o2 Selling Personal Details

[Anonymous]

Hi All,

I was an o2 customer for many years (and an employee a long time ago), but left them last September to join Vodafone. I ported my number over to Vodafone, and my o2 account was closed. 

When I first started the contract many years ago, I was under 18... so my friend took it out on my behalf, for the basis of this email, we'll say his name was George Smith. 

So... I was the only user of the phone, but it wasn't in my name. 

Over the past few months, I have recieved numorous calls from numorous sales companies, trying to sell me PPI, Loans, Credit Cards.. you name it, I've had it. When they call, they always ask for "Mr George Smith". 

My number and my friends name have never been submitted anywhere, other than my contract with O2. I have no reason to, and my friend certianly doesn't.

That leads me to believe that O2 has sold on my data to these marketing companies. There's no other way my phone number, and his name, would go together on a record. 

Has anyone else heard of this happening?

To my knowledge, I have not consented to personal details being sold on, and always tick the 'Opt Out' box on forms etc. 

Look forward to your thoughts.

Cheers,

Leigh.

[Bambino]

If you didn't opt out in MyO2, then it's possible you could get calls or texts. I'm sure other mobile networks do the same thing.

[Anonymous]

Hi Bambino

I've checked, and I opt'ed out.

The tick box next to:

Send me O2 partner offers, messages, competitions and free offers

was not ticked..

[Anonymous]

I would suggest phoning 02 to clarify whats occured.

Contract Customers.
 
From your O2 mobile 202 Free

From a landline 0844 809 0202 5p / min
 
PAYG Customers.
 
From your O2 mobile 4445 25p per call

From a landline 0844 809 0222 5p / min
 

Live Chat Services are fine for Low Level General Enquiries, not connected to Account Enquiries.

e mail Contact  https://www.o2.co.uk/apps/help/help

A complaint form is another avenue if they confirm your details have been passed on.

http://service.o2.co.uk/IQ/srvs/cgi-bin/webcgi.exe?New,KB=Companion,question=ref%28user%29:str%28Rel...

[Luke198823]

Are you sure you didnt sign up to other websites and put your number and friends name down because i sure o2 never give people number and name out to any one because i have been with o2 for a long time and i have not had any calls from any one trying to sell me any thing.

[Anonymous]

Hi Luke, thanks for your reply.

I'm 110% confident that my phone number and his name would never have been used together. I have no reason to.

You may not have had any calls as you've not left yet 😉

Thanks!

[jonsie]

I once went into CPW to purchase a Bluetooth and upon paying, the assistant asked my name and postcode. Up came all my details...O2 contract, mobile number etc. I had never set foot in a CPW store before in my life!

With the last iphone launch O2 were in partnership with CPW supplying the phones. It stands to reason that any independent in partnership with O2 will have access to O2's database. Who knows who else has access to this info or who it is passed on to?...Well apart from the NSA:smileywink:

[adamtemp64 · Accepted solution]

all in the t&C

you can opt out

21.3 You authorise us to use and disclose, in the UK and abroad, information about you, your use of the Service(s) including, but not limited to, phone numbers and/or email addresses of calls, texts, data and other communications (“Communications”) made and received by you and the date, duration, time and cost of such Communications, how you conduct your account and the location of your Mobile Phone for the purposes of operating your account and providing you with the Service, for credit control purposes, fraud and crime detection and prevention and the investigation and prevention of civil offences or as required for reasons of national security or under law to our associated companies, partners or agents, any telecommunications company, debt collection agency, bank or credit reference agency and fraud prevention agency or government agency and other users of these agencies who may use this information for the same purpose as us. You can get more details from our public registration held by the Information Commissioner. If you want details of the credit reference or the fraud prevention agencies from whom we get, and with whom we record, information about you or you want to receive a copy of the information we hold about you (we’ll charge a fee), please write to the Data Controller at Telefónica UK Limited, 260 Bath Road, Slough, SL1 4DX or go to the ‘Contact Us’ section of our Website. You’ll need to tell us your full name, address, account number and Mobile Phone number.

21.4 You also agree to the information described in paragraph 21.3 being used, analysed and assessed by us and the other parties identified in paragraph 21.3 and selected third parties for marketing purposes including amongst other things to identify and offer you by phone, post, the Network, your Mobile Phone, email, text (SMS), media messaging, automated dialling equipment or other means, any further products, services and offers which we think might interest you. If you don’t want your details to be used for marketing purposes, please write to us c/o The Data Controller, Telefónica UK Limited 260 Bath Road, Slough, SL1 4DX or through the ‘Contact Us’ section of our Website. You’ll need to tell us your full name, address, account number and Mobile Phone number. For details on how we use your information please refer to our Privacy Policy and Cookies Policy on our Website.

[Anonymous]

Hi Leigh,

After reading your post I felt the need to reply. I have been with 02 now for 3 years, I have previously been with Tesco, Orange and Vodafone and never received and nuisance calls until going onto 02 and now I m inundated with them everyday. I am absolutely sick to death of it!! This leads me to believe that it is 02 that are selling on our numbers to these people.

If you find out anymore please let me know, I would like to report this to somewhere but not sure where to report this too.

Cheers Becky

[MI5]

As per the post above yours, you need to opt out. If you don't, you are giving O2 and any other supplier, permission to use your details for marketing purposes.