Our family has not had a home telephone for years. Recently we had a need to have a fax machine at the house and our boys needed a phone to call their friends and family. After stressing about it and trying everything to not get a phone line for the house, we finally decided to go with a comcast phone.
We thought it would be nice to add it to our existing internet and television bill.
No one seemed to have a good complaint about them.
So, on tuesday afternoon the cable guy came out and fumbled through a swap out of my cable modem. At the end of the day, we had a new phone number (no one has ever had the number before). I thought this was cool so picked 4096 as the last four digits.
That was two days ago, today I’m working at home with the whole family (the snow is cold) and the phone rings, I answer it and am greeted by a sound I have not heard since I went to cell phones only – a freaking telemarketer! arrgh, two days into it and Comcast has already sold my number to Spot Security! Apparently both Comcast and Qwest do this with all the new numbers they give out. How annoying, I forgot to enter the new number into the Do Not Call registry…and event then I have 31 days of potential telemarketing to deal with….I’ll just turn off the phone until next month.
You’d think though that these companies who are supposedly up and coming and customer friendly, would be kind enough to offer a telemarketer opt-in for a reduced bill. Say $5 per month would be nice.
Josh's Wordpress Blog 
January 26, 2007 at 6:58 am |
You’re stupid. Haven’t you ever heard of phone companies recycling phone numbers? There are only so many combinations…you know. They don’t sell your information–it’s illegal!
March 9, 2011 at 8:21 am |
Julie you genius! Are there matching name and addresses that magically appear as well. Some people!
March 13, 2012 at 2:01 pm |
Seems Julie is the only stupid one of the bunch!
January 26, 2007 at 7:09 am |
Great feedback Julie….There are only so many combinations with 7 digits; however, the advent of the area code http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_code enabled a much larger range of numbers…. At one time (after the rise of cell phone popularity) it was thought the numbers would run out…but not all prefixes have been used in all area codes yet. This leads to re-divisioning area codes to fill in all of the possible prefixes within a single area code….
January 31, 2007 at 9:32 am |
Julie,
You may think that ‘Joshmaher’ is stupid, but you are 100% WRONG. Completely Wrong… I signed up for two voice numbers from Comcast. One for the family and one for a home office. It took nearly a week from the time of the order to get the numbers installed, and within 2 hours of the installer leaving, there were telemarketers calling for us BY NAME on both nunmbers. we did not even know the number ourself at that point, and had to look on our service contract to get the numbers to add to the Do Not Call registry. Even after registering, the calls continue to this day. You should always keep in mind that while misunderstandings are unfortunate, incorrect certainty based on assumption is what is stupid.
January 31, 2007 at 9:35 am |
By the way, when we ordered from Comcast, we elected to go with unlisted numbers, as we have done for years with the traditional phone companies. Our numbers are unlisted, and yet these telemarketers had them before we did.
Thanks for bringing this to light Josh!
January 31, 2007 at 9:50 am |
Sorry to hear you had this happen to you too Matt. It seems there should be some form or regulation against this sort of behavior, unfortunately I haven’t had the time to look into it further :(
February 15, 2007 at 10:02 am |
Comcast got me! 24 hours after hookup the telemarketers call from 8:30 AM to 11:30 PM. at least 12 calls aday.
I hate them!!
February 18, 2007 at 11:46 am |
I asked Comcast if they sold my number because I also had the same thing happen tpo me with the telemarketers and the person became defensive and denied it. I keep getting some recording that claims to be very inpotant and not a sales call. I enter them in my call screening list. I call it my $#&* LIST.
March 1, 2007 at 2:47 pm |
I’m dealing with this too. Comcast sold my number, I am sure of this. I will get in excess of ten calls in one day sometimes. I too went without a land line for some time and didn’t miss the telemarketers one bit. For a while, I had a Verizon land line. I registered the number with Do Not Call” and was fine. I’ve registered my comcast number last week and am still getting these calls. I’m about to cancel Comcast.
March 16, 2007 at 7:12 pm |
Just happened to me, too, from the same security company. When I called the Comcast rep he told me that it would cost $1.50 a month to keep my number unlisted. What a scam.
March 24, 2007 at 9:41 pm |
Unbelievable. Did the contract you signed have anything about selling your number in fine print? I think its wrong that they charge you to keep your number unlisted, too. That idea of yours isn’t a bad one, though. If they’re going to sell your number, you should have that amount of money they sold it for discounted from the bill, but then again, I don’t know if I would want telemarketers calling.
http://nationwidevpn.com
March 30, 2007 at 7:09 am |
Comcast does in fact sell your new phone number to telemarketers. I recently had Comcast phone service installed at my house, and within 3 days, I have already begun to receive calls from telemarketers. And I know this is not a case where the number was simply recycled because they asked for me by name when calling. This is a pretty slime-ball practice on Comcast’s part. I guess I will be disconnecting my phone for a month as well until my number takes in the DNC registry.
April 18, 2007 at 1:24 pm |
I have the same problem. Installed Comcast triple play 3 days ago and have been receiving telemarketing calls asking for me by name ever since. Does anybody know how or where to file a complaint. Comcast also lied when I asked them about this, denying they were the source, which is impossible since they knew my name and number hours after I had it installed.
April 23, 2007 at 8:07 am |
Listen, I work for Comcast. I cant say if they sell the numbers or not. (I wouldnt be suprised). I have had the same number since living where I live since 92. It was unlisted with the phone company. I switched over when we got comcast voice in our area with the same number and am paying the charge for an unpublished number for a year. Well now I just happened to notice in the phone book that my number is published in every book around along with my address and zipcode and on every directory listing on the internet where it wasnt before. Im am furious and thinking about seeing how far I can take this. How many others are like this and dont know it…Ill keep you posted
December 21, 2009 at 8:19 pm |
Dee,
Anybody and everybody that has Comcast phone service falls victim of personal information being sold off to the highest bidder. You can call Comcast and complain all you want and it will not do you a bit of good, Comcast even wants you to pay to have your number unlisted and unpublished for a fee and it still doesn’t keep them from selling your information to 3rd party companies. They are making money hand over foot just on their costumers information alone. I like many other people haven’t owned a home phone in years, my only means of communication was e-mail and cell phone. Being a computer guru and keeping my identity from falling into the wrong hands check the net frequently to see if my information would pop up. Nada, Zilch, None until I finally broke down and got sucked into the “Comcast Triple Play” Figured why not, my girls are becoming teenagers and wanted a cell phone of their own and having a home phone was the best solution for me. Then BAM! there I was.. not only was my number, my name and my address popping up on every phonebook, internet white pages but they even had a map on how to get to my house including who my mother, father and sister was. There’s got to be some type of security issue then can stop this madness.
April 24, 2007 at 9:45 am |
wow, that is interesting!! I looked at http://www.whitepages.com and my name/number did not come up.
Any chance you can find out more from Comcast?
April 25, 2007 at 2:54 am |
Being employed by them for a while now, I have made several friends or contacts within Comcast that have told me things that made even my jaw hit the floor. Ill see what I can find out about the number selling. I will also keep you posted on my situation which everyone is being really hush hush about it. My supervisor was told to tell me that they would refund the money I had paid for the unlisted number, and she laughed and said “Your kidding right”? Ive already told her that it would be a shame if it got in the local paper. Im not trying to really get anything out of them but Im more tired of the company pulling fast ones on customers
April 25, 2007 at 2:47 pm |
Thanks for your post! I suspected the same thing with my comcast. My husband and I got a comcast number when we moved 2 weeks ago, and now everyday my phone is ringing off the hook with telemarketers. Boooo!
April 26, 2007 at 12:46 am |
Same here – calls coming in within 3 hours of the line being installed, asking for me by name. Sleazy Comcast.
April 26, 2007 at 3:16 pm |
I have the same thing. i have had my phone number for less than a week. no one in my family or friends or myself even know the number. Yet somehow the telemarketers have it. i asked to speak to a supervisory at one of the telemarketers and they told me that many times new companies will sell your number to brokers who then sell the numbers to them. He advised me to put my number on the do not call list but it takes 30 days for the registration to complete. He basically confirmed form his tone of voice that comcast gave them my number. I hate comcast…..damn monopoly.
April 26, 2007 at 5:16 pm |
I had the same problem. We got our number on a monday. We transferred from Vonage. Within a day, we started receiving calls from telemarketers. Comcast assured us that they didn’t sell our number, but they offered no explanation for how people knew our names at the new number. At that point in time, we had only given it out to our parents. We were on the do not call list and our number was non published and unlisted. We got about 5 calls a day for 3 weeks. We are still telling people not to call us. I asked about the recycle numbers and they indicated that their numbers are put in hold status for 3 – 6 months, so that we don’t receive other’s numbers. But, regardless, that doesn’t explained how everyone who called us knew our name. Very irritated.
April 26, 2007 at 8:30 pm |
WOW!! that is 16 people total on here….and I’m sure there is a ton more who have not come across this blog or didn’t want to post. If it hits 30, I think I’ll have enough people to try and get comcast to respond (no I won’t use your name unless you want me to). I think bringing the number of 30 claims to them, or the news, etc is an impressive number though…..
any other people have this issue?
April 27, 2007 at 3:27 am |
I have some people that I can trust looking into the selling of numbers. One other thing they did in our area, when the launched CDV they had to “turn down” the bandwith that the HD signal uses to make room for CDV. I have a really nice LCD TV and I noticed that the quality of pix wasnt much better than Digital. I asked the head end people and they flat out told me it was turned down
April 30, 2007 at 4:13 pm |
Comcast is the devil. I’ve had their stupid phone for a week and I’m getting 10 calls a day. The shitty part is that they talked me into their phone service with their cable/internet package. I loved Vonage and didn’t want to switch. Congrats Comcast…You just lost a customer. Not that you care.
May 1, 2007 at 4:05 pm |
Ugh!!! Apparently I am not alone. For me, as I already had digital, a dvr and high speed internet, the triple play upgrade was too good to miss. With Verizon, I had a few telemarketers but nothing serious. I added myself to the do not call list and they went away. Comcast thouugh stole the cake… I got my new number and KABOOM. The day after the phone goes on I can literally get in excess of 4 calls an hour from telemarketers… thankfully none in the early morning ( I leave for work at 6 AM) and none too late at night… sure, I have fun with them making wild, outlandish conversation and wasting their time, but I cannot wait for my new do not call registry to kick in.
May 1, 2007 at 10:01 pm |
I also work for comcast and know for a fact they have to sell there numbers. A customer called in saying that he had the number for 2 hours and that a telemarketer called him by the wrong name, he called me and found out his name was spelled that way in our system and that we were the only ones to spell his name like that. The way i look at it its not really illegal because of the fact that its actaully comcast’s number and that you are just renting it from them and that its for “entertainment” purposes only. its not a utility and comcast isnt regulated under fcc standards. i am in no way defending comcast but it seems like it actaully is legal for them to sell it, now another company can’t sell your number but comcast can becuase legally its there number. you cancel service it goes in our pool, you port the number out it goes to the other company so on so on. all an unpublished number does is not put your name in the phonebook or on the 411 directory assistence. hsady yes but legal
May 8, 2007 at 8:58 am |
Thanks to this post and all your comments I’ve steered clear of comcast. I had comcast internet with vonage phone, and called comcast to switch to comcast phone. I didn’t do it because the rep said they had trouble transfering phone numbers from vonage. Then I did a search and ended up here, so the phone porting issue combined with the telemarketing issue told me to stay away.
I don’t know if this is any better, but I’m switching to verizon fios internet and verizon digital phone. They said they would have no problem switching my phone number from vonage. The price ends up being the same as I’m paying now (plus another $5 to stay unlisted) and hopefully the call quality will be better and more reliable.
May 8, 2007 at 9:53 pm |
There is no problem porting a number from vonage to comcast. it may take longer because vonage take forever to give up there number to any company. even with verizon it will take about 5-15 days to port your number over. plus update on this scam, you can call in to comcast and tell them to put privacy on your account meaning they wont call you and they wont give away your number to anyone. and of course verizon wont have any problem switching your number from vonage because verizon is sueing vonage like no other. vonage cant even get new customers because of verizon. oh and did you know that verizon claims to have unlimited minutes but once you hit 5000 minutes they invistagate your account and may even end up cancalling your account because you used more then 5000 minutes? word to the wise
May 9, 2007 at 2:55 am |
Ryan. Comcast is regulated by the FCC. Look up Separable Security. Which is an FCC mandated program No they do not have any right to sell your number when your paying for the service.The for entertainment purposes is just a term they use to keep them out of court with the high speed internet. Verizon FIOS is in my neighborhood and the service and quality you receive is something Comcast can only dream of having. My neighbor installed it and I watched the entire install…..AMAZING.
The Comcast system (at least in my area) which acccording to Brian Roberts is the most profit per customer system in the country, is the most cobbled together, unreliable and spread thin system in the country. We have to turn down HD signal to make room for CDV, the call quality is less than par, and they pay the lowest wages in the system and expect 20 dollar per hour work. are call center is a laughing stock. They have the highest turnover in the country and I could go on but you get the point
May 16, 2007 at 6:36 pm |
Well, after days of telemarketers calling, I have had about 30 calls since Monday. I talked with customer service, and the guy assured me that they do not sell there numbers. The cs person just kept telling me that it is already on the net. Well, I was like ok, when I put my name in there it comes up with a number that I had 5 years ago. At that point, I told him that it takes months even years before it gets on the net. So, of course he thought he was going to prove me wrong and pulled up Anywho.com, and of course the number didn’t come up, and he suggested a nonpublished phone number with charges to go along with it. Well, like many of you said, they are calling and asking for us by name. If it weren’t for my roommate needing telephone service, we wouldn’t have chosen comcast. I didn’t really have a choice. And to top it all off, we had nothing but trouble getting the triple play installed. It took over a week before the service worked correctly.
May 21, 2007 at 4:24 am |
Well As you all know Im emplyed by Comcast (the blogger formely known as Dee) and I was informed that if I or my wife or anything goes into the opinion page from someone else concerning my “unlisted” number that I could count my days left with comcast on one hand. So I have to wonder how much this would get comcast in trouble
May 22, 2007 at 10:48 am |
HEY GUYS I KNO COMCAST IS FULL OF IT BUT WHEN I USED THIER SERVICE THE PRICES CONTINUE TO RIZE (RISE)
SO WENT TO THE NET AND FOUND CAVALIER 3 -PROG. AND ITS LOVELY
COST ABOUT $80 A-MONTH AND I USED SKYPE FOR LONG DIS. PAID $29 A YR TO MAKE CALLS TO ANY PHONE IN USA AND CANADA
SO GUYS DROP THEM AND EXERCISE YO GIVEN RIGHT TO GET BETTER
PRICE, SERVICE , MAINTENANCE ETC GET WHAT U NEED AND FORGET COMCAST.
