Does ATT sell your number?

[bdechenne]

With Verizon for many years and maybe received 3-4 cold sales calls during the whole time.  Switched to ATT 4 ish months ago and it seems now we are on 2-3 cold call list.  We are getting a call a week at least on each phone.   Its on all three of our cell phones and one of them is very limited on usage.  The limited used phone calls maybe 4 people and doesn't use the internet.

So why does this happen or will I be transferred to a rep who cannot help me?

[imstef]

Att does not sell or share customers information. I personally have had calls start on my home phone (not att) and we have never used the phone at all. We just see calls show up on our tv due to caller id. Unfortunately, if you've put your number on the internet anywhere, or provided that as a contact number with any company that does share information, that can happen. Is recommend going to www.donotcall.gov to register all your numbers. That will stop a lot of random telemarketing calls. Hope this helps.

[RicoLX]

Also, theres a setting on your acciunt profife where you can opt out of even receiving promos and other info from att via phone , text or email. So if att wont send spam to you when opting out, cant see their forwarding your info elsewhere.

[jamileh]

AT&T values your privacy and does not sell or otherwise provide your personal information to anyone. 

[Wild Banchi ACE - Professor]

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jamileh wrote:

AT&T values your privacy and does not sell or otherwise provide your personal information to anyone. 

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That's right. It's not even worth trying to argue with, as I don't see why they would do that in the first place unless they sponsored some companies and randomly thought it would be a great idea to hand out all of their customers' phone numbers so the companies could sell you something.

"..Sure, company. We'll give you a list... 926..."

[David]

I find that a lot of people (even me) when we change from one provider to another we may change numbers. For instance I must have found a golden tmobile prepaid number out of the mess that was virtually quiet. I mean I had no messages no voicemails (the occasional spam text, maybe 1 a month if that)  and it was the quietest number I ever had. 

Moved to an iphone and a new number this year. That has changed. Apparently my number must be on a few mens' room walls some where under the statement "call for a good time." 

It's amazing what I am left with and glad I have unlimited texting. Otherwise I would probably be flat broke. Right now apparently I have a bill collector thinking I owe some debt. No, it's not me.... 

I will probably visit the wireless store on friday and see if I can get a more quiet number. 

[jamileh]

David - that's nuts! I can't imagine the texts that you get.

[RicoLX]

Best thing she can do is ask for a free number change due to harassment

[msmccown]

I happen to know that AT&T DOES sell your personal information to third party “Marketing Partners”. All of you that claim to AT&T employees and say that your company doesn't give information to third parties are either knowingly lying or are living in a fantasy

Here are my FACTS:
I had my Uverse Service installed on Monday 11-28 in the late afternoon. I am paying extra ($4.00) each month for an unlisted/private phone number. No one has my new phone number as I have not had the time to inform anyone of my new number and all my bills are listed on my cellphone number. Today, 11-30 I received a call from ADT Home Security on my new phone number asking for me specifically by name.

In less than 2 business days since my service was established, I am already receiving calls from Marketing partners of AT&T. There is no way that these telemarketers could have gotten my number, or my name associated with this number, unless AT&T gave them the information as AT&T is the only entity that is aware of the number or that my name is associated with this number.

This was the reason I dropped my previous phone service. This is a clear and deliberate violation of my privacy and a violation of trust as well. This is also a violation of contract as I am paying for an unlisted and private phone number. No one should be subject to this type of treatment and I urge anyone that has suffered the same treatment to contact AT&T immediately and voice your complaints to management. Don't try talking to a rep, you'll only waste your time...speak to and complain only to a manager.

[jamileh]

I'm sorry you had this experience but AT&T does not sell your personal information. It sounds like the calls you received were from a different department within AT&T. 

You can opt out out of marketing contacts by logging into your account at www.att.com and updating your Marketing Preferences.  If you need some assistance with this, please let me know and I'd be happy to help!

[msmccown]

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jamileh wrote:

I'm sorry you had this experience but AT&T does not sell your personal information. It sounds like the calls you received were from a different department within AT&T. 

You can opt out out of marketing contacts by logging into your account at www.att.com and updating your Marketing Preferences.  If you need some assistance with this, please let me know and I'd be happy to help!

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Jamileh,

<keep it courteous> It was not another department of AT&T, the call came from ADT Home Security. the name was on the caller ID.

If that's the story you are going with, then perhaps you should take a close look at the company you work for and see if you truely have the ethical fortitude to continue working for them. I don't know how some of you people sleep at night.

Bottom line, it was a 3rd party that called me. My service was only active for 2 business days (less than, actually) and the only entity that even knew that I had a new phone number, was capible of knowing my name was speciafially attach to that number or had any knowledge of this information was AT&T. They sold my information to another company, and one of your supervisors in customer service even admitted as much.

BTW....I'm so glad that this is all on the web and can be saved and used as evidence

[jamileh]

I'm sorry that you received unwanted phone calls, but I assure you that AT&T does not sell your private information. 

