Unsolicited Paddy Power messages

[Anonymous]

Hello,

I bought a sim card in December (2016) for use in a 'spare' phone.

There are only 11 received texts in total and two are from Paddy Power.

I could not be less interested in sport or gambling, but I am interested in how Paddy Power have obtained my number. 

Does anybody know?

Thanks

[MI5]

Unless you have opted out of marketing texts it will be O2 that has sold your number on a list.
You can opt out in your MyO2 (under the "More" tab) but it might be too late by now.

[Anonymous]

Thanks
I have checked and I had not opted in to anything.
What confused me is that I have two other phones on O2 - both regularly used and neither of them have received anything from Paddy Power?!

[Beenherebefore]

Must be the power of Paddy !

[jonsie]

Unsolicited spam so forward the messages to 7726.

[Martin-O2]

@Anonymous How are you getting on with this? Have you found a way to prevent further texts from Paddy Power yet? 

[MI5]

Have you put your number in online anywhere?
It's also possible that the person who previously had your number had subscribed to them as all numbers are recycled.
As it's a reputable company you should be able to reply with "stop all" and they should stop after a month or so.

[Anonymous]

Was given an old iPhone 4S so just got sim to use it as a spare. I haven't given the number to anyone. Would be nice if O2 told us when numbers were re-issued!

[MI5]

All numbers on all networks are re-issued otherwise there wouldn't be enough to go round.
According to OFCOM's figures, there were 91.5 million mobile phones in the UK at the end of 2015
https://www.ofcom.org.uk/about-ofcom/latest/media/facts