[Q] Could T-Mobile be "selling" our phone numbers?

MisterEdF · Dec 14, 2011

I have been with AT&T cellular in all their various incarnations continuously for over 20 years. About 4 weeks ago I switched over to T-Mo and went on their $30 unlimited data/text and 100 min PREPAID voice plan and ported my 20+ yr old number to my new T-Mo T989.

Beginning less than 12 hours after the port completed I have been receiving almost daily spam calls (selling things, credit cards etc etc). In my 20 years with AT&T I have not received (other than wrong numbers) a single call that of that type.

Seems more than a coincidence. Could it be because it is a PREPAID plan? Has anyone experienced this sort of thing?

mstrk242 · Dec 14, 2011

If you log into your tmobile account on the web, you can opt out of the crap. By default you are opted out of email marketing stuff, but not phone. (It's in the profile settings somewhere, I forget exactly where.)

ThC23 · Dec 14, 2011

Been with T-Mobile for almost 3 yrs and I haven't had any of that, but it's not a prepaid service so I don't know.
It could be caused by an app that you downloaded and you gave access to your info.

Powered by the SGSII....

MisterEdF · Dec 14, 2011

mstrk242 said:
If you log into your tmobile account on the web, you can opt out of the crap. By default you are opted out of email marketing stuff, but not phone. (It's in the profile settings somewhere, I forget exactly where.)

PrePaid doesn't have that option.

ThC23 said:
Been with T-Mobile for almost 3 yrs and I haven't had any of that, but it's not a prepaid service so I don't know.
It could be caused by an app that you downloaded and you gave access to your info.

Powered by the SGSII....

Nah. Doubt it's an app but I guess anything is possible. Had the identical apps for 2 years while on ATT.

JaiaV · Dec 14, 2011

No. T-Mobile does nothing of the sort. However, it isn't currently illegal for random advertisers to call your cell phone much like they used to to landlines for decades. You have to opt out of that, how I'm not sure at this time.

However, it's definitely not T-Mobile 'selling your phone number'. Your phone number is just public like everyone else's.

_eroz · Dec 14, 2011

JaiaV said:
No. T-Mobile does nothing of the sort. However, it isn't currently illegal for random advertisers to call your cell phone much like they used to to landlines for decades. You have to opt out of that, how I'm not sure at this time.

However, it's definitely not T-Mobile 'selling your phone number'. Your phone number is just public like everyone else's.

You can use the same site as for land lines, Do Not Call List. I have my phones listed there but occassionally I still get a few calls/texts that get through.

heygrl · Dec 14, 2011

I just got a new T-Mobile prepaid line and I have had T-Mobile contracts since 2009. No spam.. but that's not to say you aren't getting spammed yourself by either AT&T or T-Mobile.

grenademasta · Dec 14, 2011

MisterEdF said:
I have been with AT&T cellular in all their various incarnations continuously for over 20 years. About 4 weeks ago I switched over to T-Mo and went on their $30 unlimited data/text and 100 min PREPAID voice plan and ported my 20+ yr old number to my new T-Mo T989.

Beginning less than 12 hours after the port completed I have been receiving almost daily spam calls (selling things, credit cards etc etc). In my 20 years with AT&T I have not received (other than wrong numbers) a single call that of that type.

Seems more than a coincidence. Could it be because it is a PREPAID plan? Has anyone experienced this sort of thing?

You forgot about another possibility: Did AT&T sell your number or give it out free because they were pissed you left them? Lots of what if, but nothing proven.

Regardless of how these telemarketer ah's got your number, make sure to register with the National Do Not Call Registry. As of Feb 2008, once you register a number it no longer expires.
https://www.donotcall.gov/

jim93 · Dec 14, 2011

Switched from ATT to Tmobile with T989 launch. It sounds like a thirdparty must have obtained your number because no spam right here. Either Tmobile and ATT decided to only sell your number out of the millions of numbers they had or somebody else got your number and is selling it to spammers.

setzer715 · Dec 15, 2011

Although this is probably just a band aid, try Call Control from the market. It's what I use. You just load the numbers you don't want to hear from in the Black List and your good to go.

Oh, and it doesn't just send em to voice mail, it actually answers and then immediately hangs up the call without you knowing a thing. AWESOME app!!!

MisterEdF · Dec 15, 2011

_eroz said:
You can use the same site as for land lines, Do Not Call List. I have my phones listed there but occassionally I still get a few calls/texts that get through.

Do Not Call list has become a joke. I get calls on my home phone day after day from everything from Chimney sweeps to the infamous "Rachel from Cardholder services." . The "callers" know the feds will do nothing about it except on a very rare occasion just to show how they are "helping the people." All my numbers have been on that list since day 1 and renewed every 2 years,

MisterEdF · Dec 15, 2011

heygrl said:
I just got a new T-Mobile prepaid line and I have had T-Mobile contracts since 2009. No spam.. but that's not to say you aren't getting spammed yourself by either AT&T or T-Mobile.

20+ years with AT&T and never a "spam" call. 12 hours after porting to T-Mo the calls have started coming just about every day, Probably just a coincidence. Same thing for my wife's line.

a4 moda · Dec 15, 2011

If you instal an mp3 download program, it spams your phone like crazy. Maybe it's that?

If not, i.ve got nothing.

T989 Galaxy S2! !

MisterEdF · Dec 15, 2011

a4 moda said:
If you instal an mp3 download program, it spams your phone like crazy. Maybe it's that?

If not, i.ve got nothing.

T989 Galaxy S2! !

Never installed an MP3 program of any sort. Probably just coincidence. When I had 700/mins a month never got any spam calls now with only 100/min a month I've had a lot.

heygrl · Dec 15, 2011

MisterEdF said:
20+ years with AT&T and never a "spam" call. 12 hours after porting to T-Mo the calls have started coming just about every day, Probably just a coincidence. Same thing for my wife's line.

I'd say we would be hearing about it a lot more. I still doubt it's T-Mobile directly. Making it a habit of spamming new customers is not good for business. They have done texts before, but not a barrage of calls. AT&T should also be looked at.

billfromnet · Feb 25, 2015

They don't?

JaiaV said:
No. T-Mobile does nothing of the sort. However, it isn't currently illegal for random advertisers to call your cell phone much like they used to to landlines for decades. You have to opt out of that, how I'm not sure at this time.

However, it's definitely not T-Mobile 'selling your phone number'. Your phone number is just public like everyone else's.

I acquired a post-paid T-Mobile line for testing purposes (I'm a software developer) in December 2014. I have given the number to nobody; it is not used for me to call or be called. All incoming calls are forwarded to my PBX that records the calls. It responds with a recording and some DTMF tones to waste telemarketer time. Yesterday it received a call from someone selling a mortgage product who addressed me by name. Explain how that happened.

snackcakes · Jun 14, 2017

the do not call list doesn't stop it either. I've been with TMo for over 13 years, have been in the national do not call list for 9 years abd still daily I get at least three calls from robocalls, autodialers, sales people etc. It's become ridiculous. I have more blocked numbers in my phone now than numbers I use.

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[Q] Could T-Mobile be "selling" our phone numbers?

MisterEdF

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mstrk242

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ThC23

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MisterEdF

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JaiaV

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_eroz

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heygrl

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grenademasta

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jim93

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setzer715

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MisterEdF

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MisterEdF

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a4 moda

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MisterEdF

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heygrl

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billfromnet

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