on here and it seems to work, but the fact that these companies are allowing telemarketer’s access to their customer’s numbers really upsets me. Uh-huh - And where would the telemarketers get your home number from? The telephone company, or via a third party source that got it from the telephone company. If the Do Not Call service works, then you should just sign your mobile number up to it. BrockVnm wrote: It just does not seem right that I have to pay for my minutes and have to waste them on people trying to scam me! I've never understood this. Why do you have to pay for incoming calls? It makes no sense. The only time I pay for incomming calls on my mobile is when I am out of the country and I have to pay the international portion of the call which is perfectly acceptable. Also, don't you get a caller display on your phone handset? I never answer the call if the caller display says withheld or if it is a number I don't recognise. If it is someone who wants to get in touch my voice mail will pick it up and then I can add the number if necessary.
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Colin Angus Mackay wrote: I've never understood this. Why do you have to pay for incoming calls? It makes no sense. I'm pretty sure it's in the contract you agree to when you sign up here. ;) Frankly, it's nice at times. People will be oh-so-courtious when they think they're costing you money, even if the time they're causing you to waste is much more precious. Colin Angus Mackay wrote: I never answer the call if the caller display says withheld or if it is a number I don't recognise. Bingo. Medication for us all You think you know me, well you're wrong
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BrockVnm wrote: He said that the only way to prevent them from calling is to sign up on https://www.donotcall.gov/default.aspx. I have already but my home phone number on here and it seems to work, but the fact that these companies are allowing telemarketer’s access to their customer’s numbers really upsets me. Uh-huh - And where would the telemarketers get your home number from? The telephone company, or via a third party source that got it from the telephone company. If the Do Not Call service works, then you should just sign your mobile number up to it. BrockVnm wrote: It just does not seem right that I have to pay for my minutes and have to waste them on people trying to scam me! I've never understood this. Why do you have to pay for incoming calls? It makes no sense. The only time I pay for incomming calls on my mobile is when I am out of the country and I have to pay the international portion of the call which is perfectly acceptable. Also, don't you get a caller display on your phone handset? I never answer the call if the caller display says withheld or if it is a number I don't recognise. If it is someone who wants to get in touch my voice mail will pick it up and then I can add the number if necessary.
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Colin Angus Mackay wrote: I never answer the call if the caller display says withheld or if it is a number I don't recognise. If it is someone who wants to get in touch my voice mail will pick it up and then I can add the number if necessary. And there you have it. BW
I want pancakes! God, do you people understand every language except English?
Yo quiero pancakes. Donnez moi pancakes. Click click, bloody click pancakes!
-- Stewie Griffin -
This solution works great for me. I don't have a cell phone. I don't have a pager. I don't have any kind of mobile communication device. All these communication devices which are supposed to make my life easier and simpler, provide the world with the ability to interrupt me whenever *they* want to. Sorry, but I'll never sign up for a deal like that. I keep my own life easy and simple and do it on my terms. :) Chris Meech I am Canadian. [heard in a local bar] Remember that in Texas, Gun Control is hitting what you aim at. [Richard Stringer] Nice sig! [Tim Deveaux on Matt Newman's sig with a quote from me]
Chris Meech wrote: I keep my own life easy and simple and do it on my terms. You can still turn mobile phones off or on silent ring, and return those calls you wish, when you wish. It's nice to be able to get in touch with people no matter where you are (more or less). BW
I want pancakes! God, do you people understand every language except English?
Yo quiero pancakes. Donnez moi pancakes. Click click, bloody click pancakes!
-- Stewie Griffin -
I've had a grand total of one telemarketing call on my cell number in the two years i've used it as my primary. I told the caller that it was a cell number, and if i ever heard from them again they would be seeing me in court. I've never had another telemarketing call. Medication for us all You think you know me, well you're wrong
Don't recall getting any in the past 4 years since I gave up a landline. Maybe they've tried and I haven't answered. :) BW
I want pancakes! God, do you people understand every language except English?
Yo quiero pancakes. Donnez moi pancakes. Click click, bloody click pancakes!
-- Stewie Griffin -
I was pretty upset yesterday when my wife and I both got an automated telemarketing call to our cell phones. It was a recording and it called both of our phones. So I decided to call up my cell phone provider (TMoblie) to complain. As I was explaining my problem with what just happened the customer service rep said that TMobile has just installed a policy to allow telemarketers access to there customers phone numbers. He said that the only way to prevent them from calling is to sign up on https://www.donotcall.gov/default.aspx. I have already but my home phone number on here and it seems to work, but the fact that these companies are allowing telemarketer’s access to their customer’s numbers really upsets me. :mad: :mad: It just does not seem right that I have to pay for my minutes and have to waste them on people trying to scam me! I guess there is not anything we can do about it but I thought I would let everyone know.