THE MARKET IS OPENING UP, HEARD THIER IS A INTERNET PHONE COMING, SO BUY THE PHONE AND BASICALLY SERVICE WOULD BE FREE.
UNTIL THE BOYS ( LAWMAKERS ) GET TO IT :)
May 24, 2007 at 3:49 am |
Comcast sold my number too. I lived in a house where I had Verizon Fios/phone and Directv and I moved to an apartment where Comcast was all I would be allowed to get. A day after I got my Comcast phone number I started getting calls from telemarketers who were asking for me by name all day long. I called Comcast and asked them how the telemarketers got my info and they said they had no clue how it could have happened but that they don’t sell the info. I basically told them they are full of crap and setup my Comcast service to bee cancelled in a month as I am moving again for my job and will be moving into a house where I won’t need Shitcast anymore.
May 28, 2007 at 6:39 pm |
I signed up for Comcast Voice like a month ago — I started getting phone calls from telemarketers, not only in english, but also in spanish and vietnamese.
I called and requested the number to be unlisted — my number is on the DNC list — but yet they are asking for me by name (first and last). The sheriff’s office called me asking for a donation, credit card companies, etc…
I live in San Jose, California — I haven’t had a landline since 2001, so again Julie — it’s unsolicited targeted calls.
Comcast has some explaining to do, when it comes to our phone numbers being published. Furthermore, online web sites don’t have my number, yet telemarketers with a special comcast phone book do?
Lastly, Comcast should be protecting it’s customers who sign up for their Digital Voice service — by asking if they want their numbers unlisted, and to also suggest placing their new phone number on the Do Not Call Registry; instead of just turning on anonymous call blocking.
I love “Out of Area” numbers… N O T!
June 2, 2007 at 2:34 pm |
I am having the same problem. Within 24 hours of getting Digital Voice I have had 4-5 telemarketers per day call and ask for me by name. I have tried enabling Anonymous Call Blocking but Comcast must immunize these telemarketers from being blocked with unlisted numbers.
June 14, 2007 at 10:20 pm |
they do sell your address, I know that for a fact. Signed up with them a few months ago. They spelled my first name as Micheal instead of Michael. For the last month or so I’ve been getting a ton of junk mail and solicitations with the wrong spelling of my name which never used to happen. I think it’s pretty sleazy, actually. I have also gotten a lot of telemarketers on the phone line (also through Comcast). I just asked each one of them to remove me from the list when they call. They have died down.
June 18, 2007 at 1:08 pm |
goddamnitz my comcast phone ..too many telemarketers, and when i ask where they got my #.. form a new phone list they said. 15 calls my first week
June 22, 2007 at 4:20 pm |
They have to sell your number I had my number for about 1 year with cavalier, I received no solicitations, in fact our phone barely rung. I decided to change over to Comcast and take my existing number with me 1 day later the phone calls started and haven’t stopped, I mean I don’t need solicitation from “Girls Gone Wild”. When I called Comcast to asked them did they in fact sell my number, I was given some lame explanation that my number is not unlisted that’s probably why I getting the calls what do I say to that “Bull*88t!”
June 27, 2007 at 7:57 am |
Make $$$ while you can Comcast … because when FIOS hit’s my neighborhood I’m smashing your modem with a hammer. The spam calls are out of control.
I added my #’s to Do Not Call … but what a joke, I can’t believe they’d be so shortsighted as to whore out our numbers out of the box like that.
I can only imagine the info they are selling regarding Internet usage.
July 6, 2007 at 2:42 pm |
My neighbor told me she wants to get rid of her comcast phone.
She said she heard that they own the number, and if she went with someone else she’d have to change the number she has had for 29 years!
How wrong is that???
July 12, 2007 at 9:10 am |
Makes you wonder…I recently moved to a new home and had Comcast broadband hooked up. The new telephone service was a conventional one from Qwest. Outside of the electric company and our realtor, no one but family members had our new phone number…except Comcast who we called to have internet service established before we moved in. Within days–you got it–a daily diet of recorded telemarketing pitches and a few local marketing calls (the local newspaper, etc) from living beings. This seems to suggests that Comcast is giving out all of its customers’ phone numbers, not just those who get their phone service with Comcast. Sleazy indeed if in fact true. Has anyone else had this experience?
July 20, 2007 at 5:43 pm |
I had an unpublished phone number through Comcast. I changed to the triple play plan and without my knowledge they outed my phone number. You can’t even imagine how furious I was to see not only my phone number, but my address in the directory. I’ve had this unpublished number for over 20 years and now have to cancel it and get a new number so it can be unpublished again. Comcast’s explanation: Yeah, we know you ordered an unpublished number, but somehow a different code was put on it and now it’s published. They offered me a $40 credit for the aggravation. How ridiculous! I’m not sure if there’s any legal recourse for this, but if there is I would love to pursue it.
August 1, 2007 at 4:35 pm |
Here’s another sold number. Idiots at Comcast spelled my name very wrong, in such a way that you’d pronounce it differently. I know right away when a telemarketer is one of theirs, because they my name the same way Comcast spells it.
Had Optimum Online for many years and while they weren’t perfect, at least they didn’t do this.
August 10, 2007 at 11:12 pm |
Oh yes me too, they do indeed sell your phone number, I had my phone number installed with the first letter missing on my first name, within a day I was receiving calls for Ayna, ha ha my name is Dayna, so each call I get like this I know FU*(ing Comcast sold it. It’s a joke now on my caller id when I call out of my home, my sister now calls me Ayna. Oh and there is no such thing as free installation, they lie, did everyone get the first bill like me, I called them and they took $50 off, but it was suppose to be free. They suck.
August 11, 2007 at 12:02 pm |
I realize this is an old blog post, but just wanted to chime in and say the exact same thing happened to me. Comcast sucks.
August 14, 2007 at 1:35 am |
I’m getting Comcast CDV installed today. I will post back here if telemarketers start calling.
We have had a non-listed number for a number of years with our previous analog phone provider and it is also in the DNC registry. I hope it isn’t as bad as it sounds but if it is, I am already prepared to turn off all ringers on my phones and get a pager. People who I know can page me and i’ll call them back.
August 14, 2007 at 3:57 am |
A word from the wise:
I have never been a fan of comcast. BUt it goes deeper than that. I should say, Iam no fan of companies that have a monopoly in their market. Comcast has never provided any type of quality service. Then they started offering phone service. Do you really want that from them? I prefer to breakup my services as much as possible. With AT&T phone service we got calls from all over on our phone number for other people and telemarketers. We called AT&T and expained the issue and had them give us a new phone number with 800 service blocking (kills off alot of telemarketers). When told it would cost to do so, I explained that maybe it would be easier to just disconnect the phone line. We then got it for free. No more calls except from those that have our new number now.
Why anyone would give comcast,verison, and anyone that exists in the monopoly market all your service is beyond me. Break them up and give phone service to an actual phone company that doesnt go over the internet.
August 14, 2007 at 7:22 am |
I posted on this site close to 3 months ago and people are still complaining, we can’t all be crazy. I say we should get together and make comcast pay for there greed and inconsideration for there customers.
August 15, 2007 at 7:45 am |
Its not just Comcast folks, same thing happened to me when I got the phone service through Charter.
August 16, 2007 at 6:58 pm |
A similar thing has happened to me with AT&T. After years of using mobile telephones as my main telephones, I grew tired of high overage charges with my then-current carrier, T-Mobile, so I decided to try land line service. I was rewarded with technical problems, terrible customer service (outdoing Dell and its offshore workers who tend to speak barely understandable English, AT&T managed to find what seem to be native speakers who nonetheless speak barely understandable English), and LOTS and LOTS and LOTS of telemarketing calls, sometimes with telemarketers asking for me by name and often with automated systems.
August 17, 2007 at 2:29 pm |
It is no joke. I actually have some shares in Comcast and am going to sell them. This is horrible.
I signed up for Comcast phone service (Triple Play) and they mispelled my name. I also signed up and pay extra monthly for an un-listed number. I was getting phone calls from telemarketer within 2 days calling me by my mispelled name!! I called up Comcrap and they told me they don’t sell numbers. I told them the situation and how I knew it was them and the rep asked my to hold for a moment and then he transfered me into the void. I called back and spoke to the next rep. I asked for this persons name.. Jami. Fine Jami, what office are you at (I figured I would get the reps contact info becasue every rep who I talk to about the situation asks me who did you talk to? Time to make them accountable). She tells me it is agaist Comcast policy for her to tell me. Oh my god!! what’s is going on here. At anyrate, she then proceeds to tell me that my number is not published and they can and do sell marketing information to third parties.
At this point I am furious. I tell her to have them stop selling my information or else I am going to cancel my service or sue them for all the time of mine they are wasting and I am told that I won’t ever be able to sue them as my TOS that I am bound to will only allow arbitration and that I am elcome to cancel but i’ll need to pay the cancellation fee for breaking the contract. What are you talking about! Sir, calm down. I am asking you to stop selling your customers out! I then proceed that they are breaking the contract by betraying … Click, dial tone. She actually hung up on me. No wonder she wouldn’t give me her rep id, contact name, etc.
Why am I paying to have this in my life? I am searching for another solution and I do not care at what cost. I am kicking Comcast out of the house. I would also recommend anyone with comcast stock sell it quick becasue unless they change this trend, people will eventually stand up from their kindness and say enough is enough.
August 21, 2007 at 2:36 pm |
I had Vonage for over a year with absolutely NO solicitations. We moved and decided we’d save money by “bundling our services” (actually they didn’t have Qwest in our area or we would have saved more!)
The day after we had the phone hooked up with Comcast Digital Voice we got wrong number phone calls for the people who lived at our house before us (Comcast sells your address too!) and we got phone calls for solicitations. The companies who called (Insurance companies, Alarm companies, credit card companies!!!) asked for me or my husband by name! There is no way that our phone number was mistaken for another with our name, and even if it is listed in the phone directory, our name isn’t by the next day! We hadn’t given our number out to anyone by then either. Comcast says that they don’t sell, but it is obvious that they do!
August 21, 2007 at 2:44 pm |
Oh! And I can’t believe I forgot to mention the fact that one of the people that I spoke to on the phone said that my “Comcast company” gave them my info.!!! Straight from the horses mouth!
August 23, 2007 at 7:06 am |
I just switched from AT&T land line phones (which I’ve had for millions of years) to Comcast and, although it took almost 2 weeks, I’m now getting solicitation calls. The incoming caller ID says UKNOWN number and UNKNOWN for name so I think that’s how Comcast must tell them they can get through. Comcast’s call screening only works on numbers you know or numbers that have caller ID blocked. So, there is no way I can block these kinds of calls though any Comcast feature.
After reading through all these reports, I answered one of these incoming UNKNOWN number calls and the lady was kind enough to answer my questions. By the way, she did ask for me by my last name. I asked her where they got my number and she told me it comes directly from the phone service provider. She said it just comes up on a screen they have. So, there you have it. Another verification from a solicitation caller they get this information from the phone company. It’s has to be Comcast providing the numbers because they would never be able to match your name to a new number otherwise.
My question is whether there is anything that could be done to stop this. Of course, in fine print in the TOS, they have you by the gonads, but it’s funny how public pressure and a lot of negative press will cause a company to concede on certain issues. I’m thinking about sending this web site link to Clark Howard in Atlanta, who is one of our local consumer reporters. He loves stuff like this.
September 2, 2007 at 11:35 am |
Verizon does the same thing. I recently got a business line from them. The moment the line was activated, the out of state sales calls started. They asked for me by name. I wasn’t listed with 411 yet, that takes anywhere from 10-14 days, As a mater of fact I had to call a few times to get them to list me in the directory.
September 2, 2007 at 7:52 pm |
Ok, we had Comcast installed (Triple Play- sounded like a great deal). Oh, and they brought us the wrong box (supposed to have the DVR). Our bill is all messed up, we’re getting double-charged for some reason, and to top all…(ta da!)
We got our first telemarketing call this morning at 11:00 AM. On a freaking SUNDAY MORNING! The nerve! I’m dealing with Comcast for the next month, and then switching services when we move.
September 4, 2007 at 11:17 am |
That’s great- now what do we do about it? What CAN we do about it- Nothing. F-n waste of my time getting all the solicitors- put yourself on the national do not call list- and file complaints after 30 days. Comcast sux.
September 4, 2007 at 11:38 am |
Qwest does the same thing! We signed up for a Qwest number and telemarketers started calling the next day. Not only that, but we started receiving tons of junk mail. I know it’s from Qwest because they have my name spelled wrong and everything that’s coming in is with the same misspelled name. I called Qwest and initially they denied selling my information telling me that it would be illegal. After prodding them a bit and telling them I could prove it was them, they put me on hold, came back and told me that they’ve removed me from all consumer lists. “Spirit of Service” my A#@. They asked me if I wanted my name corrected in the system and I told them I’d rather them have the wrong name so I could continue to track the amount of junk mail and telemarketing calls coming in from them.
September 5, 2007 at 4:19 pm |
After several peaceful years with an unlisted number and without annoyance calls with a Verizon landline, and then ViaTalk VoIP (although their quality of service is poor), I switched to CDV and within days the telemarketing calls began. When I upgraded to Triple Play, I forgot to request an unlisted number. Well, I did that today, and also signed up at the Do Not Call registry. Here’s hoping things will improve.
God! I hate this.
September 8, 2007 at 7:59 am |
Well, I think I’ve solved my problem. I bought a Person-to-Person Interceptor ID unit that plugs into the phone line. In the Simple setting, it blocks all calls coming in that have no name and no number listed. That’s the majority of my telemarketing people right there. You can also add in any number you want to block as well as wildcards. So, you could block all 800, 876 type numbers. So far it’s working great – better than anything the phone company ever had. If anyone is interested, you can check them out on http://www.privacycorps.com and see more about the device. This seems to give me a lot more control over who can call me and when than anything else has, including the No Call list. You just have to have caller ID for this to work.
September 13, 2007 at 7:17 am |
Indeed, I got two numbers installed and now I get called non stop by telemarketres =(
September 13, 2007 at 8:26 am |
Mine is slightly different. I had Time Warner. They offered to set up my service with any listing I would like, even a different name/initials with a number/no number with an address/no address just a city or just a state or unlisted/unpublished. I was told the price was all inclusive. I went with unlisted/unpublished, made my line “private” and blocked anonymous calls. I had just relocated and was happy with the idea that the address would not be “out there”. Was able to avoid calls and lots of junk mail. Silly me.
