[u_chill]

I bought an Alto k10 in 2010 and insurance is due for renewal on Aug 15, 2011. Since the last 2 weeks, I have been consistently receiving 2-4 calls every day from DSAs of all major insurers: Tata AIG, RS, HDFC etc. asking me if I would like to renew my car insurance.

Since I take extra trouble to avoid telemarketing calls on my cell phone, I was particularly surprised with this deluge. I contacted my dealer Mandovi Motors, Bangalore. According to them, the database has been supplied through records of Bangalore RTO and they are not responsible for letting out my personal cell phone to third parties.

This morning I received a strange SMS which seems to confirm the dealership claim. Here it is:

"LM-CAR-2010: Bangalore-2010 Car Owners database available for sale with 100% Accuracy, Hyundai, Honda, Chevrolet, Maruthi, Data Quantity-55000. Call-09176735888"

-Any other Bangalore 2010 car owners on this board facing the same issue with barrage of unsolicited telecallers?
-What is the next suggested course of action? I would really like to stop these calls on my cellphone ASAP.

[Spitfire]

Originally Posted by u_chill

"LM-CAR-2010: Bangalore-2010 Car Owners database available for sale with 100% Accuracy, Hyundai, Honda, Chevrolet, Maruthi, Data Quantity-55000. Call-09176735888"

The details are supplied by the officials. With computerization and USB storage keys getting smaller in size, this is quite easy.

Oh and welcome to corruption capital.

[arjyamaj]

This happens all over India. You can actually pick up databases from random CD shops (some of whom specialise in personal data collection and distribution).

I'm guessing your best option is to register yourself on the DND registry. Or have you done that already?

[mayankjha1806]

I have registered fot DND registry but still get calls for my car insurance etc. Not sure if anyone follows DND yet. Sometime in future if it becomes unmanageable i am thinking of doing something about it.

BTW what i have noticed that this data is fairly accurate and it has been leaked from RTO for sure as i bought my car in Oct and had to travel overseas for sometime. During that period the car insurance lapsed and i forgot to get it insured again. Once i came back got it insured. So although i bought my car in Sepr/Oct my insurance runs from April-April. I usually get calls around August/Sept/Oct rather than March/April.

[Latheesh]

Originally Posted by u_chill

-Any other Bangalore 2010 car owners on this board facing the same issue with barrage of unsolicited telecallers?

Mine is 2009 reg car and my insurance is due for renewal in August. I get 2-3 calls from agents everyday asking about the same. I dont think we can do anything about it.
Sometimes I give some funny/naughty answers to these agents.

[wildon]

^^ Same here as My 2009 Car due for renewal in next month.

Now I know how many car insurance agencies are there in Bangalore

[u_chill]

I am on the DNC list from my Bank as well as Airtel. Number also validates on the national Do not call registry: http://164.100.9.238/ndncregistry/index.jsp. Usually works well as I would not get too many telemarketing calls...till now.

As is obvious, the information regarding insurance expiration plus cell phone details can be obtained only from regional RTO or local car dealerships. Giving the benefit of doubt to my dealership, I will now raise it to Bangalore RTO: http://rto.kar.nic.in

Let's see what happens!

[GTO]

Originally Posted by u_chill

I would really like to stop these calls on my cellphone ASAP.

Tell them you sold the car . The calls will end miraculously.

If you really want to get back at them for the unsolicited calls, file a complaint noting down the call time, organisation name & phone number. I believe strict action is taken against the errant telemarketeers.

[Irish]

Originally Posted by GTO

Tell them you sold the car . The calls will end miraculously.

If you really want to get back at them for the unsolicited calls, file a complaint noting down the call time, organisation name & phone number. I believe strict action is taken against the errant telemarketeers.

That's the right approach to proceed.

To check if your mobile number is registered in DND database: National Do Not Call Registry

How to File a Complaint

Subscriber may complaint to his telecom service provider, if he receives Unsolicited Commercial Communnication (UCC) even after 45 days of regisering his number for UCC. While making the complaint to this telecom service provider, he should mention the call originating telephone number, date/time of the call and type of commercial message. It may be noted that complaint should be lodged within 15 days from the receipt of such UCC.
The subscriber should insist for the complaint No. which should be kept for further reference.

