Unsolicited mail - who gave them my details?

Colonel Sanders

Just received junk mail in the post promising me riches if I subscribe to a gambling system. Now I did not request this info myself so am wondering where they got my details from? Is there any avenue to get hold of who passed on my details or is ignoring the mail the only thing I can do.

Strange thing was that it was addressed to my Dublin address (I work in Dublin). All my CC/Bank statements etc go to my home address so I have no idea where the info would have came from.

PS its an English based company, does this change things?

looksee

Who have you given your address to? Shops in Dublin, voting register, delivery of anything, magazine subscriptions, internet shopping or - a 'friend' who is amused by sending people free stuff.

jor el

They can get your name and address from the register of electors, but only if you're on it. They're not supposed to use that list for marketing though as there is a separate list for that purpose, but it doesn't mean they're not doing it anyway. Other than that, could be one of your utility providers (Sky, NTL, eircom, etc) passing on your details.

I'd be wary of contacting them as it could lead to a further barrage of spam. You should be able to find out where they got your details from if you ring them though. If they don't co-operate then get the Data Protection Commissioner involved.

cuppa

saying i won 615,810 euro
loterias y apuestas del estado
28085, madrid spain,
tel.0034 646 352 204.

i never rang it.

Colonel Sanders

just wondering If I ring them or mail or whatever are they obliged to tell me where they got my name from.

Theonly people who'd know my dublin address are my broadband provider, its down as my delivery address on ebay and a company I made a complaint to.

Sully

I got one from someone when I registered my business name. The CRO seem to pass on the information, much to my annoyance.

jor el

Colonel Sanders wrote:

my broadband provider

Bing bing bing. Did you tick the box saying you don't want your details used by them or other companies for marketing purposes?

cgarvey

Sully wrote:

I got one from someone when I registered my business name. The CRO seem to pass on the information, much to my annoyance.

Such details are a matter of public record, so they're not passing it on, per se, but just publishing it (inline with company legislation). To make it even worse, businesses are exempt from most spam/marketing protection measures.

Del2005

I usually just stuff all any junk mail with a freepost envolope back into the post with all the paper blank and any personall stuff torn off. If they are going p!ss me off with junk mail I'm going to make them pay:D

Thomas_S_Hunterson

Del2005 wrote:

I usually just stuff all any junk mail with a freepost envolope back into the post with all the paper blank and any personall stuff torn off. If they are going p!ss me off with junk mail I'm going to make them pay:D

The next stage in revenge is to tape the freepost envelope to a cinder-block and see how they like paying for the postage

Colonel Sanders

jor el wrote:

Bing bing bing. Did you tick the box saying you don't want your details used by them or other companies for marketing purposes?

I always tick that box so if they gave anyone my details they have no right to.

Zaph

cuppa wrote:

saying i won 615,810 euro
loterias y apuestas del estado
28085, madrid spain,
tel.0034 646 352 204.

i never rang it.

Hey, last week I won that exact amount too - what a coincidence!

Awful Scut

cuppa wrote:

saying i won 615,810 euro
loterias y apuestas del estado
28085, madrid spain,
tel.0034 646 352 204.

i never rang it.

That's a mobile no. Next time you're in Spain on holidays, write it on every jacks wall you visit alongside 'Quiero sexo gay'. Who knows, you might even set your fraudster up with a rich sugar daddy and get him out of the scam business.

The_Hustler

I got that spanish lottery one too. I was told the details were most likely got from the voters reg.

golden

you would know if it was the electoral register as it would use the offical townlands/parish that your house is at. You can ask for the electoral reg to be amended so that your address can not be pass on to anybody. We did and it has worked no junk from that source of address.

RainyDay

cgarvey wrote:

To make it even worse, businesses are exempt from most spam/marketing protection measures.

Rubbish - Check out the Data Protection Commissioner's website to see all the protection measures that DO apply to businesses.

Colonel Sanders wrote:

Just received junk mail in the post promising me riches if I subscribe to a gambling system. Now I did not request this info myself so am wondering where they got my details from? Is there any avenue to get hold of who passed on my details or is ignoring the mail the only thing I can do.

From http://www.dataprivacy.ie/ViewDoc.asp?fn=/documents/rights/2c.htm&CatID=18&m=r

"There is also an obligation on an organisation that has not obtained your details directly from you to inform you of the original source of your details. This will enable you to contact the original organisation and object to it using or distributing your details for marketing purposes."

Colonel Sanders wrote:

PS its an English based company, does this change things?

In practice, it may well make it quite difficult to get a response.

Access

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