Then, the change over to Comcast (we are told they are one in the same). We receive correspondance telling us nothing will change except our messaging center and email (which I wasn’t using at the time). I get mail (BTW, I have the trio, RR, phone and cable) the cable is changing, less channels same price. If you read the fine print, it is actually a little more with a line up change and it balanced out. But, hey we were told.
Service was sacrificed during the transition, still at times. I will say the calls seem clear, definately louder. A little loud for me but others like it better. The transition date was 07/01/07. A couple of weeks ago I make a call and get asked, hey no longer private? Then I tried calling the only person I know that does not accept blocked calls so I press *82 and it says not available on my line. I think, they must be working, next day, still… Then I get worried. I call. Holds since transition seem worse, much worse. I try chat, through the FAQ I learn I can redo the anonymous call block and how but still wonder why do I need to? I wait and wait, rep says will make me back “private” can’t say why nor who authorized the change. Says, will take 72 biz hours. Three days later, I try again. This time as I’m waiting I think let’s check whitepages.com (I don’t know why, bored probably.) And, there we were! :(
Rep says you need to call CS for that. I do, Hold. Hold, then told don’t know what happened and for 4.95$ we can unlist you. I check with 411, there too. So, he did explain that for 4.95$/month he can choose to unlist me again. Never mind that it is already out there. Mind you the rest of the changes still haven’t happened it’s been over a week. Then I asked for a supervisor who never came. I left a message and it’s been 4 days, no returned call. That is 4 biz days. Still not private!
I emailed the chat people just for the heck of it. I asked where can I get help? They said wait 48 hrs and someone will reply. I replied, again. This time the message that follows came:
“We apologize for the inconvenience. Unfortunately, we are unaware as to why the calls have not been returned. If messages were left with supervisors. you should have been contacted in 48 hours.
When the changeover to Comcast occurred, customers that were set up through the old system and not previously being charged for an unlisted number, were automatically changed to listed. We do apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused, but the feature can be added for $4.95/month. …
Thank you for choosing Comcast.
Sincerely, Kanashi
Comcast E-Care support”
So, for $4.95 they will unlist my number. Mind you it is on the 411 and internet already. I am not dumb, if they gave me a new number then it would still show my address. I had moved, so much for privacy. And, worse if I had known I would have paid the 4.95 to avoid this!
If you go to whitepages they do offer to unlist you which I did, but they also tell you they get your info from the listee and all the other sites you need to contact to avoid it happening again, a long list. And, of course tell you there could be more. Some of these put you through hoops and then ask for your ID. If I had this kind of time and abilitly I would never had aske for private, I would have done it myself.
I do wonder, how many others do not know they were published? I told myself I would check every 6 and did just before the change over. I know many that just entrust.
I can’t trust them anymore, you can also see that these sites will show, you can view previous listings (in case I wasn’t bright enough to change the number again while unlisting again!). I tried Time Warner because I was avoiding AT&T and all of it’s entities (insisted on billing me though I disconnected three months prior (with proof sent twice from their own SBC and themselves!). So, now I have to find someone else. Someone not related to AT&T and Comcast, gettin thin out there!
This, just can’t be undone. So, so very sad that this can happen. You know, shame I can’t just deduct $ from their bill from all the waiting, broken service and all the errors incurred in my accounts now and the times the techs have not come, they would cancel me. Yes, if you call they will lower your bill for the days service not provided but then again, they claim this wasn’t their service. ?
Sad, my time is money, it’s precious and I refuse to let them take it for free. If a telemarketer calls me I am now answering COMCAST, how may I help you? Till I find a new carrier that is!
September 21, 2007 at 9:02 pm |
I just recently signed up for Comcast cable, and they spelled my name wrong when taking down my info! Funny how the tons of junk mail I’ve received since also has the name spelled incorrectly.
September 29, 2007 at 9:01 am |
Verizon does it with their residential, business and Fios telephone service. When the paintball gun store i work for moved and got new numbers, we were slammed with telemarketers. The phone rang so often with junk calls It was a joke.
October 6, 2007 at 7:00 am |
I would just like to chime in and say I had the same distasteful experience with Comcast beginning in early August. The company denied selling my number, but I too talked to supervisors at the telemarketing firms that called, and was told that they had gotten my name and number from a list of new phones installed.
If you have another way to get high speed internet, then I strongly recommend a digital phone company called Viatalk (http://www.viatalk.com) — half the price of Comcast’s digital voice, much easier to use, and ultra reliable. In 5 years as a ViaTalk customer, I never once had a telemarketing call.
October 10, 2007 at 2:16 pm |
ha ha ha. this is so silly. it is funny to read what people assume when they know nothing about how telecom companies and telemarketing companies work. makes me smile to know i am not looking like a fool for the whole world to see.
:-P
keep complaining, it is a fairly funny hobby.
October 12, 2007 at 6:31 am |
But know-it-all nope, but you sure are looking like an a-hole for the world to see.
OK, back to the venting of frustrations that has helped us all feel a bit better in that we’re not alone in dealing with evil comcast! I of course have had same problems as everyone else – telemarketers calling, and Comcast spelled my name incorrectly so that you pronounce it differently, so I know they got my number from comcast. By the way, that is another very frustrating thing – if anyone has suggestions on how to get Comcast to spell your name properly after it’s set up incorrectly in their system, please share. I have called them 10 times to try to resolve that issue and they cannot get it right. They tell me it’s resolved, and it’s not….
October 22, 2007 at 2:03 pm |
The service I have, Verizon, is bad!
Bad service!
Setup will not work for new modem!
Comcast is just as bad as that!
But at least Verizon does have more multi tasking than you see on comcast online!
October 23, 2007 at 8:05 pm |
I haven’t heard anyone suggest leaving Comcast for a better service. Try Packet8. Better quality and cheaper. I could get a line of site high speed wireless (still slower than comcast) but then I wouldn’t be able to get my basic cable for free. Not that I watch television.
October 27, 2007 at 12:11 pm |
Try buying a phone with an answerign machine. I had telemarketers calling and my phone showed 10-15 calls a day. It was troublesome listening and deleting those telemarketers….So I bought a bellsouth phone and as soon as the mesage was played telemarketers or anyone who didnt leave a message wasn’t recorded and the number displayed just the calls who leave a message. Then all I had was 2-3 legitimate messages a day. Telemarketers don’t like to leave messages. Unfortunately that phone is gone and now I have telemarketers calling and I let my wife tell them, “no thanks, please remove me from your list. Since she bought the phone, lol.
October 31, 2007 at 8:12 am |
I’m dealing with the exact same thing. Not one full day after Comcast installed the phone (which I didn’t even want – but the cable/internet package was cheaper with the phone than without it – now I know why), I started getting calls from telemarketers asking for me by name. So, I know they got the number from Comcast. And because of this, I’ll probably yank the Comcast service. It’s bad enough that they charge exorbitant rates for their service, but they are double-dipping. At the very least, they should provide the phone service for free if they’re going to sell the numbers.
F*** Comcast!
November 13, 2007 at 3:06 pm |
Within 2 hours of getting comcast phoen service the first call was a telemarketer! Not a friend or family member a lousy person asking me if I need security service. Then it was a magazine company and another security company and then another telecom company. Register your # IMMEDIATELY upon receiveing it on teh http://www.donotcall.org website.
IT hasnt even been a week and I have gotten 17 phone calls all from telemarketers. Why Comcast sells the info I dont understand, they sure dont need the money.
November 15, 2007 at 11:19 am |
I called first to inquire about cable, and the operator tried to get me to get the entire triple-play package. I didn’t want it. She proceeded to hound me with questions; Why don’t you want it, how are you going to get online, do you already have service, from who, etc… I almost hung up the phone on her because she wouldn’t back off even after politely telling her it was none of her business and it had nothing to do with my original inquiry.
Ended up getting cable with them ANYWAY and it was so ridiculous how they did a customer satisfaction survey over the phone WITH the cable guy standing there, and I had to do it over HIS CELL PHONE with the operator asking me to hand the phone back to the cable guy so that she could ask HIM questions.. You honestly expect an accurate survey with the person standing right there??
A few weeks later I decided I wanted internet service and wanted to compare prices. I called Comcast/Optimum JUST to get a price, and the operator was SO PUSHY. I told him i was merely price shopping, and once again, I refused to answer all his questions about “Why don’t you want to add phone service and just get triple-play; So you’re telling me you already have phone service; how do you make phone calls; who’s your provider,” etc.. I didn’t call asking about phone service! I got so annoyed I told him thanks but I had no more questions. He then tells me he’ll call me back on Wednesday of that week to check in, and I told him NO, that I do NOT want him calling back to “check in” on me. He completely ignored me and continued with, “Ok, then I’ll call you Friday” I said, “Do NOT call me”. Once again, he ignored me, at which point I just hung up the phone.
Guess who hasn’t stopped receiving calls from them for the past 2 weeks..I ignore it when I see the 3-digit number pop up.. I never even gave them my phone number!!
Forget the telemarketers..I wish COMCAST would stop harassing me!!
November 21, 2007 at 6:40 pm |
Do you people have caller I.D.? I do. Do you people have Comcast telephone service? I do.
After receiving a number of calls from people that I didn’t want to talk to (Telemarketers and family members that caused me problems), I did a search on the internet about blocking annoying telephone numbers. I was even thinking of paying for such a service.
One internet site that I went to said to dial *60 (star 60). I did and LO AND BEHOLD, IT WORKED! a recording came on and asked me what number to add (or remove). I added a couple of annoying numbers and never heard from those annoying people again!!!
I don’t know if it is a universal service or a hidden phone company service or a never mentioned Comcast service. I don’t know. I do know that I never requested such a service from anyone. Whatever it is, it works for me. Try it and if it works, spread the word!
November 29, 2007 at 4:06 pm |
We just transferred our number from AT&T to comcast last weekend. Our number is on the do not call registry and has been for 3 years. Just today I received 8 survey, 3 credit card and 2 charity donation seeking calls, when that number was about 1 every 2 months. When you mention about being removed from thier list or that youre on the do not call list they hang up and say nothing.. then call back later.
Comcast does give your number to marketers. Shame on them.
Assholes!
December 4, 2007 at 12:35 pm |
Just so you guys know…you can find this practice is (unfortanately) legal. It’s in Comcast’s privacy practice notice to customers. Here’s an excerpt:
How does Comcast use personally identifiable information and CPNI?
We collect, maintain, and use personally identifiable information and CPNI as permitted by the Cable Act and the Telecommunications Act and other applicable laws. We use this information primarily to conduct business activities related to providing you with our cable service and other services, and to help us detect theft of service. Generally speaking, we use personally identifiable information in connection with:
billing and invoicing;
administration;
surveys;
collection of fees and charges;
marketing;
service delivery and customization;
maintenance and operations;
technical support;
hardware and software upgrades; and
fraud prevention.
More specifically, we also use personally identifiable information to:
install, configure, operate, provide, support, and maintain our cable service and other services;
confirm you are receiving the level(s) of service requested and are properly billed;
identify you when changes are made to your account or services;
make you aware of new products or services that may be of interest to you;
understand the use of, and identify improvements to, our services;
detect unauthorized reception, use, or abuse of our services;
determine whether there are violations of any applicable policies and terms of service;
manage the network supporting our services;
configure cable service and other service-related devices; and
comply with law.
The Telecommunications Act further permits Comcast to use, disclose, and permit access to CPNI obtained from our customers, either directly or indirectly, to:
initiate, render, bill, and collect for telecommunications services;
protect our rights and property, and protect our users of these services and other carriers from fraudulent, abusive, or unlawful use of, or subscription to, these services;
provide any inbound telemarketing, referral, or administrative services to you for the duration of the call, if you initiated the call and you approve of the use of this information to provide these services; and
to provide call location information concerning the user of a commercial mobile phone service.
With respect to phone services, unless we obtain your approval in accordance with our policies described below under “How do I give or withhold my approval for Comcast to use CPNI to market additional products and services to me?” Comcast may not use CPNI to market products and services to you other than the phone services.
Comcast transmits, and may collect and store for a period of time, personally identifiable and non-personally identifiable information about you when you use our high-speed Internet and phone services to:
send and receive e-mail, video mail, and instant messages;
transfer and share files;
make files accessible;
visit websites;
place or receive calls;
leave and receive voice mail messages;
use the Comcast Digital Voice Center (where available);
establish custom settings or preferences;
communicate with us for support; or
otherwise use the services and their features.
Our transmission, collection, and storage of this information is necessary to render the services. In certain situations, third-party service providers may transmit, collect, and store this information on our behalf to provide features of our services. These third parties are not permitted to use your personally identifiable information except for the purpose of providing these features.
We may also combine personally identifiable information, which we collect as described in this notice as part of our regular business records, with personally identifiable information obtained from third parties for the purpose of creating an enhanced database or business records. We may use this database and these business records in marketing and other activities related to our cable service and other services. We also maintain records of research concerning subscriber satisfaction and viewing habits, which are obtained from subscriber interviews and questionnaires.
III. Disclosure
Under what circumstances may Comcast disclose personally identifiable information to others?
Comcast considers the personally identifiable information contained in our business records to be confidential. The Cable Act authorizes Comcast as a cable operator to disclose personally identifiable information concerning any subscriber for the following purposes if the disclosure is:
necessary to render, or conduct a legitimate business activity related to, the cable service or other services provided to the subscriber;
required by law or legal process (described below under “When is Comcast required by law to disclose personally identifiable information and CPNI by law?”); or
of the names and addresses of subscribers for “mailing list” or other purposes (subject to each subscriber’s right to prohibit or limit this disclosure and the CPNI Policy described below under “How do I place myself on Comcast’s ‘do not call’ and ‘do not mail’ lists?”).
The Cable Act prohibits us from disclosing personally identifiable information concerning any subscriber for any purposes other than those listed above without the subscriber’s prior written or electronic consent.
To whom may Comcast disclose personally identifiable information?
We may disclose personally identifiable information as provided for in the Cable Act when it is necessary to render, or conduct a legitimate business activity related to, the cable service or other services we provide to you. These kinds of disclosures typically involve billing and collections, administration, surveys, marketing, service delivery and customization, maintenance and operations, and fraud prevention, for example. We may also collect, use, and disclose information about you in non-personally identifiable or aggregate formats, such as ratings surveys and service usage and other statistical reports, which do not personally identify you, your particular viewing habits, or the nature of any transaction you have made over the cable system. The frequency of any disclosure of personally identifiable information varies in accordance with our business needs and activities.
The Cable Act authorizes Comcast as a cable operator to disclose limited personally identifiable information to others, such as charities, marketing organizations, or other businesses, for cable or non-cable “mailing list” or other purposes. From time to time we may disclose your name and address for these purposes. However, you have the right to prohibit or limit this kind of disclosure by contacting us by telephone at 1-800-COMCAST or by sending us a written request as described below under “How do I contact Comcast?” Any “mailing list” and related disclosures that we may make are limited by the Cable Act to disclosures of subscriber names and addresses where the disclosures do not reveal, directly or indirectly, (i) the extent of any viewing or other use by the subscriber of a cable service or other service provided by us; or (ii) the nature of any transaction made by the subscriber over our cable system.