There are 10 kinds of people in this world. Those who understand binary and those who don't. We shouldn't assume something's debugged just because everyone in the whole world has access to the source code.
I have been trying this for a couple of weeks now and on the occasion I manage to pull it off without giggling like a little girl and having to hang up it has worked perfectly. Answer the phone as you normally would, and when the person starts talking if it sounds like a telemarketer just start talking over the top of them like this: * ring ring * * ring ring * "Hello, David speaking" "Hello Mr. Wulff I am calling from..." "...only kidding, this is an answering machine message. Please leave your name and message after the tone and I'll call you back when I get home." * presses random key to generate tone * Then you just wait for them to hang up, or, as happened with one company trying to get me to switch my home phone service to them, they go on to leave a message. I couldn't control my smirking so I hurriedly hung up the receiver to make it seem like the tape ran out. :-O
Ðavid Wulff The Royal Woofle Museum
Audioscrobbler :: flickrDie Freiheit spielt auf allen Geigen
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I was pretty upset yesterday when my wife and I both got an automated telemarketing call to our cell phones. It was a recording and it called both of our phones. So I decided to call up my cell phone provider (TMoblie) to complain. As I was explaining my problem with what just happened the customer service rep said that TMobile has just installed a policy to allow telemarketers access to there customers phone numbers. He said that the only way to prevent them from calling is to sign up on https://www.donotcall.gov/default.aspx. I have already but my home phone number on here and it seems to work, but the fact that these companies are allowing telemarketer’s access to their customer’s numbers really upsets me. :mad: :mad: It just does not seem right that I have to pay for my minutes and have to waste them on people trying to scam me! I guess there is not anything we can do about it but I thought I would let everyone know.
There are 10 kinds of people in this world. Those who understand binary and those who don't. We shouldn't assume something's debugged just because everyone in the whole world has access to the source code.
T-Mobile. nuff said.
Pandoras Gift #44: Hope. The one that keeps you on suffering.
aber.. "Wie gesagt, der Scheiss is' Therapie"
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... and the costs involved for not switching? The difference between a standard "land line" and your cell phone is you pay for the time used on your cell phone (most people do). While I understand those costs maybe less, but over a period of time those costs will be higher (your time spent, money in minutes wasted, stress from having to contend with the non-sense, etc...) and this kind of marketing has gotten out of hand. I have to agree that the only way any of these companies are going to understand is for (1) people to complain to the head of these companies, non-stop, until they listen (2) cancel their services, tell their friends and family to cancel theirs (3) file complaints against the company with the BBB and the FCC (4) write their congressman (congress person?) and complain that this violates their privacy (which it does). These companies have played the "Freedom of speech" card far to long; I don't care if they want to go to the top of a building and talk about their products all day, build a website, get a billboard, but don't waste my time and my money and invade my privacy in your attempts to do so! I can tell you one thing, having read this posting, I'd think twice before going with TMobile ... My two cents. :suss: D.
Douglas Troy wrote: ... and the costs involved for not switching? The difference between a standard "land line" and your cell phone is you pay for the time used on your cell phone (most people do). While I understand those costs maybe less, but over a period of time those costs will be higher (your time spent, money in minutes wasted, stress from having to contend with the non-sense, etc...) and this kind of marketing has gotten out of hand. gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten ------- sig starts "I've heard some drivers saying, 'We're going too fast here...'. If you're not here to race, go the hell home - don't come here and grumble about going too fast. Why don't you tie a kerosene rag around your ankles so the ants won't climb up and eat your candy ass..." - Dale Earnhardt "...the staggering layers of obscenity in your statement make it a work of art on so many levels." - Jason Jystad, 10/26/2001
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BrockVnm wrote: He said that the only way to prevent them from calling is to sign up on https://www.donotcall.gov/default.aspx. I have already but my home phone number on here and it seems to work, but the fact that these companies are allowing telemarketer’s access to their customer’s numbers really upsets me. Uh-huh - And where would the telemarketers get your home number from? The telephone company, or via a third party source that got it from the telephone company. If the Do Not Call service works, then you should just sign your mobile number up to it. BrockVnm wrote: It just does not seem right that I have to pay for my minutes and have to waste them on people trying to scam me! I've never understood this. Why do you have to pay for incoming calls? It makes no sense. The only time I pay for incomming calls on my mobile is when I am out of the country and I have to pay the international portion of the call which is perfectly acceptable. Also, don't you get a caller display on your phone handset? I never answer the call if the caller display says withheld or if it is a number I don't recognise. If it is someone who wants to get in touch my voice mail will pick it up and then I can add the number if necessary.
