I recently had a little tête-à-tête with a PPI claims company (referred to hereafter as Company A), as to why they were contacting me in contravention of the Telephone Preference Service, and possibly the Data Protection Act.
“Ah,” said they after a suitable pause. “’Tis not us thou needs to chastise, ‘tis Company B.” “Why is that?” asketh I, “’tis you who are pestering me, not Company B.” “Thou speaketh the truth,” quoth they, “but we bought your details in good faith from Company B.” To give them their due, Company A were quick to pass on Company B’s details to me.
“Ah,” said Company B, after a suitable pause. “’Tis not us thou needs to chastise, ‘tis Company C.” “Why is that?” asketh I, “’tis you who passed on my details to Company A.” “Thou speaketh the truth,” quoth they, “but we bought your details in good faith from Company C.” To give them their due, Company B were quick to pass on Company C’s details to me.
“Ah,” said Company C, after a suitable pause. “’Tis not us thou needs to chastise, ‘tis Company D.” “Why is that?” asketh I, “’tis you who passed on my details to Company B.” “Thou speaketh the truth,” quoth they, “but we bought your details in good faith from Company D.” To give them their due, Company C were quick to pass on Company D’s details to me.
And so I finally reached the end of this epic trail of biblical proportions. India-based Company D said their telemarketer had spoken to me, and sent a recording of our telephone conversation to prove it. Which also proved that I said three times during the conversation that NO-ONE was to contact me, irrespective of the answers I gave for their “pure market research” survey. Got ‘em bang to rights!
The upshot is that Company D have now written an instant dismissal clause into their employees’ contracts for anyone flouting their “policy” again. But shouldn’t the Data Protection Act stop the dirty, unsavoury way that this whole industry works?
“Ah,” said they after a suitable pause. “’Tis not us thou needs to chastise, ‘tis Company B.” “Why is that?” asketh I, “’tis you who are pestering me, not Company B.” “Thou speaketh the truth,” quoth they, “but we bought your details in good faith from Company B.” To give them their due, Company A were quick to pass on Company B’s details to me.
“Ah,” said Company B, after a suitable pause. “’Tis not us thou needs to chastise, ‘tis Company C.” “Why is that?” asketh I, “’tis you who passed on my details to Company A.” “Thou speaketh the truth,” quoth they, “but we bought your details in good faith from Company C.” To give them their due, Company B were quick to pass on Company C’s details to me.
“Ah,” said Company C, after a suitable pause. “’Tis not us thou needs to chastise, ‘tis Company D.” “Why is that?” asketh I, “’tis you who passed on my details to Company B.” “Thou speaketh the truth,” quoth they, “but we bought your details in good faith from Company D.” To give them their due, Company C were quick to pass on Company D’s details to me.
And so I finally reached the end of this epic trail of biblical proportions. India-based Company D said their telemarketer had spoken to me, and sent a recording of our telephone conversation to prove it. Which also proved that I said three times during the conversation that NO-ONE was to contact me, irrespective of the answers I gave for their “pure market research” survey. Got ‘em bang to rights!
The upshot is that Company D have now written an instant dismissal clause into their employees’ contracts for anyone flouting their “policy” again. But shouldn’t the Data Protection Act stop the dirty, unsavoury way that this whole industry works?
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