We may sometimes disclose personally identifiable information about you to our affiliates or to others who work for us. We may also disclose personally identifiable information about you to outside auditors, professional advisors, service providers and vendors, potential business merger, acquisition, or sale partners, and regulators. We make these disclosures as provided for in the Cable Act. Typically, we make these disclosures when the disclosure is necessary to render, or conduct a legitimate business activity related to, the cable service or other services we provide to you. We may be required by law or legal process to disclose certain personally identifiable information about you to lawyers and parties in connection with litigation and to law enforcement personnel. We may also disclose certain personally identifiable information about you to third parties such as, for example, charities, marketing organizations, or other businesses, in connection with disclosures made for “mailing list” or other purposes as described above under “To whom may Comcast disclose personally identifiable information?”
If we (or our parent company) enter into a merger, acquisition, or sale of all or a portion of our assets, subscribers’ personally identifiable information will, in most instances, be one of the items transferred as part of the transaction. If this notice will be changed as a result of a transaction like that, you should refer below under “Will Comcast notify me if it changes this notice?”
We may also use or disclose personally identifiable information about you without your consent to protect our customers, employees, or property, in emergency situations, to enforce our rights under our terms of service and policies, in court or elsewhere, and as otherwise permitted by law.
When may Comcast disclose personal information to others in connection with phone service?
Comcast may disclose to others personally identifiable information in connection with features and services such as Caller ID, 911/E911, and directory services as follows:
We may transmit your name and/or telephone number to be displayed on a Caller ID device unless you have elected to block such information. Please note that Caller ID blocking may not prevent the display of your name and/or telephone number when you dial certain business or emergency numbers, 911, 900 numbers, or toll-free 800, 888, 877, or 866 numbers.
We may provide your name, address, and telephone number to public safety authorities and their vendors for inclusion in E911 databases and records, inclusion in “reverse 911” systems, or to troubleshoot 911/E911 record errors.
We may publish and distribute, or cause to be published and distributed, telephone directories in print, on the Internet, and on disks. Those telephone directories may include subscriber names, addresses, and telephone numbers, without restriction to their use.
We may also make subscriber names, addresses, and telephone numbers available, or cause such subscriber information to be made available, through directory assistance operators.
We may provide subscribers’ names, addresses, and telephone numbers to unaffiliated directory publishers and directory assistance providers for their use in creating directories and offering directory assistance services.
Once our subscribers’ names, addresses, and telephone numbers appear in telephone directories or directory assistance, they may be sorted, packaged, repackaged and made available again in different formats by anyone.
We take reasonable precautions to ensure that non-published and unlisted numbers are not included in our telephone directories or directory assistance services, but we cannot guarantee that errors will never occur. There is a fee for subscribers who choose to have non-published or unlisted numbers.
December 11, 2007 at 9:16 pm |
Can’t someone take some kind of accountability? So, when we call customer service and ask whether or not they are selling our numbers, why are they denying it? They really have some explaining to do to their customers.
December 12, 2007 at 3:28 pm |
I had the same thing happen two days after I got my Comcast Digital Voice. I was pretty pissed, assuming Comcast had sold my number. However when I pressed the telemarketer about it, they admitted that Qwest had sold it to them, not Comcast.
It’s a requirement that all new numbers be provided to all the other telecoms. Apparently when Qwest receives those numbers they immediately turn around and sell them to telemarketers. This isn’t surprising since they did the same thing to me when I was a Qwest customer.
Anyway, it most certainly was *not* Comcast who sold you out. You should retract or revise your article.
December 12, 2007 at 6:03 pm |
Also, for all those who report that the Do Not Call registry doesn’t work, you are very wrong. First of all, the telemarketers have a “grace period” of 90 days before any action can be taken against them. Secondly, after that 90 day period it’s a fine of $10,000 per infraction.
I do contract work for a company who manages calling numbers for lots of telemarketers. They are absolutely *paranoid* about the Do Not Call registry. Not only that, but I’ve seen the FBI show up twice in the last year to investigate infractions.
Personally, after I got my first telemarketer call on my Comcast line (which Comcast DID NOT SELL), I got my new number on the DNC list and have only received one or two calls in the last two years.
So not only is the Do Not Call registry effective, it has real teeth and telemarketing firms fear it.
Of course, if you don’t file a complaint with your State AG’s office when a violation occurs, well then that’s your own problem. Nothing like listening to lazy people complain about how no one does things for them.
I’d also add that some callers are exempt from the DNC: telephone surveys, charities, etc, i.e. anyone not actually *selling* you something are exempt from all laws governing telemarketers. In fact, they are free to call you at 2 a.m. if they choose, although I can’t imagine anyone would do that (and it might make them liable for harassment).
December 14, 2007 at 7:22 am |
Looking at the blog post and long line of comments(rather complaints) about Comcast I am having doubts about getting a phone from them. On second thoughts I could put my number on the Do Not Call Registry and hope for the best. How is the service otherwise? Any feedback will be much appreciated. Thanks
December 17, 2007 at 4:50 pm |
This would make a good story for the local news. I had the same problem and of course the tell all is that they all know our name on a number we just got. Shame on you Comcast where do I sign up for the class action lawsuit?
December 19, 2007 at 2:00 pm |
DEE is not a Comcast employee.
January 1, 2008 at 7:33 pm |
I requested that my phone number and address be non-published and it shows on my bill that my number is non-published but my number and address showed up in a local Qwest phone book. My phone service is with TDS (telephone and data services) for rural areas. What really irks me is that I work at a prison and I don’t want calls from released inmates or their families or fellow gang members. Now I feel vulnerable to residents who stalk staff, break in to homes of staff, and steal from staff. There are residents who also talk about raping and killing staff. Two weeks ago a resident was sent to maximum security lock up at the facility because he was looking in a phone book and talking about killing staff. I complained on the FCC website. On the FCC website it reads that a cable company can be sued for damages if damages occur. Obviously my information was sold to Qwest and to other companies who list personal information online such as whitepages.com
January 1, 2008 at 7:51 pm |
To make a complaint or get information about suing, click on Enforcement under Bureaus & Offices. Regarding blocking calls the FCC has information on that too. There is a list of companies that have received citations for unwanted solicitation but I doubt they care about the fines. They are probably just a business expense.
January 7, 2008 at 10:39 pm |
Just so you know.. I used to work for comcast. Though they’ve completely lost track of the fact that customers are #1, as the reason I left the company, I just wanted to let you all know how telemarketing works.
Comcast does NOT sell your information. When a phone number is created, it is logged into a system in which companies pay to get listings of. Sites such as AOL, for instance, DO pay for information regarding people that they have used when setting up accounts. There is NOTHING ILLEGAL about selling information about customers to other companies in the majority, if not ALL, states. That is why you will SOMETIMES see a disclaimer on a company’s page stating “(we) do not sell or distribute your information to third parties”. However, you don’t see that too often.
Comcast does, however, PURCHASE information from others, such as AOL (hence knowing AOL definately sells information). This information is NOT used to call customers, however. Comcast in itself does NOT have a cold calling department. We do have what you would classify as telemarketers, as they call customers and let them know about specials and deals that comcast offers… however these are not ‘cold calls’ in the essence that you would think of. These people have opted to, at some point (think about when you fill stuff out online, and there’s a box to check that says ‘send me info/contact me with current offers/blah blah blah…) to be contacted when there are new products, offers, specials, etc.
Cold calls, in essence, are “Calls from a company, group or individual that you have no business dealings with, as wells as those stated above to which you have provided a ‘lead’, or prompted to contact you through submission of a product interest”. Pretty much, if you have comcast, and they call you to let you know they’ve got a promo going that saves you so much a month and do you want it? Not a cold call. Shine-my-boots Co. calls you to let you know that, after you had submitted “yes, i am interested in learning more about shining my boots and would like more information” on your online application for a toilet paper survey, they have really good boot shinnin stuff and would you want some? Not a cold call. Alabama Llama trading company calls to let you know that they’ve got a llama sale going on and would you want one, and you are not a customer of this company, nor have you selected any of those tricky ‘yes to info’ boxes… THAT’S cold calling.
So after all that… No, Comcast does not sell your information. Believe it when I say there are actually businesses out there WAITING for your number to start working and have put it on a generator for contact, because until you’ve gone to http://www.donotcall.gov, they CAN call you, so THEY WILL!
My advice? Go to http://www.donotcall.gov and enter up to five different phone numbers that you want on the do not call list. As long as you have a working email, it takes a few minutes and that’s it. No harrassment afterwards. It takes less time to put your number on the do not call list than it does to complain and ponder the conspiracies of who sold what and did I click this…
It’s funny to listen to everyone complain about Comcast regarding this, when in truth, though I have a sore spot for them when it comes to how they don’t treat their customers as well as they used to, it’s really rediculous that there is blame in Comcast. It’s the telemarketers calling you that have typed a random number or purchased the list of ‘created numbers’ from the national phonelog registry. And yes, some companies DO buy info, which they have every right to do until someone stops it. I can at least let you all know that, though I’m not to fond of Comcast at the moment, they at least do not SELL the info they have.
If I were all of you, I would go to donotcall.gov and get over it. I mean, c’mon, you’ve got free long distance and all your calling features are free, so your caller id’s going to tell you who’s calling.. so don’t answer it if it’s a weird 800 number or says private. BLOCK the private calls, which is also free. But if you go to the do not call website, after you’ve submitted your number, cold callers could be fined 5 grand for calling you after you’ve declared yourself a do-not-caller. I couldn’t wait for one to call me afterwards.. though I was saddened at the fact that NOONE EVER DID AFTER THAT.
If you have any questions about Comcast and do not want to wait an hour on hold, I’ll help you as much as I can. Give me and email at Tazandra@aol.com and just put ‘comcast help’ in the header so you don’t go to spam. Seriously… it’s gotten that bad there….
Cheers!
Tazandra
ExComcast Customer Account Executive
Missouri
January 7, 2008 at 10:47 pm |
Oh and by the way, CPNI is a creation to protect customers by providing access pins and questions that will prove the person calling is in fact the customer. The information you provide “your four digi ‘pin’ number is 3333 and your question and answer is ‘what’s my dogs name? A: momo” and that information is given to the telecommunicators “those who call you when your bill is due and want payment, tell you about promos, etc” so that when they call and access your account, they can prove that yes you are the person that truly owns the acct.
The person above who posted the information from the Comcast website… you’re taking words and trying to make them look like something else. Comcast IS NOT selling anything to other companies, nor are they giving out your phone numbers, etc.. CPNI info is the same stuff many of you have been doing for ages with AOL… creating a four digi pin and a security question and answer so that when you want to make changes to your acct, you can prove you’re you. THE PIN AND Q & A ARE WHAT IS GIVEN TO OTHER PARTS OF COMCAST’S TREE LIMBS OF THE COMPANY!
My goodness…. talk about trying to make and apple look like and orange. If you’re a comcast customer, you wouldve recieved a letter in the mail about the CPNI and are fully aware of it, so please read the letter. If you’re not a customer, then I’m sorry but you’re confusing information.
January 30, 2008 at 11:17 am |
I signed up for telephone service from Comcast last week. Not two days later was I receiving 3-4 telemarketing calls a day and they already had my last name etc.
January 30, 2008 at 11:18 am |
Also I did sign up on the National DO Not Call List and the calls keep coming.
January 31, 2008 at 2:58 pm |
I only have Comcast VOIP b/c it was free (Triple Play introductory costs are the same as two services independently). I would never pay Comcast extra for this service.
Like everyone else, I received telemarketing calls almost instantly. My number is published b/c I refuse to pay them $3/mo for unpublished. My advice, cancel the VOIP service (I will be doing so at the end of the promotional period which is like 1yr) and get something like Skype for which there are handsets you can plug directly into your network (no PC required) and even WiFi phones for use at any hotspot, etc.
The only problem with Skype is caller ID. When you call someone, the caller ID shows up as all zeros and unknown. I believe they are working on this as it works for some countries, just not the US. There are also other services and network handsets such as Gizmo Project that have reasonable rates (and neat features) and have caller ID working properly.
Comcast VOIP is a rip off. Any VOIP service at $40+/mo is a rip off. For that, you can afford to up the monthly plan on your cellphone, bump back nights & weekends, and have better service and no telemarketing calls.
Don’t feel like you have to go with Comcast VOIP, there are thousands of VOIP providers and solutions that are cheaper and better than Comcast. It’s called: Freedom of Choice.
A quick tid bit of advice from the Comcast Rep:
*77 – Blocks Unknown Callers
*87 – Undoes Unknown Caller Block
*60 – Allows You To Block A Certain Number
*80 – Undoes The Certain Number Block
February 4, 2008 at 7:32 pm |
Wow, I guess I’m not alone…after my experiences I just did a quick internet search and found these posts. I just signed up with Comcast’s Triple Play and I also requested my number by non-listed as I work in law enforcement. Before I had even given my number to most of my friends and family I starting getting telemarketing phone calls, some of which were very strange. I just got a call from a person who represented himself to be from the Florida Highway Patrol and asked for a donation. No number showed up on my caller ID, which I thought was strange but it didn’t phase me too much. After I (stupidly) agreed to give a donation the caller than asked for my full address as the address he had was “fuzzy”. The caller also made a point to read back my full name and number (which I never gave him) prior to asking for my address. This made me suspicious so terminated the phone call. I then tried to call Comcast and got the runaround from various departments who were all the “wrong” department until I got fed up and hung up. I just paid all my numerous activation/installation fees but I’m seriously considering getting rid of the digital phone (don’t know how the plays into the Triple Play package but I have a feeling not very well.) I don’t know, maybe I’m overreacting but I never received any solicitation when I used Verizon and the last phone call weirded me out.
February 12, 2008 at 3:27 pm |
Just writing to say that Comcast sold my number. I changed from Verizon to Comcast in the hope that the amount of commercial calls would diminish. But after about 3 days it has met and exceeded the level of commercial calls that I’d grown accustom to with Verizon.
My phone is basically worthless as a communication device now, it’s only purpose is to allow commercial entities to spam the beejeebees out of my wife and me. Why would I pay Comcast to let other people advertise to me? I think that we’re going to completely discontinue our service.
