Why Nuisance Phone Calls Can Be Linked To Your Use Of Comparison Websites
Every household in the UK wonders how they end up with a load of nuisance communications, mainly nuisance phone calls, ruining their privacy. Many of us come home from a long & tiring day at work looking to relax and spend some quality time with family & friends only to be disturbed by numerous phone calls regarding injury claims, insurance, PPI, timeshare, etc. The list is endless!
So what do comparison websites have to do with this?
Do you know how much information you give to these comparison websites? Do you know what these websites do with your personal data? Are you registered with the Telephone Preference Service (TPS)? Are you frustrated by the numerous nuisance phone calls you receive?
Comparison websites are to blame for many unwanted phone calls received by UK residents. Many of these websites do not allow you to compare products and services unless you agree to their terms & conditions and their privacy policy. This is known as explicit consent.
Explicit consent occurs when an individual is clearly presented with an option to agree or disagree with the collection, use, or disclosure of personal information. This consent is written in the terms & conditions and privacy policy of these comparison websites.
The majority of people do not read these documents provided for us when using these websites. Some of these comparison websites do not even give you an option to opt out and this implies that if you go ahead with the use of their website then you have given them explicit consent to share your personal information with third parties.
Moreover, the Telephone Preference Services (TPS), a service that is run by an association with the interests of both consumers & marketers (Is that possible?!), is in place in the UK to stop nuisance phone calls. However, any companies who have gained your consent to communicate with you about other products & services can legally bypass the TPS.
Let’s have a look at the privacy policies of some of the major comparison websites in the UK. The major points have been highlighted.
Confused.com
“Where you have come to our website by clicking on a price comparison service button on another site, we will supply information about the quotations you have obtained and any policies you obtain to that site. Unless you tell them otherwise, they may contact you by post, telephone, email or SMS to promote their products and services.”
“… In the case of other insurance, and other services offered through our site, it is necessary for us to pass your information to the organisations from whom you will receive quotations you have requested from our site. While we remain data controllers in relation to that information, in connection with everything that those organisations do with that information, they will also be data controllers.”
CompareTheMarket.com
“We may disclose the information you provide to our trusted partners who may contact you about the insurance quotation or to let you know about other products and services that may be of interest to you. By supplying data you give explicit consent for all data provided to be used in this way unless you tell us otherwise.”
Moneysupermarket.com & Travelsupermarket.com
“As part of using our Services you consent to us disclosing your personal information to the following parties:
- Third parties, including but not limited to companies whose products or services are included on our website with a view to providing you with an online quotation for the product and/or service requested by you. …Some third parties with which we share your information may use it to carry out research such as analysis of market trends and customer demographics and to customise and develop the product/service which they offer to you or other individuals in the future.
- …
- Selected other third parties whose products, services or other offers we believe may interest you…
- …
… You agree that we and other trusted third parties shall be entitled to advise you via e-mail, post, telephone or by text of products, services and other offers we think may interest you. For example, we may e-mail you letting you know how you could save money by changing products and services.”
GoCompare.com
“Gocompare.com and other carefully selected third parties may use your information to keep you informed by post, telephone, SMS or email about current and new products and services which may be of interest to you. We may also use the information you supply to keep you informed of current or new products and services, perform market research or to remind you when your renewal is due. Your information may also be disclosed and used for these purposes after your policy has lapsed”
uSwitch.com
“If you request an Insurance quote comparison through our website, we will forward the personal information you submit to selected insurers, insurance brokers and other related third parties to enable us to obtain a quote for you.
The insurers may use your personal information for their own purposes, which may include contacting you by mail, telephone or email, and any use by these insurers will be subject to the insurer’s own terms and conditions and/or privacy policies.
We cannot provide a quote comparison to you unless we are able to share your personal information in this way.”
BeWiser.co.uk
“Be Wiser may use your information to keep you informed by post, telephone, e-mail, text messaging or other electronic means, about insurance policies, other quality services or products from recomended partners which may be of interest to you. Your information may also be disclosed and used for these purposes after your policy has lapsed.
By providing us with your contact details, you consent to being contacted for these purposes.”
“… Your personal information may be disclosed to reputable third parties involved in the process and delivery of your policy.”
PriceRunner.com
“PriceRunner may use third party vendors to help us operate our business and this Site or administer activities on our behalf. We may share your information with these third parties.”
QuoteZone.co.uk
“If you request a quote comparison through our website, we will forward the personal information you submit to selected insurers, insurance brokers and other related third parties to enable us to obtain a quote for you.
The insurers may use your personal information for their own purposes, which may include contacting you by mail, telephone or email, and any use by these insurers will be subject to the insurers’ own terms and conditions and/or privacy policies…
… Also, we may share your personal information with other selected third parties that may contact you directly about their products or services.”
It’s All Coming Together Now Isn’t It?
So you go to a comparison website in the hope of saving some of your precious money. You give them all the details they want and unknowingly agree to their T’s & C’s and their privacy policy. You get hundreds of quotes from companies & pick the one that suits you the best. But what about all the details you just gave them legally? Do you think they’re just going to throw away all that precious data? Oh no!
Now that all these companies have accessed your data legally, they can now contact you about their products and services whenever they want & however they want. Telephone, SMS, email and mail are the main ways that they contact consumers, with many inundated with them frequently throughout the day! Many of these companies will also sell personal data to data companies who can then sell it on to other companies. It just carries on and on and on.
This is where OptOutUK can help you. Our services ensure that your nuisance communications are stopped within 28 days or instantly, depending on the level of service you choose. Visit www.OptOutUK.com to see how we help UK residents with their problems regarding nuisance phone calls, SMS, email, mail & fax.
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