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Depending on the plan you purchase you can pay for incoming calls... The plan I have is of this type. I do not have call display on my mobile so I can't ignore numbers I don't recognize because I don't recognize any. I agree with the original poster that in this case they are sending me ads at my expense with out my permission.
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Chris Meech wrote: I keep my own life easy and simple and do it on my terms. You can still turn mobile phones off or on silent ring, and return those calls you wish, when you wish. It's nice to be able to get in touch with people no matter where you are (more or less). BW
I want pancakes! God, do you people understand every language except English?
Yo quiero pancakes. Donnez moi pancakes. Click click, bloody click pancakes!
-- Stewie Griffinbrianwelsch wrote: You can still turn mobile phones off or on silent ring That's true. Until you forget to turn it back on, one day. :) Odd that we've both gotten '5' votes. Must be a pretty polarizing issue. (That's just for the outlaw programmer here) Chris Meech I am Canadian. [heard in a local bar] Remember that in Texas, Gun Control is hitting what you aim at. [Richard Stringer] Nice sig! [Tim Deveaux on Matt Newman's sig with a quote from me]
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brianwelsch wrote: You can still turn mobile phones off or on silent ring That's true. Until you forget to turn it back on, one day. :) Odd that we've both gotten '5' votes. Must be a pretty polarizing issue. (That's just for the outlaw programmer here) Chris Meech I am Canadian. [heard in a local bar] Remember that in Texas, Gun Control is hitting what you aim at. [Richard Stringer] Nice sig! [Tim Deveaux on Matt Newman's sig with a quote from me]
Chris Meech wrote: That's true. Until you forget to turn it back on, one day. I've missed a call or two that way, but *shrug*. Nice to have the option either way (mobile/land). Chris Meech wrote: gotten * GASP * :omg: :-D BW
I want pancakes! God, do you people understand every language except English?
Yo quiero pancakes. Donnez moi pancakes. Click click, bloody click pancakes!
-- Stewie Griffin -
Douglas Troy wrote: ... and the costs involved for not switching? The difference between a standard "land line" and your cell phone is you pay for the time used on your cell phone (most people do). While I understand those costs maybe less, but over a period of time those costs will be higher (your time spent, money in minutes wasted, stress from having to contend with the non-sense, etc...) and this kind of marketing has gotten out of hand. gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten gotten ------- sig starts "I've heard some drivers saying, 'We're going too fast here...'. If you're not here to race, go the hell home - don't come here and grumble about going too fast. Why don't you tie a kerosene rag around your ankles so the ants won't climb up and eat your candy ass..." - Dale Earnhardt "...the staggering layers of obscenity in your statement make it a work of art on so many levels." - Jason Jystad, 10/26/2001
The word has lost all meaning to me now ... emmm ... wait a second. :doh: D.
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Chris Meech wrote: That's true. Until you forget to turn it back on, one day. I've missed a call or two that way, but *shrug*. Nice to have the option either way (mobile/land). Chris Meech wrote: gotten * GASP * :omg: :-D BW
I want pancakes! God, do you people understand every language except English?
Yo quiero pancakes. Donnez moi pancakes. Click click, bloody click pancakes!
-- Stewie GriffinFWIW, unless i'm expecting a life-or-death call of some sort, my phone stays on vibrate all day. If i'm busy, talking to someone else, or just don't feel like answering, i can reach in my pocket and stop the vibration. If i need to answer it, it's easier to notice a vibrating box in your pocket than yet another lame MIDI rendition of "Yankee Doodle" beeping in the background. Huh... I was about to say, "isn't the flexibility and personal choice that modern technology affords great"... but then i remembered how much i hate ring tones. Sorry, everyone should do as i do in regard to cellphones. Now. Before i shove that annoying little device down your throat. :| Medication for us all You think you know me, well you're wrong
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I guess I used forsight.... When I changed my home number last year, I added my cell phone to the do not call list. I figured this was coming. As the economy sank and profit margins wane, regardless of the implications, the idea of selling some little piece of electronic data becomes more realistic. You already have the data, you are not adding any extra costs to providing that data to a 3rd party, so if the bottom line gets too low, you start selling your numbers. The only way to prevent is to keep the sales from cold-calling at 0. This makes the phone number lists of absolutely no value. As long as people listen and buy from cold-calls, even though that percentage is a very low percentage, your phone number in a list has value that can be bought and sold. It's expensive to break contract and switch, so few will do it. But as Tmobile's stock value increases due to this practice, others will have to increase profit by selling their lists, so I don't know if switching will buy you more than time. That may be the pessimist in me though. _________________________ Asu no koto o ieba, tenjo de nezumi ga warau. Talk about things of tomorrow and the mice in the ceiling laugh. (Japanese Proverb)
Jeffry J. Brickley wrote: The only way to prevent is to keep the sales from cold-calling at 0. Same for spam, don't blame the spammers entirely, much more should be made of the idiots who support them by buying from them.
