Compass catalogue - where did it come from?

[rogerroger]

Like many I guess, the new Compass Catalogue landed on the door mat this morning. Great, I thought, very handy and I'm glad that it did.

But, how did I get on their mailing list? I did not request it and have never purchased anything from them.

I don't think YBW even have my address and I always check the "no" box for other companies etc sending you stuff when I sign up to something.

Interesting...

As I wrote, I'm not bothered, but guess I have the right under the DPA to enquire how I got on their list if I was.

Roger Holden
www.first-magnitude.co.uk

 

[peterg]

mailing lists....oh dear.

working for a company who do a lot of business in Direct Marketing I can tell you that your name and address will be bought and sold by many companies as there is a lot of money in having 'good' names/addresses (banks, c/cards, clubs, home shopping etc. even the Electoral Roll can be accessed if you have the technology/budget) so it's almost impossible to trace what the source of it was.....one trick you could try is to give yourself a different firstname although with the same initial (eg. Rodney instead of Roger) or a different middle initial next time you order something from Compass or A.N Other company and see who mailshots you with this new name/inital.

You can always enroll yourself in the MPS (Mailing Preference Service) which companies should check before sending out mailshots (some don't) and if you're listed they should not mail you.

BTW: it's hardly ever mentioned but there is also the TPS (Telephone Preference Service) which 'should' prevent unsolicited phone calls at home (although we still get the odd one or two despite being ex-directory) - conatct BT for details of how to get on this.

PS: and just as a final chilling tale, don't think that because you're ex-directory etc. that someone can't find out virtually ALL your information in less than 48 hours - I know someone who does it as a job!

 

[rogerroger]

Re: mailing lists....oh dear.

so "privacy" really doesn't exist does it ?

Of course, in this case I'm not bothered, at least it shows their marketing is targeted. I do sometimes get strange stuff through for things like gardening products (I can just about find my garden and that's it!) and it just goes straight in the bin - the waste of paper is the one thing that annoys me.

Interesting you mention the phone service; since moving from BT to Telewest last summer we get about 2 to 3 calls per night from telesales people. It's so bad that we let the answerphone pick up after 2 rings and our message announces that we simply won't pick up to "annoying telesales people", that seems to work!!

Roger Holden
www.first-magnitude.co.uk

 

[Twister_Ken]

telewest

May just be a coincidence on your telewest subscription. We moved our main line to them a couple of years back, and I haven't noticed any increase in cold, or even warm canvassing. But then I'm very short with unsolicited calls, so I suspect I get crossed off lists and flagged as "never ever call again'.

 

[incognito]

TPS

"The Telephone Preference Service database already contains details of over one million subscribers who object to sales, or marketing based telephone calls. Under the 1998 act, calling anyone registered on TPS can result in a fine of up to £5000. It does not matter if they are your customers. If you make a tele-marketing call to anyone registered with TPS you are breaking the law. "

It is illegal for someone to cold-call if you are registered with the TPS (I am, I don't get ANY cold calls any more (all that double glazing I am not buying means my wife can afford all sorts of things!!)).

"It could soon be illegal to mail many of your prospective clients. Over half a million people are already registered with the Mailing Preference Service. Under the new Distance Selling Directive, the Government looks set to require that all companies using direct mail for marketing purposes regularly clean their lists against the Mailing Preference Service Database. This will give MPS the same legal standing as the Telephone Preference Service. There are already 600,000 people registered with MPS. Intact can identify these people before you mail them, at the very least we will save you the cost of the stamp. "

Unfortunately, as you can see, that is not the case with MPS. I have registered with MPS, and the flow is undiminished. I think PostOffice, or whatever they call themselves these days, are the worst offenders, as they do Mailshots for companies and ignore the MPS.

To view the current legislation go to:

http://www.legislation.hmso.gov.uk/si/si1998/19983170.htm

 

[LadyInBed]

Re: Junk mail

If they supply a post paid envelope, I stuff all their info into it and send it back to them!
I reckon if more people did this they would think a bit harder before creating a mail shot list.

 

[david_e]

Mine arrived today, must take longer to travel North. I have to confess this is one piece of junk mail that I don't mind getting, even though I am not a mail order fan.

 

[Guest]

Re: Junk mail

I stick it back in the post marked "not known at this address". Having done this a few times, I get hardly any junk mail now.

Also, with junk emails, you can get software that "bounces" the message to suggest to the sender that your email address doesn't exist.

 

[TonyR]

My telephone number is ex directory but that does not stop BT from regularly calling me to "update me on their services" .