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Honorary Master
- Joined
- Apr 20, 2005
- Messages
- 24,731
- Reaction score
- 27,676
I had an unsolicited call from Donovan of a company called Pinged doing marketing on behalf of MWeb. The number was a blocked number and it just showed private. The name Pinged was just used once and MWeb was used many times in the introduction.
The sales guy, Donovan, then tried to interest me in MWeb's ADSL service.
I stopped him before he could get into his sales pitch and asked him where he got my cell number. His reply was prompt: From the National Consumer Database.
Now of course, the "the National Consumer Database" reply is hogwash. This fictitious National Consumer Database simply does not exist and I made him aware of this. Eventually he started coming clean (but not quite) and admitted to obtaining telephone numbers from various sources, also mentioning ITC specifically (see comment in post footer) .
I made Pinged's Donovan aware that his was an unsolicited marketing call to me and I had not business with either Pinged or MWeb, also that I am on the DMA's do not call list.
I made him aware of the ECT ACT of 2002, Section 45 relating to unsolicited marketing communications and the Consumer Protection Act of 2008.
As such I asked that my details be removed from their marketing list immediately and that Pinged and/or MWeb never contact me again with marketing. However it still leaves the issue of where they obtained my details. Once again I asked where my details were obtained?
Pinged's Donovan could not answer me.
Donovan could also not supply me with their company number.
As such, on behalf of South Africa's consumers, I am now turning to MWeb in this public forum and asking them to investigate this issue and give feedback here regarding these unethical marketing practices.
MWeb is a member ISPA. This type of marketing, using devious practices, flies in the face of the ISPA Code of Conduct.
MWeb is also a member of the DMMA. At the DMMA's page on their memberCode of Conduct we find terms like transparency, fairness etc. There is no way this incident will meet with this CoC.
As such I ask MWeb, if you belong to these groups, why do you appoint third party marketeers that do not meet these requirements?
I tried finding Pinged's web site but was unsuccessful. They have no telephone number. As such, how can they legally represent you if they themselves cannot make the necessary tools available to abide by South African laws (CPA - opt out requirement?).
Mweb, you have a problem!
Looking forward to hearing from you here on these pages.
* Pinged's Donovan mentioned ITC as a source of contact details. ITC has long since become TransUnion (011 214 6000). I verified with what I thought I know, but needed to establish for a fact: TransUnion does not sell marketing/telephone number/address lists. In fact they are extremely curious about this incident. They would love to hear about companies making them the scapegoat in unethical marketing campaigns and have a team of lawyers at their disposal to defend their reputation.
The sales guy, Donovan, then tried to interest me in MWeb's ADSL service.
I stopped him before he could get into his sales pitch and asked him where he got my cell number. His reply was prompt: From the National Consumer Database.
Now of course, the "the National Consumer Database" reply is hogwash. This fictitious National Consumer Database simply does not exist and I made him aware of this. Eventually he started coming clean (but not quite) and admitted to obtaining telephone numbers from various sources, also mentioning ITC specifically (see comment in post footer) .
I made Pinged's Donovan aware that his was an unsolicited marketing call to me and I had not business with either Pinged or MWeb, also that I am on the DMA's do not call list.
I made him aware of the ECT ACT of 2002, Section 45 relating to unsolicited marketing communications and the Consumer Protection Act of 2008.
As such I asked that my details be removed from their marketing list immediately and that Pinged and/or MWeb never contact me again with marketing. However it still leaves the issue of where they obtained my details. Once again I asked where my details were obtained?
Pinged's Donovan could not answer me.
Donovan could also not supply me with their company number.
As such, on behalf of South Africa's consumers, I am now turning to MWeb in this public forum and asking them to investigate this issue and give feedback here regarding these unethical marketing practices.
MWeb is a member ISPA. This type of marketing, using devious practices, flies in the face of the ISPA Code of Conduct.
MWeb is also a member of the DMMA. At the DMMA's page on their memberCode of Conduct we find terms like transparency, fairness etc. There is no way this incident will meet with this CoC.
As such I ask MWeb, if you belong to these groups, why do you appoint third party marketeers that do not meet these requirements?
I tried finding Pinged's web site but was unsuccessful. They have no telephone number. As such, how can they legally represent you if they themselves cannot make the necessary tools available to abide by South African laws (CPA - opt out requirement?).
Mweb, you have a problem!
Looking forward to hearing from you here on these pages.
* Pinged's Donovan mentioned ITC as a source of contact details. ITC has long since become TransUnion (011 214 6000). I verified with what I thought I know, but needed to establish for a fact: TransUnion does not sell marketing/telephone number/address lists. In fact they are extremely curious about this incident. They would love to hear about companies making them the scapegoat in unethical marketing campaigns and have a team of lawyers at their disposal to defend their reputation.
