Archive for September 17th, 2007

Self-destructive Telemarketing

I don’t know why company keep using telemarketing and why would any consumer give out vital personal information over the phone to a complete stranger with or without listing their Caller IDs.

I have made myself very clear to most telemarketers that I do not accept any promos, any new services, or phone sex over the phone. (If you must, show up in person and I’ll stick your phone into your…)!

HGC has been calling my cellphone as well as my company phone, for the longest time I can’t remember when they’ve started, to asked me to switch my landline service provider over to their company . I have tried telling to them nicely not to call again and take me off their contact list, just hangup…. but to no avail. I am not blaming the telemarketers for it is their job but it is the company’s responsibility to comply to the basic Telecommunication Ordinance and to fulfill (potential) customer’s requests.

Last week, when HGC called again. While I tried to tell I do not want them calling me ever again, the nice lady said that I would need to call their hotline to request a form and file the form with HGC. When I told them it is not my responsibility to go through their procedures when it is clearly their violation of my privacy as well as the Telecommunication Ordinance, and that if I need to file anything I’d file a complaint to the OFTA instead, she said nicely that there is, unfortunately, nothing else she could do that would remedy the situation.

I can understand that since most of these telemarketers are not with the said companies. They are with telemarketing companies hired by the said companies to do their own dirty work.

So I filed a formal complaint to the OFTA last week stating that my intention (being a part of the standard online form that I have to fill out) is to have HGC comply with the basic Telecommunication Ordinance and to allow and accept customer requests through their telemarketing should anyone asks to have their contact info removed from their list and to never contact them again. Another part of the standard form was to ask if I want to disclosed my personal info to the said company, to which I denied, since I am not requesting anything special, just for the said company to comply with their ordinance.

Today, I received an email from the OFTA. A standard email, I believe. Saying they have accepted my case and would like permission to disclosed my personal info for the “go ahead”. I denied.

No wonder the telemarketing lady said there is nothing she could do and that many had made such complaint but also to no avail. Nobody cares they have violated the basic Telecommunication Ordinance and privacy of those they are calling!

While I have not gone as far as a friend has to never deal with any of the companies related to the Li’s family, this has reconfirmed my decade long decision to never use HGC or their affiliated companies’ services ever again.

Yes, that includes “3“.