If you'd like to speak with someone about this experience, please send me a private message with your name, account number, phone number and the best time to contact you.




To send a private message, you can either click on the link in this message or click on the little blue envelope in the upper right hand corner, click "compose new message" and type my username in the "Send To" field.

[scots]

If you have an unlisted number, receive a marketing call, and the caller knows information such as your name it's either a company you've done business with or otherwise provided your info to, or they received your information from a another company who sold or shared your information.

If they don't know your name or other info (whether listed or unlisted), there's a high probability the call was placed by a "robo-dialer".  A robo-dialer starts with a beginning number, dials it, then proceeds to dial the next number in sequence (e.g.: 555-555-1212, then 555-555-1213, then 555-555-1214, and so on).  If the call rings and/or is answered (by a live person or voicemail) the robo-dialer passes the call on to a live person.  This is why when you get these calls there's sometimes a delay between when you answer and when someone on the other end starts speaking.  If the number goes off to some type of "failure" recording (such as a "not in service" message), the robo-dialer can detect this and drops the call.  In the case of a robo-dialer, your number is just being dialed by a computer without anyone necessarily having sold or shared your info.

[zeexenon]

Of course they provide working telephone numbers from their directory.  Of course they don't sell your "personal information".  Anyone on earth can accidentally dial your telephone number, whether it be Non-List/Non-Pub or in the lowest chamber of the CIA.  Think now, does that make your number public?  We have two lines ... one 10-digit number is on every list there is, the other is on none (except Ma-Bell's ... to know why, you would have to work for her 33.5 years and retire, preferably as a manager).  We never get a call to the second line unless we initiate it.  We have something called PhoneTrayFree on our main line (actually on a connected PC ... Macs need not apply) which blocks all future calls we do not want and removes our number from robo-dialers), in addition to Privacy Manager and regularly updating our Do Not Call lists.  Every telephone switch in the world needs all or part of your telephone number to know how to route it.  Eventually, the most distant and complicated call is switched to a machine that has access to your whole number.  Since the break up of the Bell System on 4/1/84, these switches can be owned by anyone.  Therefore, you are welcome to find the cretins who divulged your working number to the world.  We are users of Phone Tree and in no way affiliated, so go ahead and Google it, find a PC geek and try the free version (which I use) and join us in the fun of knowing that one-ring-only indicates you just blocked a call from: A telemarketer; A democrat or republican, part of a city, part of a state, a whole state, a whole bunch of states, a guy named "Joe The Plumber" and many other combinations.

[tkaye10]

I don't care what AT&T claims- they have to have some program that sends your number to other marketers.  I recently added another line to my service with a new number.  I had it for one day before I started receiving calls from unknown numbers, when answered know my name.  My number is not listed online, it is a private number.  So I wonder how I am getting these random calls?  I had been with Verizon for several years and just switched to AT&T last year- the same thing happened with my other two lines.  

[tkaye10]

Yes, you do have a point in regards to the working telephone numbers from their directory.... but if my personal information is not immediately out there (from AT&T)- how do these companies who "randomly" call my number know my name the next day after I add that line to my account.  They don't say "excuse me ma'am are you interested in..."  They say "Hello, is this *first name *last name"?  Your theory works to a certain extent.  

[wingrider01 ACE - Geek]

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tkaye10 wrote:

I don't care what AT&T claims- they have to have some program that sends your number to other marketers.  I recently added another line to my service with a new number.  I had it for one day before I started receiving calls from unknown numbers, when answered know my name.  My number is not listed online, it is a private number.  So I wonder how I am getting these random calls?  I had been with Verizon for several years and just switched to AT&T last year- the same thing happened with my other two lines.  

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the ability to gather phone number needs absolutely no interaction on any carriers part, unless the number is flagged a private / no list - a chargable line item from the carriers the number is available on the net - and even then it can be gotten ahold of by the actions of the user that has the nu,mber assigned. Then birng into the mix the simple fact that all carriers be it land line, voip or cellular their assigned number blocks, prefixes and area codes are public domain, all a auto dialer needs to do is start with the are code, prefix, then the last four digits are 0001 and just start sequential dialing.

Add to the fact number are reassigned when thye are turned in - you have no idea if the number that you have was listed as private before, plus you filling in a form and giving your phone number makes it fair game for the online retailer to put your number out in the wild - the chances of the nuber being released in the wild by actions from any carrier ar slim to none - it is to easy for this autodialers to get them thorugh other locations. There are data mining company out there that even if your number is unlisted at the carrier level, they can still corralate your number to the name and address - my home number has been unlisted for 40 years, yet they have access to the my information through data mining - Melissa data comes to mind as being able to gather this information

Not even do not call lists are 100 percent effective, plus if you have ever done business with a company or made an inquiry to the company, the do not call list does not apply.

[tkaye10]

Yeah data mining, through AT&T's database.  Apparently they need better security.  

