I think, therefore I write

Where did you get my number?

Phone call 1:

Caller: Hi Ma’m, We are calling from Axis bank. Do you want a personal loan?
Me: No, I don’t. And I don’t remember giving my number to Axis bank at any point. Where did you get my number?
Caller: From the database Ma’m.
Me: Which database do you get it from? I have registered under Do Not Disturb and if still my number is being accessible for such Ads,  I want to raise a complaint.
Caller(Timidly): Sorry Ma’m. (Hangs up the phone)

Phone call 2:

Caller: Hi Ma’m, We are calling from ICICI bank and this call is about a free credit card. Are you interested?
Me: No, I don’t. And I don’t remember giving my number to ICICI bank at any point. Where did you get my number?
Caller(Confidently): From XXX company’s database Ma’m. (Here the company is the previous company I worked for)
Me: I don’t think companies are supposed to give away numbers like that, that too especially when I am not working there anymore.
Caller: Then you can talk to the company Ma’m. Now about the credit card…
Me: I will talk to the company and even if they give you are not supposed to call numbers registered under Do Not Disturb for advertisement purposes of your convenience. If this continues, I might have to raise a complaint on your bank.

(Caller hangs up abruptly)

Phone call 3:

Caller1: Hi Ma’m, We are calling from CITI bank. Are you interested in getting a credit card?
Me: No, I don’t. And I don’t remember giving my number to CITI bank at any point. Where did you get my number?
Caller1: From the database Ma’m.
Me: Which database do you get it from? I am asking because I have registered under Do Not Disturb and if still my number is being accessible for such Ads,  I want to raise a complaint.

(Caller1 fumbles and hands the call to Caller2 with whom I repeat the same query)

Caller2: Ma’m, our boss gives us the database details and we just call from the back office ma’m.
Me: Then connect this call/escalate this to your boss. I want to know how this is happening.
Caller2: Ma’m. This is a new offer. So we just call all numbers just like that. (Thinking this will save them as it is happening for everyone)
Me: Isn’t what you are doing illegal? It’s wrong to call the numbers under Do Not Disturb and I can complain against you for violating this.
Caller2: Sorry Ma’m. We will delete your number from our database. (Hangs up)

do-not-disturb-iphone

Source: topmobiletrends.com

I used to be the super polite girl who listened to all the advertising calls and then refused with great difficulty. Then as the calls increased, I outright started refusing but without asking anything in return. Now, I don’t leave any person who calls me for advertisements which I didn’t sign up for. Even if it takes a couple of minutes, I make sure I give a piece of my mind. This indeed reduces the calls from the respective advertisers. However since there are 1000s of such spam callers, it keeps going on. Most callers hesitate and stagger back the moment you ask “Where did you get my number?”. They don’t have a proper answer because they just take/buy it from the various sources offline and online.

Speak up for yourselves. Stand up against such crude selling of data. It’s your number and you have it to receive valid phone calls, not spam calls. If you need a loan or a credit card, you will approach the bank and they too know it. There is no need for them to call you everyday and check if you have had a change of mind.

Until later 🙂

11 Comments

  1. Guruprasad

    You must thank me for teaching and showing you how it is done 🙂

    • Keirthana

      It’s not as if I didn’t know. I just was too polite and shy to do it but they tested my patience.

  2. Ajay Kontham

    I am still that polite guy who listens to all the stories and accepts it everytime when they ask if I am interested. But then again I make up some excuse when they call me back again. I didn’t know that we could use that DND whenever they call. I am registered under it and I don’t get calls from my service provider but banks are a frequent callers. I will nake sure to give them my piece of mind whenever they call and inquire from where are they getting my number.
    Thanks. 🙂

    • Keirthana

      Please don’t be that polite anymore with spam callers. They are everywhere and I don’t know what gives them the right to disturb us like this.

      Of course, you can use DND for this because it’s really possible to complain against the people who call in spite of DND registration. Whether the complaint will resolved in an efficient manner is another question altogether. Still you can always use it scare off some of these people.

      • Ajay Kontham

        Oh yeah, I am no polite anymore.
        And I will make sure of that they never dare call me or anyone. 😀

  3. Wings of Harmony

    I knowww, seriously! I just put up a cold indifferent voice and make them hang up. Can’t talk. Your conversational style? AWESOME! 😀

    • Keirthana

      Yeah that indifference was my 2nd phase 😛 Now they have pushed me to my limits that I don’t leave them just like that.

      Thanks dear! 😀

  4. shiva

    hmm,that was funny.when you go to super market,people will ask you to fill a form in the name of draw and we give all our details being greedy of some lottery or draw.when you visit multiplexes,they ask you to fill a feedback form and being over enthu,people will fill form without second thought.its like,we are giving our details being ignorant of consequences.these forms with our data will be circulated all over businesses. mahindra holidays,insurance companies,banks,country clubs etc etc.

    whenever i go to malls,people ask me to fill a form.i tell them on face that i don’t need headache from spam calls.they shy away from me when i visit second time.we should be frank or straightforward while dealing such people.

  5. Soumya

    The ‘Do Not Disturb’ list does not work! At all.

    Mostly I am polite to such callers, but at times I just cut the call on their faces. Its really annoying these calls.

    Database, my ass!

  6. PeeVee™

    I know, so annoying these people are! I get one or two of these everyday and what I do is say ‘thank you but I’m not interested’ even before they finish the sales pitch and then go silent on them, they cut the call themselves 😛

    • Keirthana

      Good for you! Seriously it was getting worse by the day and that’s when I started breathing fire. Now it’s tolerable. 🙂

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