February 13, 2008 at 2:45 pm |
Just got my first landline in 3 years because of the Triple Play. The calls started coming in almost before the installer left the house. I was a little ticked off but figured I’d get on the DNC registry. So in 90 days no more calls. I still have my Hi speed internet, more cable then I used to (always had basic) and a house phone. Got rid of 1 cell phone. So I’m paying a little less to Comcast for more services and paying less to my cell phone provider. For the inconvenience of 90 days of calls I can ignore thanks to caller ID I guess I can live with it. And it’s always fun to let my angry teenager answer the calls when I’m bored.
February 19, 2008 at 12:09 am |
We moved and were given one of the new prefixes in the Denver area. The installer called the office to have the standard call back to check the line, and the very first call through was for J—- H—– from a credit skip agency–this was before the office could call him back!
After several months we continue to receive several calls a week from lawyers, government agencies, people calling from Mexico, credit collection services, and people who speak another language for this person. One lawyer called twice in a few minutes to argue with me, because this person still was/is listed as having the number. Comcast had to have known the previous number holder was a credit risk, yet they gave us, who had a clean number, one that causes us to endure constant harassment from people who will not believe we are that scofflaw. Comcast tells us to block the numbers of people who call, but there is no system that allows those twelve people who can be blocked to be told they are trying to reach a person who hasn’t had the number for months.
However, we have not received many telemarketing calls now that telemarketers are aware we log calls and report repeat offenders to the FCC. We say the magic words: ‘take us off your list,’ and only one company broke the law and called several more times, even after I told them we were listed with Do Not Call. That certain Rain Soft company was the worst we ever encountered.
March 1, 2008 at 8:00 pm |
I started getting very agressive solicitations from Direct TV (of all places!) the very next day after my installation. They knew my name and that I just bought a house, so it wasn’t that they were randomly dialing or that I got someone else’s number. I was also getting calls from several different charities that I have nothing to do with. Comcast’s privacy policy states that you can call 1-800-COMCAST to remove yourself from their lists, but when I did the rep didn’t seem to know what I was talking about. She transferred me to someone else who did know and they removed me. I also added myself to the Do Not Call list. After that, I haven’t heard a thing. (well except Omaha Steaks, who call me at least four times a day since I ordered from them – big mistake)
March 12, 2008 at 3:15 pm |
I ha a broadband phone installed about a week ago. Within 2 days, telemarketers startedcalling and asking for me BY NAME. So, it’s not that this is a ‘recycled’ phone number. In fact, the cable company charges for you to NOT be listed in the phone book. I told the rep to go ahead and list me, but by first initial only. SUDDENLY, 10 different telemarketing companies know my number AND my full name.
March 19, 2008 at 8:27 pm |
Comcast does, in fact sell phone numbers. We had triple play installed 3 weeks ago. We did not even know the phone number and Comcast butchered our name. We get 10 – 12 telemarketing calls per day and when I ask who they are trying to reach, they read me the butchered name. Where else did it come from if not Comast?! My friends, my family, and even I do not know our new number. And certainly if someone was reading out of the phone book, they would have our correct name and not the one the stupid Comcast representative recorded on his paperwork. I will be cancelling this triple play garbage. To add the the issues, our Comcast went down for 2 whole days last weekend (our 1st weekend in our new house). So we had no TV, no internet, and NO PHONE! Whatever you do, stay away from triple play.
March 20, 2008 at 1:34 pm |
Had my phone number for over 4 years and never got telemarketing calls until we transfered our service to comcrap I mean comcast. Within one week of of transferring our number to comcast we started getting telemarketers calling 4-5 times a day. Gotta love money grubbing corporations.
March 25, 2008 at 4:16 am |
I too have had the same problem since insight left the area i live in and had to switch to comcast. Just an idea, since there is obviously a lot of people having this problem what about starting a petition to get comcasts attention. Not sure if it would do any good but can’t hurt to try. If anyone happens to start a petition regarding comcast selling numbers please email me at wizardaj83@yahoo.com I will be happy to sign.
March 25, 2008 at 4:46 am |
I have also filed a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission regarding comcast, including a link to this page so that they may read the numerous complaints on here. I have also started an online petition to send to the FTC to hopefully motivate them to investigate this matter, though I am not a lawyer so if anyone has any suggestions on the wording of the petition then please feel free to email me at the address in my previous post. I will include the link to the petition at the end of the post so please if you feel that comcast has illegally sold your number sign the petition and pass the link on to other people. The only way to stop this is if we band together and spread the word. Thank you and hopefully this won’t be a fruitless waste of time.
Petition Link: http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/comcastpetition
March 28, 2008 at 11:51 am |
I am so glad to hear other people complaining about this. After years of getting no calls at all, I started getting them a day after having the Comcast Triple Play installed. They call even after 9:00 at night when my daughter is in bed. I simply switched an existing number to Comcast, so I thought I was safe (since the number is already in the do not call registry). But I re-registered it. 28 days and counting, I guess…
April 3, 2008 at 8:41 pm |
Ok….this should NOT be a big surprise to anyone. If you have a land line, then you are on a data base somewhere. And guess what? That data is for sale.
However, knowing this, we do have a few tools in place to take care of such things, caller ID, voice mail, call blocking, ect.
The phone rings…look at the caller ID, if it is an unknown number..let the machine answer it. You could also just block the call, (or screen it), The point is..it is just a phone call.
April 14, 2008 at 9:23 am |
I just signed up for Comcast Digital Voice and the same damn thing happened to me… telemarketers IMMEDIATELY began calling asking for me by the name that’s on my Comcast account. I’ll file a compalint with FCC too. Wish I had read this first!
April 17, 2008 at 3:53 am |
We signed up for the Comcast Triple Play. Comcast took down my first name as Kevin instead of Ken. Two days after receiving our service, we were receiving:
1) Phone calls for Kevin,
2) Junk mail for Kevin,
3) Email for Kevin.
Amazingly, one of the solicitors was the DISH NETWORK, Comcast’s competitor!!!
April 25, 2008 at 12:17 pm |
I just got finished with Comcast support, and they actually said that AT&T (our old phone company) had sold our number to punish us for leaving! I just turned on Unknown Caller Blocking, we’ll see if that helps.
April 25, 2008 at 12:20 pm |
Oh and BTW, the “do not call list” worked fine with AT&T, but as soon as we switched to Comcast (same phone number) the telemarketers started calling.
April 29, 2008 at 6:16 pm |
Just wanted comcast to know that this page put me off getting the comcast phone. I was debating gettin’ rid of my land line (on which I receive almost zero telemarketers) for the comcast digital one.
Won’t be doing that.
H.
May 9, 2008 at 9:50 am |
Just got Comcast’s triple play last week, and started receiving unsolicited calls within 24 hours. I don’t have the number memorized yet, and haven’t shared it with anyone. I just requested that Comcast change my number due to the calls, and they said that they would, but that I’d need to pay a $3 fee per month to have my number not be listed. I’ve agreed to this, but also let them know that I’ve heard they still sell the number, even if it is unlisted. They wouldn’t comment on that. I’ll let you know how it goes with the unlisted number.
May 14, 2008 at 2:51 pm |
Good try, Tazandra but as many people have mentioned over and over and over (ad nauseum) these telemarketers not only get your ‘new’ number right away but have your NAME too and often a mispelled name that only COMCAST would know/have. DUHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.
I know this is an older blog post but I’m furious after finding out comcast had my husband’s name/address/phone listed in the white pages when it we were paying *UP FRONT* with a new comcast number to be UNPUBLISHED! UNfreakingbelievable! I’ve now changed the number for the third time as well as adding it to the donotcallregistry and AGAIN asking that it be unpublished. Comcast is going to refund me for the months I spent for an unpublished number that WAS published but the ‘info’ is out there regardless and I can’t change my husband’s other number because he uses that for his business fax. UGH!
May 14, 2008 at 3:00 pm |
P.S. I just wanted to add that with all three numbers I’ve had through Comcast I was almost instantly solicited as well (never happened to me on ANY other unlisted phone number I had before I switched to Comcast).
On thing I will say though, the Customer service people have been some of the nicest I’ve encountered and have truly tried to be helpful and I don’t doubt they feel frustrated (heck it’s not their fault). One sweet woman stayed on the phone with me for almost an hour because her system kept glitching. I felt bad for HER. Oy vey! Comcast needs a swift kick in the rump.
May 19, 2008 at 5:11 pm |
The same thing happened to me with Comcast phone service in a matter of 2 business days….Comcast had to sell my number because the telemarketers EVEN KNEW MY NAME!!!!!! I had Vonage for 2 years and never received a telemarketer call. I phoned Comcast about it today and told them that I will cancel their service and go back to Vonage if this continues.
May 19, 2008 at 8:43 pm |
I’ve had Comcast for two weeks and we are getting a flood of calls even though we have an unlisted, unpublished number AND we signed up for the do not call list. Spoke with an idiot there tonight [after having an internet chat with another idiot there yesterday who said “these calls appear to be computer generated” — thanks, Sherlock) who gave me a host of inaccurate information including “you should sign up for the national do not call list because it takes effect in 24 hours”. Note to Comcast: TRAIN your people to lie, please. We are going to cancel and go with a land line. Good riddance.
May 19, 2008 at 8:44 pm |
Jason – don’t bother paying them for an unlisted number, it will do you NO good.
May 27, 2008 at 6:10 pm |
Recycling phone numbers (as Julie said) can happen in about 5% cases, usually it has different reasons…
Do not buy anything from telemarketers! That will help.
May 30, 2008 at 5:14 am |
Comcast is a waste of money. They overcharge. Their technicians are jerks. I had a tech come here and he was here for at least 6 hours doing NOTHING but texting on his personal cell phone to his wife/girlfriend who he then would call and complain about my wires to. IN FRONT OF ME! Also, he went into the basement which I had cleaned the night before he came (we get water in there a lot) and he was drilling a hole through my brand new hardwood floor. My dog went downstairs and took a crap in the basement. Instead of letting me know so I could clean it, he called his supervisor and cried that he had to leave as the feces made him sick. COME ON NOW! Way to get out of a job you obviously aren’t qualified for. Then to top it all off, I ordered the slowest internet they had, since they’re all the same to me anyway. It was on the work order that I wanted the slow one. He hooked up the fastest one they had and I was getting charged 60-some dollars a month instead of the 25 which I originally asked for. THEN, I get digital voice a few months later. The tech comes to hook it up, takes him only a half an hour maybe. After he hooks it up, I was supposed to be able to get on the digital voice center online where you can look at call history, hear voicemails, etc. I couldn’t login for a week. I called three times and got the runaround and different reasons as to why it didn’t work. The actual reason was then told to me — which was they FORGOT to put my number in the system. I guess they were too busy selling my number to telemarketers — since the state police have been calling me non-stop for donations for the past few days!
COMCAST IS HORRIBLE.
May 30, 2008 at 5:15 am |
I forgot in my last post that the tech who was here doing nothing for six hours but complaining about my wires was actually trying to hook cable up through dead wires. The supervisor came and did what he couldn’t do in SIX HOURS in 10 minutes.
June 5, 2008 at 8:05 am |
Yep, we just switched and it is now non-stop calls at our house. I am irate. They call from 8am-10pm. I called Comcast and the offered to make our number unlisted for a fee of $7 a month. Seriously…… $7.00 a month?!?! This is crazy.
June 5, 2008 at 6:38 pm |
I just found this on Comcat’s “Privacy Policy” I copied and pasted this word for word
Personally identifiable information is information that identifies a particular person; it does not
include aggregate data that does not identify a particular person or persons…………
……..• information about the quantity, technical configuration, type, destination, location, and
amount of your use of the phone services; and
• information contained on your telephone bill concerning the phone services you receive.
That phone information, when matched to your name, address, and telephone number is known as
customer proprietary network information or CPNI for short. This notice, which includes our CPNI
Policy, describes what CPNI information we obtain, how we protect it, and how it may be used. If
you are a customer of our phone services, you have the right, and Comcast has a duty, under the
Telecommunications Act, to protect the confidentiality of CPNI. We will also honor any restrictions
applied by state law, to the extent applicable. AS WE EXPLAIN UNDER “HOW DO I GIVE
OR WITHHOLD MY APPROVAL FOR COMCAST TO USE CPNI TO MARKET ADDITIONAL
PRODUCTS AND SERVICES TO ME?” WE WILL ASSUME THAT YOU APPROVE OUR USE OF
CPNI UNLESS YOU CONTACT US TO DENY OR RESTRICT YOUR APPROVAL.
Is it just me or did that bold print basically just say yes we sell your information unless you tell us not to……
June 6, 2008 at 6:47 am |
Within an hour of getting my new digital voice phone number installed, I had someone calling to sell me pest service. Every day, I get at least 5 phone calls, people asking for me by NAME trying to sell me something. I had my previous number on the DNC list, but when I moved…Comcast forced me to change it for “911 reasons”. Now, I’ve been in my home for 36 days and still get calls until sometimes 10:00 pm. I’m on the DNC list, but these people are relentless. And, yes…I have a lovely recycled phone number and have the luxury of hearing a recording every day that the previous owner of the phone number has not returned the game they rented from game stop and they will be charged a daily fee. I have collectors calling my home for someone named Horacio Valesquez. Thank you, Comcast!
—–Oh yeh, and how could I forget everything that I get in my mailbox EVERY SINGLE DAY!!! I use a P.O. Box for EVERY SINGLE BILL I have. The only and I mean ONLY company that has my physical house address is comcast. I’m getting offers from the local church, pest service, alarm companies, dish network, verizon, the washington post, gutter cleaners, window installers and every company in the friggin area code! Please tell me why in the ^&## we are FORCED to deal with this?
Don’t even get me started on the nightmare installation, the subcontractor they sent to my house that stood in the driveway smoking and talking on his cell phone for over an hour, the first bill that they COMPLETELY screwed up. They overbilled me 2 times for a service disconnected almost 2 months ago, so they owe me $180. Then, they sent my first bill out for $284!!! I spent over an hour with the billing department fighting with them to lower the bill where they had incorrectly billed EVERY single service. My bill ended up being $174 by the time they made all of the corrections. That’s insane to overbill someone by more than $100!!!!
I also told them they did not have my permission to sell my information before getting an assigned phone number and she happily told me, “sure, no problem. You will be billed every month for keeping your number unlisted and your address private.” Now, we have to pay for privacy!?
The triple play is NOT worth the headache of dealing with Comcast, the lousy customer service, being on HOLD for 10-15 minutes waiting to get someone on the phone, the “service” fees and all the BS associated. I have no other cable or internet provider in my area (unless I want dial up), DirecTV can’t get a clear view of the sky and FiOs is not available in my area yet. I HATE COMCAST!!!
