Your personal data not safe with Vodacom...

[kaspaas]

A friend was pestered by telesales people trying to sell her stuff.

She is a clued up information worker, and realised the telesales person had very personal info, including her full names, ID-number, residential address and phone, work address, work phone, and FULL DETAILS OF HER VODACOM CONTRACT.

Upon enquiry, Vodacom responded as below.

The answer leaves many questions:

I know one gives Vodacom the right to submit details to the credit registers when one signs the contract.

BUT DOES ONE SIGN AWAY ONE'S PRIVICY AWAY AS WELL BY AUTHORISING VODACOM TO ALLOW THE CREDIT REGISTER TO GIVE OUT ONE'S DETAILS TO ANY TOM DICK AND HARRY?

If Telesales people can easily get hold of this data, how easy is it for criminal syndicates to do the same?

Vodacom's attitude that it is not their problem if the "National Credit Register" dishes out detailed personal data to every Tom Dick and Harry is disgusting!

Does anybody know what the other Cellphone guys are doing in this regard?

The answer from Voda:

************************************************** *********************

Please be advised that we do not disclose any information that we have on any of our customers to third parties or otherwise. All information is available on a National Credit Database and this information is accessible to telemarketers and Sales companies.

The Direct Marketing Association of South Africa (DMASA) has launched multiplatform functionality for its Opt Out Register via SMS, Internet and call centre which allows consumers to remove their details from mailing lists used by the association?s members to promote goods and services.

You may use any of the following options to add your details to the ?Don?t Contact Me? list - previously known as the Mail Preference Service (MPS):

? SMS DMA followed by your ID number (this is crucial) to 34385.

? Call the call centre on 0861 DMA DMA (362 362)

? Log onto www.dmasa.org to access the DMA?s opt out register SMS DMA followed by your ID number (this is crucial) to 34385.

Warm Regards

Miranda Deliwe



Vodacom ComplaintSUPPLIER Vodacom INDUSTRY Telecommunications

BRANCH/AREA National COUNTRY South Africa

[BarnettE]

Please be advised that we do not disclose any information that we have on any of our customers to third parties or otherwise. All information is available on a National Credit Database and this information is accessible to telemarketers and Sales companies.


That is BS. Vodacom is known to "share" their subscriber base. Just one example:
http://www.timeslive.co.za/sundaytimes/article264344.ece


The Direct Marketing Association of South Africa (DMASA) has launched multiplatform functionality for its Opt Out Register via SMS, Internet and call centre which allows consumers to remove their details from mailing lists used by the association?s members to promote goods and services.

My name is on that list and I can tell you that it makes no difference. The DMA is just as pathetic as WASPA. The e-mail address I gave them (which is dma@{mydomain}.co.za) has already been spammed, even though I have never used that e-mail address for anything and never gave it to anyone. I created that e-mail just to see if the DMA can be trusted. Well, they can't.

If the people at the DMA had half a brain (or actually cared about making the Opt-out register work), they would keep the register private. They can provide a filtering server for DMA members, but they should never just give out the whole opt-out register. It is very obvious that sooner or later some DMA member will spam the whole opt-out register "by accident". Just like some WASPA members bill people "by accident".

[Dean]

Looks like you should be ranting at the "National Credit Register" instead?

[swim]

They don't give your details away the sell it

[ZeRo_CoOl]

Looks like you should be ranting at the "National Credit Register" instead?

+1

[BarnettE]

Looks like you should be ranting at the "National Credit Register" instead?

I doubt that the "National Credit Register" would have "full details" of her Vodacom contract. Besides, we are talking about Vodacom here. You cannot believe everything (anything?) they say.

[ZeRo_CoOl]

I doubt that the "National Credit Register" would have "full details" of her Vodacom contract. Besides, we are talking about Vodacom here. You cannot believe everything (anything?) they say.

Well, full details basically means your ID number, work number, cellphone number, home address. work address, your occupation, how you pay your accounts etc - all this info is on your credit record which is accessible by the NCR.

[Antonf]

A friend was pestered by telesales people trying to sell her stuff.

She is a clued up information worker, and realised the telesales person had very personal info, including her full names, ID-number, residential address and phone, work address, work phone, and FULL DETAILS OF HER VODACOM CONTRACT.

Please be advised that we do not disclose any information that we have on any of our customers to third parties or otherwise. All information is available on a National Credit Database and this information is accessible to telemarketers and Sales companies.

Vodacom is LYING. Just before I "renewed" my voice contract earlier this year I was phoned by both CellC and MTN telesales people who knew EXACTLY what my expenditure on my contract was. That information is NOT available on the so-called National Credit Database.

[Pr⊕phet]

also had a lekker experience with vodacom. for a long time i was just on plain nokia 1100 and exactly the same day i've upgraded via them to n81 i magically got spammed

[Ivanr]

Let’s have a look at this issue of Vodacom or any other organisation keeping your info private calmly and study the facts etc.

VodacomData and Morkhans may wish comment as well, it is your choice “ per se”.

Vodacom can and may state that they keep your info private is not a lie but the truth if you take inconsideration that Vodacom is made up of many service provider companies or commonly known as sub contractors. The Sub Contractor are sworn to secrecy by means of contractual conditions etc.

So how does your info get into other hands? By way of “The Human Element”, I will attempt to explain by way of example;

Peter (Alias) is employed by one of these sub contractors and has a friend that we will call John (Alias) who works at one of these marketing companies. They meet at a braai and Peter supplies John with the complete data base for a price or future favours. This is known as “The Human Element”.

You can not legislate for human morals ethics, government has tried unsuccessfully as we see in our daily newspapers.
We can only take precautions if and where it occurs. Just 2c worth.

[satanboy]

The Direct Marketing Association of South Africa (DMASA) has launched multiplatform functionality for its Opt Out Register via SMS, Internet and call centre which allows consumers to remove their details from mailing lists used by the association?s members to promote goods and services.

You may use any of the following options to add your details to the ?Don?t Contact Me? list - previously known as the Mail Preference Service (MPS):

? SMS DMA followed by your ID number (this is crucial) to 34385.

? Call the call centre on 0861 DMA DMA (362 362)

? Log onto www.dmasa.org to access the DMA?s opt out register SMS DMA followed by your ID number (this is crucial) to 34385.



I entered my name to that database a month or so ago and have received two unsolicited calls last week. When I asked the caller if they are member of the Direct Marketing Ass, the reply was yes for both. I asked to take note that my name is on the list of "Do not contact". They both apologised.

Idiots.

[ginggs]

Vodacom is LYING. Just before I "renewed" my voice contract earlier this year I was phoned by both CellC and MTN telesales people who knew EXACTLY what my expenditure on my contract was. That information is NOT available on the so-called National Credit Database.
Think about it, why would Vodacom give their competitors your details and risk them poaching you?

[Antonf]

Think about it, why would Vodacom give their competitors your details and risk them poaching you?

As Proseal said, “The Human Element”. VC needs to sharpen on data security, and while they're about it, provide a facility to PERMANENTLY block all WASPA activity against a number.

[morkhans]

As you said, “The Human Element”. VC needs to sharpen on data security, and while they're about it, provide a facility to PERMANENTLY block all WASPA activity against a number.

Actually it was Proseal.

[Antonf]

Actually it was Proseal.

Huh?

[morkhans]

Huh?

You quoted the wrong person. Proseal made the "Human Element" statement not ginggs.

[kingrob]

You quoted the wrong person. Proseal made the "Human Element" statement not ginggs.

Ah! Also got a bit confused with the Proseal comment.