How do they find your address?

**sweets** · 08-08-2009, 08:03 AM

In the last two days i have had 4 phone calls from people trying to offer me advertising space, When i pick the phone up someone says 'is that the childminder' i try to be polite as it could be a potential parent, but its not. the first one was from an NHS trust seeing if i wanted to advertise my service in thier newsletter for £60! i told him that CM wouldn't pay that. Since then ive had 3 more simalar calls. ive also had 4 letters in the last 2 days from accountancy firms with offers to help with my books for a fee of course.
Has anyone else had this? i just think its weird as its all gone on in the last 2 days. i can understand the phone calls as its on the childcare link website, but where can they be getting my addresss? ive been trying to think of anywhere it might be but i'm always careful not to give that out.

**Hebs** · 08-08-2009, 08:07 AM

yes i had this inc the NHS phonecall

**FizzysFriends** · 08-08-2009, 08:08 AM

I had a mobile phone company call me the other day and he asked if it was happy bunnies childcare and I don't have that name on childcare link so I think tesco or sainsburys have sold my details as thats the only ace I've used that name.

**wellybelly** · 08-08-2009, 08:10 AM

Yes I have. I even had estae agents sending me empty business establishment particulars, its crazy!

Have you filled out a yellow pages advert or thomson directory? They sell business details to telesales companys, so this maybe why youre getting cold calls.

You can fill out a form online with the telpehone preference service to remove your name from mailing lists, but this is if the company signs up to this - its not compulsary.

Ive removed my details from yell.com as I got very fed up with all the calls.

**sweets** · 08-08-2009, 08:14 AM

Its a relief to know its not just me then! i HATE sales calls and usually just hang up on them or just put the phone on side and let them waffle away, but these people i have to listen to as they could be parents looking for childcare. i asked the last one where he got my number but he just hung up on me!

**helenlc** · 08-08-2009, 08:37 AM

I put a small ad on Yell.com - just a line but it was free.

BIG MISTAKE!!

I have only ever had one babysitting job from it, otherwise all I get is accountants, people selling advertising space etc.

It only contains my number though and not my address.

I do get some things through the post and do wonder where they get my address from. I have never put my address on any ads.

**Pauline** · 08-08-2009, 12:22 PM

Have you got a website? Make sure when you register your domain that you choose to be a private listing. You can request it later if you havn't done it now. It takes your address of the whois register

**Bazza** · 08-08-2009, 12:22 PM

You can stop all these marketing calls quite easily if you register with the TPS (Telephone preference service). Visit http://www.mpsonline.org.uk/tps/ to register and it takes about a month to activate but you will see a drop in junk mail and calls.

It wont stop junk calls and letter where you have filled out a form in a shop somewhere and forgot to tick the tiny little box that says "Dont send me stuff". They argue that you have requested it so legally they can send it.

Oh, it wont stop pizza menus or any Jehovas witnesses im afraid.

Edited to correct my terrible spelling!

**sweets** · 08-08-2009, 03:55 PM

great thanks just registered

**John** · 08-08-2009, 06:18 PM

I get them too but now i just play along with them chatting away for a long time, if i've got no kids with me, then at the end of the chat i will say no thank's i don't pay for advertising

so i have wasted there time like they do to me. Some times you can hear the person swear of just bang the phone down but it's funny. I'm i a bad boy.

John.

**sweets** · 08-08-2009, 06:26 PM

Originally Posted by John

I get them too but now i just play along with them chatting away for a long time, if i've got no kids with me, then at the end of the chat i will say no thank's i don't pay for advertising

so i have wasted there time like they do to me. Some times you can hear the person swear of just bang the phone down but it's funny. I'm i a bad boy.

John.

its also funny when you just put phone down on the side and you hear the person saying hello...........hello..........hello can you hear me!

**cher25** · 08-08-2009, 07:34 PM

Im laughing reading this post, sorry. Had an email off a friend the other day about all of these types of calls, not just cm ones and how to stop them. Will post it in the lounge.

**Adiamond** · 08-08-2009, 07:36 PM

Yeh I have had these too, I know they have got my details off yell.com because it's the only place I never put my name or a user name so they just say "is that the childminder?" so I know it's probably gonna be a sales call but I just say yes I am really intersted IF IT'S FREE then they say sorry no there is a small fee then I hang up.
In a funny way it does make me feel important

having business calls lol x x x

**sweets** · 08-08-2009, 07:42 PM

maybe next time someone says 'is that the childminder?' i might say

'no its the serial killer' lol

knowing my luck it will turn out to be a potential parent!

**Bazza** · 08-08-2009, 07:50 PM

Originally Posted by sweets

maybe next time someone says 'is that the childminder?' i might say

'no its the serial killer' lol

knowing my luck it will turn out to be a potential parent!

Or Ofsted...!

I saw a funny video where a guy just answers "Yes" to all the questions and the salesman starts to get very irate with him.

**Erika** · 10-08-2009, 06:31 PM

I don't know about in England but in Scotland if someone rings the local authority and asks for a list of childcare providers in the area, they send out sheets that contain your name, address and tel. no.