June 19, 2008 at 6:03 pm |
The only reason I got CDV was because the last time I paid my bill they said I could save $30 a month if I got it. Sounded really sketchy, but when you’re already paying $150 for internet and cable, that $30 off sounds pretty good. Within a few hours of getting CDV I got a marketing call. Didn’t answer, of course. Now I get about 10 a day. I don’t answer any of them. Similar to when I first got comcast and set up my comcast email address. Within 5 minutes got my first spam. Eventually was getting them every few minutes, so I just never logged in again. It’s all so typical.
June 21, 2008 at 10:09 am |
Our phone number has been the same for over 30 years and since we switched to Comcast we get telemarketing and credit collection calls. We even have the department of education constantly calling for a Natasha J. just because she has the same last name. We now have all kinds of 800 numbers calling the house. I just recently registered the number to the do not call list, but I guess not enough time has lapsed for it to take any effect. Comcast also sucks you in with special introductory costs and when the introductory period is over with your stuck with high bills.
June 24, 2008 at 4:46 pm |
I had the same experience, 2 days after switching my phone service to Comcast, I started getting a lot of telemarketing calls and they all know my name, so I know Comcast shared or sold my info to telemarketers.
July 22, 2008 at 10:03 pm |
I was just talking with my boyfriend and he described the exact same thing. He took Comcast and now he’s getting strange phone calls from telemarketeers. I am so glad I don’t have Comcast!
July 30, 2008 at 5:48 pm |
First, Julie should not call anyone stupid. Secondly, Comcast also sells your address. They accidentally put my name down incorrectly and I started receiving all kinds of mail, to my address with that incorrect name. I think it is sneaky and underhanded to abuse ones privacy. We sign up with Comcast trusting they will not abuse our privacy, instead they cannot make money on us fast enough.
August 10, 2008 at 1:12 pm |
First, If you have comcast BLOCK the incoming number – 12 free blocks. Second, telemarketers computer generate numbers and their equipment puts you on a call back list if you answer. Nobody need Sell that number.
Comcast is in the business to MAKE MONEY. email addresses, phone numbers, direct mail addresses, shopping habits, library check outs, etc, etc, etc.. Every aspect of business does it. Newspaper and magazine subscriptions, most free opt in info services on the net.
Worry about changing the laws. You at least have something that may bear fruit instead of fighting the problem one incident at a time.
As many times as it is abused, use the National No Call List. That’s been hacked recently and info used by the telemarketing industry, though.
Use Amazon? How do you think those “Recommended Suggestions” to you are generated.
It’s 2008 not pre IRS / Social Security # ID.
August 27, 2008 at 11:14 am |
I agree with John that dealing with these issues one at a time will not solve this problem. I have just had the same experience as everyone else in this forum and I feel so angry about it.
Granted that we all did sign a contract that stated our information would be sold as Miranda pointed out on June 5th but what choices do we have? Since the phone carriers have similar policies the only other option is to go without a phone; which is not really an option in this day and age.
Nobody wants unknown parties to be able to buy their personal information so let’s ask the question, why is it OK for Comcast and all other phone companies to sell our information by default UNLESS we take extra time out to tell them not to?! There are some serious issues with the laws that govern consumer privacy. I would encourage folks to contact their state representatives and let them know that this is not acceptable!
September 8, 2008 at 8:18 am |
My wife and I just bought our first home – we got the triple play package from Comcast. I gave this information to Comcast without thinking. Within days I’m getting calls from security companies asking for me by name and offering products to secure my BRAND NEW HOME.
We just joined the Do not call list. It seems from reading previous posts there are 2 steps to take. Well 3 actually. Cancel comcast or enter the do not call list and/ or call comcast and tell them to remove you from the CPNI marketing cesspool. The helpful information providers telling everyone comcast does not sell your number are either internet trolls, comcast reps or severely misguided individuals – all of whom should be flat out ignored. Why? Look at your privacy statements. Comcast says they can and will provide your data to others for marketing and telemarketing purposes. Enough said. They do it, it happens. Switch communication providers or protect your number and take necessary steps to prosecute offenders after the grace period has passed.
For us the cost of the triple play package is the lowest when figuring in the expenses of all the separate services individually.
October 24, 2008 at 12:42 pm |
I just disconnected Comcast , i live in a studio apt where everything is included but phone and internet, 3 days after installing Comcast i started getting telemarketing calls then i started getting lots of junk mail too !
They sell you name, address,and phone to everybody…
This is the WORST COMPANY………………
October 27, 2008 at 7:38 pm |
People are stupid, comcast doesn’t ‘sell’ the number, if you choose to have a published number, your number is released to be put in directories in phone books, 411, etc. the problem is that now, with the technology and high speed internet available, the information is available that much faster…to EVERYONE. doesn’t matter which phone comany, comcast, verizon, at&t. the only real answer is to have your number non published, which usually requires a setup fee, and a monthly fee. even that isn’t garanteed, as the number may have belonged to someone else before you, in which case it’s already floating around out there. stop being so naive.
May 30, 2009 at 5:46 pm |
You’re a clueless idiot, Dan–a real, ignorant, stupid fool. Can I be any more clear? I should hope not.
October 30, 2008 at 4:34 pm |
I just signed up for Comcast and the telemarketing call began the next day; I’m sure I’ll start receiving unsolicited junk mail, too. I will discontinue all my Comcast services and boycott this lame company. I’m glad I found this website and read the many comments. Very enlightening indeed!
November 3, 2008 at 8:03 am |
Signed up with Comcast for phone and internet service. First call I ever received (same day as installation) was a telemarketer asking for me by name. What infuriates me about this is not only do they deny (in the face of mountains of evidence) that they are selling our numbers, they want to charge us an additional fee per month for blocking numbers from telemarketers that THEY”VE SOLD OUR NUMBER TO. Disgusting. Still, like most people, I live in an area in which they have a nice deregulated monopoly (thank you Reagan). Whatever happened to consumer choice. Comcast’s customer service is so horrendously, laughably bad I feel like if there were any other options people would switch.
November 8, 2008 at 1:59 pm |
Wow, Ive never come across a blog with so many Retards that go along with the same ignorant crap. Dan has the only comment that is correct. Your number if published goes immediately to 411 giving your name address and any other information regarding to you that 411 would normaly have. Telemarketers pay for access to these 411 information databases and purchase reverse address directory’s. If you want to blame someone, blame 411. IT’s NOT COMCAST!! Dont be so naive. Its called Google people, use it.
April 13, 2009 at 6:23 pm |
How are people calling me and asking for me by name when I pay the $2.50 a month for non-published number and I am on the do not call registry?
May 30, 2009 at 5:45 pm |
Scott is an idiot. I had received exactly zero telemarketing calls while on Vonage for the past 18 months. After switching to Comcast Digital Voice, I started receiving many of the calls listed here within a matter of *hours*: Viking Mag, Ryder Security, a (702) “Svcs” number, 800 numbers, etc. Comcast may not be the only company that does this but make no mistake: COMCAST MOST DEFINITELY DOES IT.
November 18, 2008 at 11:11 pm |
I have had comcast phone for over a year and it is not just those telemarkters it is people getting my phone number and using it for their own number so when the bills pile up they call me. In the past year I have been Called Mitch, Bob, Carol, Larry, etc yeah they came with last names, but I had the hardest time get these people who called me at 8am 6pm 10pm that I was not these people. It gets worse today I am called a bitch by a woman I have never called. I am in a wheel chair and I do not have custody of my kids at this time I am a month a way to get them back. Today on 18th they had early xmas concert my kids came over early. as you know the comcast phone can keep detail on who you called and who called you. My husband keeps the record and showed that I only called my mom. This woman called 3 times accusing me of calling her cussing me out. saying my kids called her when they just came over and I had the phone all the time. She had my phone number and it creeps me out and comcast can do nothing about it. I believe they sell the phone numbers because I have no bills but other people have my number and this person sombody called her-I did not. They do say only to put yourself on the do not call registry
November 22, 2008 at 2:44 am |
**Hooked up my new telephone at 11:30p.m at night
**Telemarketers called my house the following day around noon asking for my name. That’s how quick it is – always get an unlisted number, unpublished, no-in certs, no-direct mail – I love Comcast, this was a HUGE disappointment. I received calls no later than 12 hours later….
1) ask for non-published (not in phone book and not in 411.
2) call the do not call list and place your number on there.
That’s all I have for you folks – don’t get discouraged, just hang up – no feelings lost, not feelings gained. Please do not get suckered into anything people calling to sell you something…
They were trying to sell me the DISH…. LOL
December 5, 2008 at 2:27 pm |
As of December 2008, Comcast still sells their numbers to telemarketers. This is not the result of recycled numbers because these people HAVE MY NAME. I have received numerous calls from six different companies in six days:
626-259-5543 HCare solutions
800-830-9718 300 Service
615-220-9825 Security company
310-485-8931 Fundfighting Co
Blocked Call
Blocked Call
December 10, 2008 at 3:34 pm |
Comcast isn’t selling anyone’s numbers. When you sign up for phone service by default your new number listed/published in 411 and the in the printed directory listing. During the provisioning process your NAME and PHONE NUMBER are sent to those databases to be included. Those databases are a matter of PUBLIC RECORD and can be accessed by anyone, and often are monitored by telemarketers to be included on dialers before they get added to the do not call registry.
January 27, 2009 at 5:52 pm |
Comcast does not sell phone numbers. When you get a phone number, and do not choose to have it unpublished, your phone number is available in public records. Comcast in no way sells the phone numbers. If you are having a problem with telemarketing calls, call comcast, ask to have you phone number changed, and pay the 15.00 fee to have your number unpublished. After that fee to have it changed over, you only pay 2.50 per month to keep it unpublished. just fyi, having an unlisted number only prevents it from being in the phone book, it still is going to be public record.
April 13, 2009 at 5:59 pm |
I went down the same road, first having unlisted, then switched to Un-published. I pay the $2.50 a month, as well as the $15.00 one time fee and still get 15-20 calls a day.
February 25, 2009 at 8:56 am |
Wow, I just signed up with Comcast phone service yesterday and within an hour or two of being connected I got my first telemarketing call. Received another today too. Might have had second thoughts if I had come across this blog fist. I was planning on using the number for a business line but perhaps I should have just added another phone/line to my cell phone plan!
I just signed up with the Do-Not-Call registry, we’ll see if that works. I’m sure now that the Do-Not-Call registry exists, when a new number comes out that is not registered with them (like mine was) the telemarketers jump on it!
February 28, 2009 at 5:06 pm |
I don’t know what’s up. I’ve had the same number for 6 years, and have never had a problem with telemarketers. I also have been on the Do Not Call Registry for years. Well, 2 weeks after moving to Comcast Digital Voice, I’m getting 2-3 telemarketing calls a night. What’s weird, every one of them is a recording, almost like it’s the same company doing the calling. I feel like Comcast threw me under the bus on this.
March 8, 2009 at 5:11 pm |
I just figured out that I have the same problem. Here’s my solution. It will take a little work but this is what you can do:
First, dial *77 on your phone: This will require callers to reveal their number when calling.
Next become familiar with *60. This is a system that allows you to save a list of phone numbers that will be blocked if the caller calls you again. If you have this service after pressing *60 you will hear a recording with set up options.
And lastly, make Selective Call Forwarding your new best friend. Press *63 and have the numbers you want to reject written down and ready to enter, but first you’ll need to have the number ready that you want to forward your calls to. And here it is: 973-474-9051. Call it yourself and see, its a telemarketers worst nightmare.
For a list of Vertical Service Codes (or *## codes) just google “vertical service code” and the wiki article will pop up.
And if Comcast is charging you to have your number unlisted, call and raise hell for your $1.50 back!
September 9, 2010 at 8:25 pm |
Thank you so very much. I will be using all of these, you are awesome. That telemarketer nightmare thing is hilarious and will be used too. You have turned a headache into a fun game. Now I can’t wait to get calls.
October 13, 2010 at 4:26 pm |
I just wanted to add an update. Because of this information given by Keisha my calls have dropped over half. I went and did exactly as described here. Took all the numbers off my caller ID from these jerks and sent them straight to the telemarketer hell number via call forwarding. Oh it has been bliss! My calls have dropped.
Anytime I get a new moron calling (again thank you Comcast you slime balls) I add them to the list and never hear from them again. HA! Again thank you so much for this information. It has been a huge help to me.
March 8, 2009 at 5:16 pm |
Oh and Michelle. . . I searched Public Records. They don’t have my married name yet, and my 2nd anniversary is coming up, so believe me when I say they definitely don’t have my 2 day old telephone number.
March 9, 2009 at 1:04 am |
Comcast has done the same here. I have telemarketers calling for a mister (my girlfriends last name) She’s never been married.Well yet….
Comcast has been selling our # since day one, but I have found a way to have fun with it.
When a number calls that I donot recognize, or says “no data”, I just pick up and hold phone to the speaker of the tv, or say hello, then begin swearing untill they hang up.
sometimes, you can call the number back, and take your agressions out. But always say that Comcast sucks ballz.
Thanks if posted, Gary in Spokane.
April 8, 2009 at 9:04 pm |
When it is working consistently the hi-speed internet is great,but the phone svc. and the bogus-ass recycled numbers they give to people make it worthless.I dont even answer the phone anymore because from 7am to 10pm collection agencies call for people who were previously issued this number they gave me a month ago and when I had service disruption issues comcast customer svc. people acted like they were right on it and claimed I’d get credits issued and when the HDTV box didn’t work at all and was swapped by the installer who came a week after having no phone or internet and one cable box not work at all and On Demand not work on the other 3 boxes they claimed my bill would reflect the downgrades of svc. and credits,etc. The bill was even higher than I was quoted when I placed the order?!!When someone who knew their job finally got things right with the installation-he stated that the problem was water damaged coaxial cable at the utility pole was the cause.My personal evaluation of Comgastric is: The Digital Voice is a useless,unreliable waste of money thats DANGEROUS for people who rely on their home phone with family members with health problems,also for anyone who could be affected by a missed call with financial implications.If technology exists to make it reliable enough to count on-comcast isn’t embracing it.>The Hi-Speed internet is great when it isn’t messing up due to winds over 15 mph or rain or a nearby radio transmission near a poor cable or connecter with RF leaks.>The Cable TV is just “OK”-but I don’t order pay per view or even assume that I will get to see a movie or program that I am looking forward to because service disruptions are way too frequent. I would rate Comcast Triple Play as a waste of money unless you have no need to count on your home phone,if your easily satisfied with marginal CATV svc. and programming lineup,and are willing to pay $150 a month for their hi-speed internet. The only people I see saying anyhting good about them on this page are employees and since they get all their services for free and have access to any equipment necessary to maintain reliable service-they shouldn’t even be allowed to post here unless they have the ballz to speak the truth and have a bill from comcast instead of a paycheck stub.