"In our civilization, and under our republican form of government, intelligence is so highly honored that it is rewarded by exemption from the cares of office." - Ambrose Bierce
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FWIW, unless i'm expecting a life-or-death call of some sort, my phone stays on vibrate all day. If i'm busy, talking to someone else, or just don't feel like answering, i can reach in my pocket and stop the vibration. If i need to answer it, it's easier to notice a vibrating box in your pocket than yet another lame MIDI rendition of "Yankee Doodle" beeping in the background. Huh... I was about to say, "isn't the flexibility and personal choice that modern technology affords great"... but then i remembered how much i hate ring tones. Sorry, everyone should do as i do in regard to cellphones. Now. Before i shove that annoying little device down your throat. :| Medication for us all You think you know me, well you're wrong
Mostly mine is in my pocket on vibrate, unless I'm at home and put it on the counter in ring mode. My phone's ring selection has silent just after vibrate so occasionally, when I'm switching modes, I go too far and don't realize it. I can't stand the cute little ring tones filling the air everywhere I go. I especially get twitchy at work or in the bookstore/cafe or other relatively quiet place. Having said that, I use different ring tones for different people, so when I'm home I can decide based on the ring whether or not I need to quit doing whatever it is I'm doing. BW
I want pancakes! God, do you people understand every language except English?
Yo quiero pancakes. Donnez moi pancakes. Click click, bloody click pancakes!
-- Stewie Griffin -
Depending on the plan you purchase you can pay for incoming calls... The plan I have is of this type. I do not have call display on my mobile so I can't ignore numbers I don't recognize because I don't recognize any. I agree with the original poster that in this case they are sending me ads at my expense with out my permission.
ZoiD wrote: Depending on the plan you purchase you can pay for incoming calls... That is crazy! Only in North America have I heard of mobile phone users being charged for incomming calls. ZoiD wrote: I do not have call display on my mobile Okay, I suppose if you have a really old mobile then that might be a problem. But, surely the phone is virtually free anyway? The phone I have was free, the previous one was free. In fact of all the phones I ever bought I paid only for one of them - and if I had the cheapest calling plan I wouldn't have had to pay much for them. Mobile phones are one area I really think that North Americans are being cheated on. Every time I vist the US or Canada I'm amazed at how cheap everything is, but when I hear of the charges on mobile phones and bank accounts I figure it all evens out eventually.
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ZoiD wrote: Depending on the plan you purchase you can pay for incoming calls... That is crazy! Only in North America have I heard of mobile phone users being charged for incomming calls. ZoiD wrote: I do not have call display on my mobile Okay, I suppose if you have a really old mobile then that might be a problem. But, surely the phone is virtually free anyway? The phone I have was free, the previous one was free. In fact of all the phones I ever bought I paid only for one of them - and if I had the cheapest calling plan I wouldn't have had to pay much for them. Mobile phones are one area I really think that North Americans are being cheated on. Every time I vist the US or Canada I'm amazed at how cheap everything is, but when I hear of the charges on mobile phones and bank accounts I figure it all evens out eventually.
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Colin Angus Mackay wrote: Okay, I suppose if you have a really old mobile then that might be a problem. But, surely the phone is virtually free anyway? I don't use my mobile often so I purchased a cheap no-frills plan... My phone supports call display -- but the actual call display service from the provider is extra.. it costs me an extra $5 a month, so I decided to not buy it because I'm cheap :-D I assumed that only people that I gave my # to would call me, but this assumption was probably false... Tom.
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Colin Angus Mackay wrote: Okay, I suppose if you have a really old mobile then that might be a problem. But, surely the phone is virtually free anyway? I don't use my mobile often so I purchased a cheap no-frills plan... My phone supports call display -- but the actual call display service from the provider is extra.. it costs me an extra $5 a month, so I decided to not buy it because I'm cheap :-D I assumed that only people that I gave my # to would call me, but this assumption was probably false... Tom.
ZoiD wrote: My phone supports call display -- but the actual call display service from the provider is extra.. it costs me an extra $5 a month That's nuts! North Americans are being truely ripped off when it comes to mobile phones. I pay about £5 per month (~$10CDN last time I looked) for everything, including the calls. I have to admit I don't make a lot of calls.
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