Source: National Do Not Call Registry

File a complaint with your service provider and if no action is taken then forward that complaint number on this email id (helpline@ndncregistry.gov.in) with a CC to TRAI also.

Cheers!
Irish

[subscrive]

Tell the person to meet you at some place and time. Then continue to delay and waste their time telling that you are stuck in some work etc. Tell him to come next day and then next and so on...
This will stop soon.
My friend used to get calls. He told the guy to come to hinjewadi phase 3. Friend went to meet the guy at reception and told that "I told you to come here just so that I can tell you that I am not interested in your insurance!"

[snorting bull]

Originally Posted by subscrive

He told the guy to come to hinjewadi phase 3. Friend went to meet the guy at reception and told that "I told you to come here just so that I can tell you that I am not interested in your insurance!"

I wouldn't ever do that. One way is to view it as a hinderance. But I think they are out there trying to make a living. Guess you can shout at them and cut the call, but I would advise folks not to give false signal.

[jacksons]

Originally Posted by GTO

Tell them you sold the car . The calls will end miraculously.

If you really want to get back at them for the unsolicited calls, file a complaint noting down the call time, organisation name & phone number. I believe strict action is taken against the errant telemarketeers.

I did the same from the day I registered for NDNC and I also maintained details of complaints in my note book with complaint number, so whenever I made multiple complaints about certain company, I made my phone company to note that this is not first time complaint against particular company and you are doing nothing about it, this trick worked well and I am at peace now.

[richie4u]

Well I myself have fun when this telemarketers call, What I do is that I actually instigate them against other insurance companies.

whenever a telemarketer calls me (for eg. Tata AIG), after listening to his price of Rs. 5100 I tell him that Ifko is giving me the same insurance for Rs. 4600(tata nano) so why I should I buy yours when both give the same facility.

Then before I hang up I tell him that I've got 6 cars and I can get all the cars to be insured by his company only if can give me lower prices then ifko.

I repeat the same thing with all the telemarketers and finally renew with the lowest deal.

Well I do not suggest this to people who are busy but for people who got some free time to try this maybe you may get an awesome deal.

[subscrive]

Originally Posted by snorting bull

I wouldn't ever do that. One way is to view it as a hinderance. But I think they are out there trying to make a living. Guess you can shout at them and cut the call, but I would advise folks not to give false signal.

Yeah! Thieves are also trying to make a living and so are prostitutes! </scarcasm>
Boss! There's a reason for passing a law against such calls. And if they are doing illegal things, I dont see any reason why we should think about their lives. They can very well do some other job.
Just consider that DnD list is strictly implemented. In this case too, they would be out of job, right?
If thousands of people start troubling them (as they trouble us), slowly and surely they will stop such unwanted calls.

[snorting bull]

Originally Posted by subscrive

Yeah! Thieves are also trying to make a living and so are prostitutes! </scarcasm>
Boss! There's a reason for passing a law against such calls. And if they are doing illegal things, I dont see any reason why we should think about their lives. They can very well do some other job.
Just consider that DnD list is strictly implemented. In this case too, they would be out of job, right?
If thousands of people start troubling them (as they trouble us), slowly and surely they will stop such unwanted calls.

Ok. I don't want to spark a debate here by comparing the DND calls with flesh trade or thieving. What you talk of is criminal law, and here we are talking about civil law. Not sure how you compare both.
But I agree its illegal. All I am saying is you can have a smarter way of shooing the people like GTO said, "I sold my car " and that's precisely what I do. I sometimes tell them that I am in DnD and don't call me.

Google out ! There are some interesting ways of shooing the tele marketers. Here is one
1) “You want to sell me insurance? I’ve been trying to sell insurance for years, but nobody will buy one!”
2) “That sounds great! Wait, can you hold for a minute?”
3) “I’m sorry, but I’m really busy right now. Give me your home number and I’ll call you back later tonight.”

Some more at Source