March 10, 2009 at 10:11 am |
Telemarketers have auto dialers that call number after number just waiting for any answer that falls in the frequency of the human voice (vs voice mail). Whether anyone sells your number or not the chances are excellent that you will get called. If they happen to be calling through your thousands group then you’ll get called pretty darned quick. Register with your state’s Do Not Call registry and the National Do Not Call registry.
Of course cable operators are regulated by the FCC.
Utilize your vertical call features to stop unwanted calls by unknown callers. Just block the call.
April 13, 2009 at 5:55 pm |
I have had Comcast Voice for about two weeks now and am already on my second un-listed ($2.00/month), un-published($15.00/one-time fee – $.50/month)phone number and get approx. 40 phone calls a day. They started before the installer even left! I will admit they are about 50/50 as far a telemarketing calls and calls for the previous person with the number. I have had telemarketers tell me they got my information from Comcast, they even have my address. I guess this is why/how they can offer such affordable phone service. Wish I had another option but my building is not wired for FIOS. I could always try Vonage.
April 28, 2009 at 11:33 pm |
i want new sim card of idea if there call me on my mob.no.9021252782
May 4, 2009 at 6:34 am |
You are absolutely right. Comcast does sell your new number. I myself have never used a home phone due to the fact that I always use my cell phone. Recently I was forced to move as I was being stalked by my ex boyfriend and we currently have a court matter that is still pending. I was forced to get a home phone because my grandmother was now living with me to help take care of my son while I worked. I got home phone service with comcast two weeks after I moved to my new home. Keep in mind I have now only been in my new home for four months now. When I signed up for the home phone with comcast I specifically asked for a private and NON PUBLISHED number. Well yesterday I went to Auto zone of which I have NEVER shopped at before in my ENTIRE LIFE well when they asked for my phone number I decided to give my home phone and guess what there was my information name address and all already in there computer and I have never shopped with them before. I asked the guy how is that possible and he said that sometimes they get the information from phone companies to send out promotional offers. I was very pissed. When i got home I went on the internet and googled myself and there was my name and home phone number that I pay monthly for to be unlisted listed all over the place. Now what was the purpose of me and my son moving and trying to remain as private as possible if bastards like comcast do this to people. I am seriously considering a law suit.
August 26, 2009 at 7:01 pm |
I have the same exact problem with these bastards, and now my wifes name and address is everywhere which of course is also my address…..I would suggest contacting the FTC and filing a complaint….we are!!
November 17, 2010 at 8:44 pm
Hay Bill,I know this may sound like a silly question,But what does FTC stand for?..I just may need to contact them myself…Thanx,and Best Of Luck to you!
May 9, 2009 at 3:35 pm |
Josh,
Thank you for creating your posting! I had a similar experience…(except it wasn’t a ComCast number they installed) I have a cell phone number that I guard but on the day that ComCast was to come to my home to do a repair on my internet service, they asked if there was a better phone number I could give to the ComCast-Guy. I gave my cell phone number because I didn’t want to miss him. Within 3 hours from giving them my cell phone number I received a telemarketing call!! I was furious. I called ComCast and asked them if they sold my cell phone number because I hadn’t gotten telemarketer calls there – and they denied selling. Regardless, I had them remove my cell phone number from my record immediately. Lesson learned.
I STILL have a Car Warranty company calling me repeatedly… When I ask this telemarketer to take me off the list, they just hang up on me. Arggggg! Their number is (443)372-6195.
I just registered on the donotcall.gov site. Hopefully that will resolve.
Thanks.
August 12, 2009 at 9:33 pm |
We’ve experienced the same issues with Comcast Digital Voice. We had Vonage and made the mistake of switching to Comcast and since then have been receiving 3-4 telemarketing calls per day. Previously we received NONE. I suppose it should have occurred to us that Comcast would be so unethical; we just never had an issue when we ported our number to Vonage. We plan to get away from them entirely when our contract is up. I don’t want to support this type of behavior.
August 26, 2009 at 6:54 pm |
I worked for them, and Julie is not stupid you are for thinking they don’t sell your number. Comcast would sell your children out from under you for a buck!! It is a very unethical company…
August 26, 2009 at 6:58 pm |
Sorry let me change that , to Julie is wrong…..Julie they will ask for you by name within days after the change, even with an unpublished and unlisted number……I think it would be safe say, that would not be a recycled number issue.
September 7, 2009 at 12:22 pm |
Julie, as others have said you are incorrect. I was being called and asked for BY NAME within 2 days of my phone line install. I have an extremely unique name and had no phone service prior to this. This is not a case of them just calling a number they had before or even a case of them getting a recording that gave my new phone number. I called Comcast about it and they denied it. I had given my phone number to no one, not even family yet, but telemarketers already are calling and asking for me – the person whose name is on the bill. I think it’s disgusting and I would cancel tomorrow if I hadn’t agreed to a promo contract.
October 6, 2009 at 3:34 pm |
We also started receiving calls immediately after having our new Comcast service installed. Our own creditors were calling us before I even had the chance to give them the new number…lol. What a joke.
October 14, 2009 at 8:09 am |
For three years, I have been a customer of Comcast, at first, with their Voice, Internet, and Cable package, and now with just voice and internet. For about a whole year, I never had a problem with Comcast service. All of a sudden, I woke up one morning, to the phone ringing off the damn hook. It was a telemarketer calling me, at 7:00 am. I told them to take me off their calling list. I hung up, and about 3 seconds later, another telemarketer call! Same thing. Again. And again. I ended up getting 13 calls in a 20-minute window. I was furious. I had my number changed, to an unlisted, new number. Everything was quiet for about a month, when I started to get new calls. Now, today, I started receiving telemarketing calls, only TWO DAYS after changing my number again! And they ask for me by name! The only things I can think of to do, is to drop my service, and go with a cell phone.
December 2, 2009 at 5:56 pm |
I got the comcast 3 in 1 package the day after I moved into my new home. About 2 or 3 days after our home phone system was installed, we started getting calls from the Peace Officers Association of Georgia. They asked for me by my first and last name. I said, “how did you get this number since it’s unlisted?” The man became very rude and said “well, I don’t have to talk to you” and hung up. They’ve been calling me ever single day for the same reason and I keep asking them to take me off their list and they apparently don’t listen. When the guy said he was calling from the POA of Georgia, I said, “if you’re calling me about the POA Georgia, then why are you calling from Alabama?” He immediately hung up afterwords. When I try to call back, I get a “number has been disconnected” message. It’s obviously some sort of scam. This is very annoying. What’s the point of the do not call list if charities, npo’s, medical collection agencies, etc. can still find me? It doesn’t make any sense.
December 9, 2009 at 3:41 pm |
Comcast got me too. I have the number as a fax, and it just rings and rings from telemarketers.
You can find out who’s calling by going to comcast.net and logging into your call manager/center. I found out that I was being called by telemarketers all day every day.
December 11, 2009 at 9:32 pm |
Hmm, they got me too. Signed up, had it installed yesterday. Today I got a call from the local paper who had my name and wanted to confirm my address and that they had subscription deal for former customers.
So I stopped the guy and said former? I’ve never subscribed and asked where he got the info he read to me (which was correct, btw). He didn’t know, but I could tell he was calling from some call center and when asked what was on the cover of the current paper, he didn’t know that either, thus an outsourced call center.
Just goes to back up what you posted, Comcast does sell their customer information. Good thing I do not need to use this phone number, just got the phone service as part of a package to save $40 bucks off old bill. Good thing call forwarding works, time to forward my line to someone…hmm decisions, decisions…back to Comcast perhaps?
December 14, 2009 at 4:07 am |
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January 6, 2010 at 8:47 pm |
I have two lines from Comcast. I ported my existing land line number to Comcast I continue to use that number as my standard household voice line, and I haven’t had any problems with telemarketers on that number. However the second line I have from Comcast is a new number from them that I use for my fax machine. The fax line rings constantly from telemarketers. I know they are telemarketers because after it rings, no fax come through. Also, I have a caller ID box on the fax line and I usually know the number of the people who regularly send me faxes, so when the display show a toll-free number “out of area” I know its a garbage call.
January 6, 2010 at 8:49 pm |
I have two lines from Comcast. I ported my existing land line number to Comcast; I continue to use that number as my standard household voice line, and I haven’t had any problems with telemarketers on that number. However the second line I have from Comcast is a new number from them that I use for my fax machine. The fax line rings constantly from telemarketers. I know they are telemarketers because after it rings, no fax comes through. Also, I have a caller ID box on the fax line and I usually know the number of the people who regularly send me faxes, so when the display shows a toll-free number or “out of area” I know its a garbage call.
February 2, 2010 at 2:04 am |
Pretty interesting post.
February 16, 2010 at 11:35 pm |
I’m a little confused about the Non-Published, Non-Listed thing. As far as I know
1. Non-Listed – Not published in the phone book but is listed with DA (411).
2. Non-Published – Not published in the phone book and not listed with Directory Assistance (411)
Why does one need to pay for both non listed and non published when non published will cover non listed?
Am I missing something here?
April 29, 2010 at 3:55 pm |
Looks like this has been going on for a long time and I’m not alone. I received a telemarketing call no more than 15 minutes after the tech finished installation and left — from DirectTV no less. I kinda thought that was hilarious, for about two seconds, then I was pissed.
Just today I hooked up a new converter box — the activation cycle wasn’t even complete and I got a call from a tv survey company. Tomorrow I start digging and complaining and reading thru the privacy policy.
Off topic but related, Comcast sells your mailing address, too. I know this because they have a typo in my name so anything that comes to me with that spelling — Comcast is the culprit.
May 2, 2010 at 3:49 am |
So, how does Comcast do it? Well, they use a third party to transact their subscription business.
By having a third party transact the business, even with a guarantee of unlisted or nonpublished from Comcast, the third party is not bound by this, and does sell and publish and list your number. Comcast can deny doing these things, and they are right, because it is the third party who does it.
I doubt Comcast would sign a document that requires them (and all successors and assigns) to be named as the fully liable party for all actions by them and any/all third party actions that would result in a breach of your privacy. It would be interesting to see someone try to get something like this done and what Comcast response would be. Of course, such a document would have be signed by a controlling officer of the company and set up by an attorney who is expert in this area. Good luck on all counts.
Hopefully now it is clear how they can do it and get away with it. The people you are talking to in order to resolve this probably don’t realize this either.
September 9, 2010 at 8:18 pm |
NO it is NOT cold dialing…. Comcast IS selling phone numbers.
I got my house phone through comcast for emergencies only. Gave the number to NO ONE. My number is also unlisted and on the Do Not Call registry.
I am constantly getting people calling my house asking for me BY MY NAME! They ask for me by name… helllo? That is NOT a cold dial or recirculated number issue. They are asking for me on a phone number I didn’t give to anyone but Comcast.
Harassing calls from jerks claiming to be researchers and others wanting money. Which means they don’t have to follow do not call registry rules. As long as they got my number I am fair game. Comcast sold them my number.
Thank you Comcast.
September 30, 2010 at 3:47 pm |
Comcast sales you number I know this for a fact.
I know someone who works at Comcast and she confirmed it to me.
I get nothing but telemarketing calls from morning to night. For myself and the previous owner.
I totally degrade these people when they call me from their pathetic jobs in their pathetic lives.
October 6, 2010 at 12:41 pm |
Same thing happened to me. I called last week to get my number changed, because I was getting so many sales calls(including scam types, that threaten you). I wasn’t sure who sold my number. I thought it was the post office(who I gave my number to when we moved).
Nope.
Within a week of getting the number changed, and UNLISTED, the calls have started coming in – asking for me by name.
I have not changed my number anywhere yet, and a few members of my family are the ONLY ones who have it.
This could ONLY have been sold by Comcast.
Fuck you Comcast. When I move again next year, I’m cancelling service entirely.
October 7, 2010 at 11:03 am |
AT&T (Bellsouth Miami) does the same thing…I signed up for a new business line and get tons of telemarketing calls…I just tell them they reached a home address and not the company they are looking for, however the robo (or automated message) calls do not cease…it is really annoying.
October 21, 2010 at 5:55 pm |
We signed up for comcast / xfinity this summer. We too started getting calls on what they deemed the main number. However our business actually uses the secondary number and we advertise that on our website.
We asked comcast if they sold our number and of course they denied it. Egg on their face, about one month ago we got a “free pen” from a pen company with a form to buy more pens. I took a look at the pen.
There it was, our name, address and what comcast deemed as our main number printed right on the pen. What BS!
November 17, 2010 at 8:29 pm |
What can I do?…And is this grounds for a Lawsuit?….I originally recently got hooked up with a cable company,who is also my phone,and internet co as well…Well when I ordered my package,I specified for my number not to be listed at all..I did not want anyone to be able to get it,or be able to find out where I was living either…Well,I recently just started getting harrased by a ex of mine,and she now knows my address as well…So I found out,my cable co,did not make my number unlisted,as I specified…When I called them,they said..Oh I see it is in the original work order that when you signed up for this package,That your number was not to be listed..However,for some reason,We listed it,on this same day…This is how My ex got my number,and now has my address…I called the company,and Told them I was not happy about this,and I needed a new number now,and also I am going to have problems now because of there mistake…They assigned me a new number,and assured me that my new number would now be Unlisted…WELL…I called them about my caller ID not working,and when I did..I also asked about my new number,to make sure that they had made sure it was now Unlisted..WOULDN’T You Know it?…They told me,Im sorry Sir,But your number is not unlisted…So I am now Working on my 3rd number with them,in the last 6 days now…And They have assured me once again,that my number will be unlisted,when the number change goes into effect….Just like the last two times so far…I am curious to see if this one will be unlisted or not,And I also Would Like to know…Can I do anything Legally about this,since I now have to go through a Bunch of Crap,which I would have never had to go through in the first place,if they unlisted my number,when it was originally hooked up,and I first Moved in here…Now From there mistake,I am In Jeopardy because of a Bitter ex,who is a Physco…CAN I SUE THESE GUYS FOR THIS?. Can Someone Please let me Know if I am able to do anything legally about this?..Thank You!!
November 17, 2010 at 8:48 pm |
I wish everyone the best,and I hope there Is a Attorney that will maybe give some advice to all us in need,since it is all basicly the same kind of problems,and maybe we could all get together and file a lawsuit,That Would Be Fantastic!
December 2, 2010 at 7:13 pm |
When these people call, get information from them if you can (company, phone, call display, product etc) and report them http://www.namethatnumber.net At least you can voice your opinion and maybe encourage them to abide by the do-not-call list!
December 23, 2010 at 9:24 am |
I got a call from a telemarketer just days after installing a LAN line through Verizon. I called Verizon and they admitted to selling our telephone numbers for profit.
January 7, 2011 at 4:40 pm |
Hello,
I am writing because our new comcast land line has been ringing 4-5 times since it was installed this Monday. The number is completely unlisted and has not been given out.