[wingrider01 ACE - Geek]

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tkaye10 wrote:

Yeah data mining, through AT&T's database.  Apparently they need better security.  

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err no, you are jumping to a conclusion that is so far off base it is not even in the same time continumium. Contrary to your msiconsception numbers are avaialble easily - each carrier is assigned area codes, prefixes and 4 digit ranges, the companies will "data mine" other sites - like the social networking sites that people tend to put everything on - when they eat lunch, when they go to the bathroom and *gasp* contact information. Look toyour own house before you claim something - when did you last put your cell phone number on a website or filled in a application, bought something online - that is where they are getting your numbers and information

[tkaye10]

I didn't have this phone number on anything before I started getting these calls. As I have said before, the calls started the day after I got the new phone line. I understand the concept of your information being everywhere once it is placed on the internet-- that is why I didn't use this number for this purpose.

AT&T is always so quick to blame the customer, seems like that with every issue!

[wingrider01 ACE - Geek]

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tkaye10 wrote:
I didn't have this phone number on anything before I started getting these calls. As I have said before, the calls started the day after I got the new phone line. I understand the concept of your information being everywhere once it is placed on the internet-- that is why I didn't use this number for this purpose.

AT&T is always so quick to blame the customer, seems like that with every issue!

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who had the phone number before you? Cell numbers are resued, got one for my employees that used to belong to a drug dealer and they kept gettnig calls for purchase of illicit substances

It is really easy to get a number without having to contact a carrier.  here are some links to public sites that can query public (not carrier) databases to get information.

http://www.anywho.com/reverse-lookup

http://www.melissadata.com/lookups/phonelocation.asp

http://www.reversephonedirectory.com/

http://reversedirectory.langenberg.com/

All these companies pull information from numerous public sites, not carrier specific databases

Don;t see att blaming anybody in the thread, we are all customers, this is a peer to peer forum.

[tkaye10]

There are people listed on here as employees who are giving the same.... "You must have put your information on the Internet" blame game.

As I have stated before... I began receiving calls the day after getting the phone (I didn't place any info on the Internet).
*i agree other people could of had the same number before me but that doesn't explain how when I was called the very next day, they asked for me by name.

Also, this is a community forum- so if you do not work for AT&T, then I'm sorry but how would you know?

[wingrider01 ACE - Geek]

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tkaye10 wrote:
There are people listed on here as employees who are giving the same.... "You must have put your information on the Internet" blame game.

As I have stated before... I began receiving calls the day after getting the phone (I didn't place any info on the Internet).
*i agree other people could of had the same number before me but that doesn't explain how when I was called the very next day, they asked for me by name.

Also, this is a community forum- so if you do not work for AT&T, then I'm sorry but how would you know?

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decades of owning / running a company that is deeply involded in network / telco / vertical development, secruity, call centers. You tend to learn things like this over the decades of being involved in it

[jamileh]

I am sorry that you're receiving unwanted calls but as I previously posted and wingrider has stated; AT&T does not sell your contact information to anyone. 

Unfortunately, there are many ways for scummy people to get a hold of your contact information. They are not, however, able to do it through AT&T by sale or any nefarious means. 

If you'd like to speak with someone about this, please send a private message to ATTCustomerCare with your name, account number, email address, phone number and the best time to contact you.




To send a private message, you can either click on the link in this message or click on the little blue envelope in the upper right hand corner, click "compose new message" and type ATTCustomerCare in the "Send To" field.

[tkaye10]

No the real issue is that these online forums for customers to be able to express their problems is a joke. You say you have an issue with something and you are either getting an AT&T rep or an "Ace Professional" telling you that it has nothing to do with AT&T, it's always someone else's fault. Last I checked, I was the one paying the monthly bill and still have all these issues with AT&T. What is the point of stating your problems in here if you are just going to get these people playing the blame game. What a waste of time!

[MicCheck]

If your concerns aren't adequately resolved on the forum, send a message to AT&T Customer care. http://forums.att.com/t5/notes/privatenotespage/tab/compose/note-to-user-id/192773

[tricster]

Mr. Employee,

You should learn about your company before you defend them.  I have had AT&T phone service ( unlisted ) for about 7 days.  I've gotten about 10 or 12 calls from ADT security service.  I asked them who gave them my (unlisted) number, and they said "Your phone service provider".

before you defend your company, you should learn their policies.  If you want privacy in your home service, I'd highly recommend you go with another company.

Tricster

[wingrider01 ACE - Geek]

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tricster wrote:

Mr. Employee,

You should learn about your company before you defend them.  I have had AT&T phone service ( unlisted ) for about 7 days.  I've gotten about 10 or 12 calls from ADT security service.  I asked them who gave them my (unlisted) number, and they said "Your phone service provider".

before you defend your company, you should learn their policies.  If you want privacy in your home service, I'd highly recommend you go with another company.

Tricster

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have had the same landline number since the only thing available was party lines, have never seen any evidence that my home number was sold to anyone. Party line only sevice was about 40 or 50 years ago I think.