I found this blog after googling “comcast selling phone numbers” to see if anyone else has been effected.
The calls so far have been for home security, “prize giveaways”, and surveys.
January 14, 2011 at 1:06 pm |
Thanks for posting this. I just now got a home phone. Figured I’d do the same thing as you and get a “bundle” with my Comcast. The guy came out, hooked up my new box. No one has my new number, so you can imagine how surprised I was when it rang. At first I thought it was Comcast calling to check the service. Nope. It was Spot Security!
Nice. Jerks!
So off to the Do Not Call Registry I went!
January 26, 2011 at 3:47 pm |
I got a phone call tonight from a telemarketer, after changing my phone number just 2 days ago. I cut him off and asked him how he had gotten my phone number. He was more then happy to tell me that their company buys home phone numbers not only from Comcast but from others as well. From everything I have looked up and heard this is against the law, and tho Comcast and other phone company’s will deny this it is true. I have went to the Do Not Call registry to put our phone number in not to be called, but it is BS that we should even have to do this. Now speaking to Comcast and listening to their lies, also keeping the info I have gotten from the company that called, if this does not stop then guess its time for a good lawyer and a prepaid phone!
January 31, 2011 at 4:47 pm |
Same here! The phone started ringing within seconds of me hooking it up, asking for us by name. The phone is utterly unusable because it’s ringing off the hook.
March 7, 2011 at 8:03 am |
Wow, just got a telemarketing call from a home security place too. They asked for us by name. I asked them how they got this phone number (since we’ve had it less than a week) and they said our phone company probably sold it. Thanks a lot Comcast! Way to make a new customer happy about your service! <- sarcasm Googled 'comcast selling phone numbers' and found this blog, just got done registering with 'do not call' I am so not happy about this!
March 9, 2011 at 8:31 am |
Hey Mandy! Isn’t it fun?! For the new ones I just ask them to hold, mute the phone and 3 way them on to the hotline so I can hear them get annoyed. Lol can’t beat ’em, join ’em!
March 22, 2011 at 12:48 pm |
Comcast sells you regular snail mail address also. I didn’t get their phone but got their cable TV and internet. It is in my son’s name William and the only thing in my son’s name William here. All junk mail I recieve at my address is to “William”.
April 4, 2011 at 9:06 pm |
I’ve also had this problem! & FINALLY after talking to 3 other Comcast employees, I finally ended up getting a Comcast representative that pretty-much explained it to me (all the others had said “don’t worry, Comcast neither gives nor sells your information, we CARE about customers privacy”)… Anyway, this new guy said that when Comcast needs a new phone number, they have to get the phone number from another company that gives out new phone numbers. It’s this “phone number” company that sells your information to the advertisers (along with who-knows who else!)
This good-natured Comcast guy took me off of many lists that were in his Comcast computer. Besides the unlisted number, you can have your address unlisted, also a “do not knock” provision checked (because otherwise Comcast will “just stop buy” your home to “check on your service” if you don’t have a “do not knock” listed with them. Also they have a “no junk mail” & a “no insert” (for INSIDE their junk mail) & who knows HOW many other places your number AND ADDRESS goes to.
The important thing to know is, that if you pay for an UNLISTED phone number, you will STILL have your ADDRESS LISTED in the white pages, etc.
& once your information is out there (probably through the company that gives out the new phone numbers)… It’s out there FOREVER & whether or not Comcast gives out your information directly, that “new phone number” company sure as heck does! Even if you ask to be unlisted”.
One last point. My phone # with Comcast is supposedly unlisted (& it IS with directory assistance it) but my caller ID STILL comes across with my name! …I’ll probably have to pay even more to have my caller ID blocked too!
SHEESH! What’s this word coming to!?
I can tell where my junk mail, etc is coming from because I always spell my name a little differently for things such as these & when I see that slightly unusual spelling, I KNOW for sure where that junk-mail came from.
April 27, 2011 at 10:13 am |
I added Comcast digital phone service last year but I did not start receiving unwanted calls until 4 mos ago. Some are 11 digit numbers, some are 4 digit numbers and others are area codes from Canada, Montana, North Dakota.
I didn’t put 2 and 2 together until I read this blog.
August 7, 2011 at 6:56 am |
While this is a very old topic I ran into something similar with comcast. I “paid” to have a unlisted comcast voice number.
While flipping through the phone book what did I find? The phone number and my address listed.
Comcasts response? Oops.
Verizon on the other hand is much worse. I had VOIP for years and never had one telemarketer phone call. I transferred my VOIP number to a verizon landline and within weeks (if not days) the telemarketer calls started. Prior to that I hadn’t gotten one ever.
And the best part about verizon was when I moved 15 minutes away I had to give them my number since they said it was a new city and they couldn’t allow me to keep the old number.
Even though prior to that I did move with that number between citys and the VOIP company had no problems with it.
I guess when I call numbers that are us based and they transfer to overseas for outsourcing those guys better not have verizon!
September 2, 2011 at 9:18 am |
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October 21, 2011 at 7:14 am |
I have literally been awake for an hour and received 3 phone calls from 3 different telemarketers. I just got my service a 5 days ago and the calls started 2 days after it was installed. I am very angry to find out that it’s comcast selling my number and and to read all the other posts and to find out they sell your address too. I am a very private person and don’t need people calling me or knowing where I live without me telling them. I answered all three phone calls and when I asked how they got my number they told me ” My telephone service provider”. It’s funny how no one (even my family) has my number yet because I use my cell phone mostly but where I moved too, cell service goes in and out so I decided to get a house phone in case I had important calls to make. Comcast is making me reconsider having their service. At least with verizon I didn’t have to pay a monthly fee for using their equipment and they didn’t sell your number.
November 5, 2011 at 9:57 pm |
You won’t believe my story!
Last April, we got into a 1-2 year contract for the HD Prefered Plus XF Welcome Triple play package. The rep that knocked on our door lied to us so after complaining we got the modem, 2 digital boxes and the DVR for $7.00 a month plus the $89.99 for the bundle. Total we were paying was $105.00 taxes included.
3 days ago, I received a call from an ATT technician. He tells me he has a work order to install a phone line “with my number”. I told him if he was talking to me is because I owned the #. After 3 calls and my attempts to wake up this idiot so he could understand the # was taken he says “I understand”. I didn’t pay attention to it, I went along with my life.
A day later, I was driving and I needed to call my wife. I call her, an as soon as I hear a voice I tell my wife in Spanish “honey, I am on my way home, I need you to call our kid’s teacher”…..when at the other end a lady says “What are you talking about”? I realize she is not my wife. We start a conversation and she tells me “my phone number” was given to her by ATT. I got home, my phone # is dead. I call back our number and the husband answers and he tells me he was with the technician when he made the 3 calls to me “while he was installing the phone line” just to make sure it was working???
After that, hell broke loose! I went to the service location in my area and they told me that ATT could “just request your phone # and they couldn’t do anything” ! The rep said to me that they weren’t allowed by law to call me and find out why I was porting out my # to another company! I was furious, I got out out of that building telling them mother foxers and all those mean words.
I went on line and a rep was chatting with me. She said that I had signed up on line and I had requested my phone # to be ported out to ATT. I got mad again and I just logged off. For 3 days I have been calling and going from reps to technicians and from techinicians to reps and reps to supervisors. One after another they were telling me that I had made a call to request the transfer to ATT. Even a technician told me that he had to escalate the situation so his supervisor would listen to the call I made to port out my # and then he would call me. Of course, I am still waiting for that call if it wasn’t for another supervisor who finally admited that they had made a mistake and allowed ATT to port out my # without my authorization. You think everything had a happy ending? No way! I went again on line, I made many calls because then COMCAST wanted me to get into a new contract that would force us to pay a sweet $44.00 a month more for the same bundle under different name. Their excuse was that “they didn’t have that offer anymore”. I yelled, I insulted, I was nice and I begged them to understand that they had broken the deal, not me and because of that they owed me, that I didn’t deserve to be punished for their mistake!
Yesterday Friday, I was on the phone with a supervisor , the supervisor checks my account, she tells me my phone is back to Comcast and I should able to make oubound calls (I wasn’t able to receive calls). Then, she was just about to change my account to the previous one when mi wife calls me on my cell and tells me she had called and she was promised that we would have the same package, the same price, not a penny less, not a penny more. So I the supervisor I didn’t need her help anymore ’cause my wife had gotten the same deal.
As soon as I hung up talking to the supervisor, I said to myself that I had made a mistake because I didn’t need to trust them anymore, that they would screw us up again and again. Yes, they did! Last night I checked the programming abut our Premium channels were not longer active.
We were busy running errands this morning and this afternoon. Evening came and I thought that it took 24 hours for the channels to reset. I turned on both the TV and the DVR and no Premium channels. Guess what? I was on the phone for the 48th hour talking to Comcast reps and being transfered to a supervisor. After telling my story again she says that she will escalate my account problem to a higher level. But before she says good bye, she promises to install the premium channels so I can have a nice weekend.
Yes, you’re right, they didn’t install the channels and there I go to call for the 49th time! I got a technician and after hearing my story (20 minutes of story) he says he can’t do anything. I request to be transfered to supervisor, he obliges and I wait, wait, wait and the rep responds back, he tells me that he had checked my account. There was a work order to have my account reset to the prior deal I had, but he couldn’t do anything to have me enjoy the premium channels. So, here I am waiting for this next Tuesday to expect me calling again because now, I really, really don’t believe in Comcast anymore! I know I will be mad again because they won’t honor the contract they and with us in the beginning.
By the way, when the supervisor told me I was able to receive inbound calls, 20 minutes later I received a call, guess what? It was from a commercial company! I had to press #1 to have my number deleted from their list. Are they nice or what?
My final word. I am prepared to go to FCC and make a complaint. I was accused of calling and then getting into a chat room with technicians to order my own phone # to be transfered to another address and under another name. I have been mostly told that I have to pay for their mistake. I feel that Comcast has made a fool of itself. I feel that my personal information is at risk with Comcast because what it happened to me is a matter of law. I haven’t received an apology nor any credit for my pain and suffering. I have called a liar and they haven’t said “here you are, you deserve a credit for your pain”. Nope, Comcast has failed me and you should be worried Comcast is not stepping to the front admiting they are wrong and they commit costly mistakes that can endanger a life. If I needed my phone to make an emergency call to 911, can you imagine my phone line dead because Comcast made a mistake and they didn’t even call me to ask me why I had left their business? Can you imagine one of yours dying because the phone line was dead due to Comcast giving your # to ATT without your authorization?
January 26, 2012 at 12:35 pm |
I recently signed up for internet service from Comcast- NO cable, NO telephone… But they sold my personal CELL phone number that was NOT issued by them!
This is BULLSHIT, I signed on to my account to look for the option to opt-out or whatever.. NONexistent- of course.
How is that legal? My phone is through T-Mobile… And when I called customer support no one was “able” to help me. This is REALLY annoying and frustrating.
Comcast SUCKS!
Their service sucks, their staff sucks, they policies suck. I REALLY wish I had another reasonable option.
April 13, 2012 at 3:13 pm |
Folks, this is a lot more serious than anyone realizes. Comcast/ATT are not only selling your phone number/contact info (including name and probably address) when you ARE a customer, they are doing so when you are NOT their customer as well! How? We figured it out as follows: They are HARVESTING & SELLING YOUR ELECTRONIC PHONEBOOK ENTRIES! (Like some online companies violate your boundaries and delve into your email addressbook entries and sell the info to spammers.)
Here is what happened to us, and we are FURIOUS and intend to take this up at the LEGISLATIVE level:
The person whose name is the registered owner of the household phone died several months ago. Shortly thereafter, our phone started receiving MANY MANY daily calls from telemarketers, starting early in the morning, lasting till late at night. These callers specifically ASKED for a household member’s name who is NOT associated with this phone number! We thought maybe the insurance company or bank had sold this information, because until the family member’s death, that particular name was NEVER associated with the phone number. We contacted insurance company and bank, they said they do not sell such info.
As it turned out, it was a church friend who (after the death) entered our information into HER cell phone memory’s phonebook, which was the obvious LINK between ATT & COMCAST and OUR PRIVATE PHONE NUMBER and the name of the household member who was NOT associated with this phone number. CLEARLY, Comcast & ATT are sharing databases, pilfered from their customers’ phonebook entries, and selling them to junk-callers. This has GOT to be illegal! We all need to complain loudly about such privacy violations and do so to our legislators, and not just Comcast or ATT (if you are even lucky enough to be able to contact them; they hide and make it hard to get in touch with them!)
Our household is grieving over the loss of our loved one, and we don’t need or want these intrusions and privacy invasions. We happen to have ATT phone service and Comcast basic cable package; but NOWHERE in any of those service agreements is the name associated with the number that has been used, so we are certain that the way Comcast got our number/name combination was through this innocent church-friend’s entry into her cell phonebook. OUTRAGEOUS!
June 11, 2012 at 10:32 pm |
This is simply ridiculous. We had AT&T for home phone service (with a private, unlisted number) for over 20 years without any issues. We switched to Comcast and all hell broke loose. Our “private” number was published everywhere imaginable on the internet and white pages, etc., and we are now receiving dozens of annoying telemarketing calls despite the fact that we are on the “do not call list”. What is going on here? If we knew this was the end result, we would have ran like hell from this disgusting company. Quite simply, we are ready to completely dump our home phone number. Comcast… you suck.
September 7, 2012 at 9:39 am |
I am thoroughly disgusted with these lowlife scumbags…comcast who deny selling our phone numbers …when this phone is ringing all day long thankls to Comcast….Is there any legal action that we can take to sue their asses…comcast is nothing but a thuggery company…paying politicians off to create a monopoly in cable servive all throughout the delaware valley and more…How do you think they got the money to buy the flyers,sixers,and build huge skyscrapers in center city phila…they are without a doubt the most dishonest scumbag company in the phila area..and then when you call to complain about these all day phonecalls…they deny and lie about it…these people should be taken to the cleaners…I wont be happy until I see comcast destroyed and broken up….Again can we take any legal action against these lowlife scumbags???
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January 18, 2013 at 3:54 pm |
I am thoroughly disgusted with comcast giving out my telephone number…it should be banned ..my phone rings all day long with these scam artists thanks to comcast who deny that they give out the number …they are bleeping LIARS and im sick of it…they have no right to give out my number without asking…too bad we cant sue these SOBs
April 9, 2013 at 5:29 pm |
Anything we can do about this. I asked my number to not be published due to security reasons. They not only published the number, but sold it to telemarketers and now I see it appear on Yahoo when I type in my url. This truly puts my life in danger and something should be done. Any ideas?
May 9, 2013 at 12:16 pm |
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Thanks
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