Centurion

So what do you do in the event that you had to actually phone vodafone further down the line, for example to get your number ported onto a different carrier or a contract ?

"Hi there could you help me port my number ?"
"Sure whats the number"
"0404444333"
<chuckles at the other end of the line>
"Certainly sir, could i confirm the name on the account and the date of birth"
"Sure, its, er..er, hum, Spanky Asshole"

Mikeyc

Oh I have a name and DOB to remember things like that; I never give out my real details unless I really need to. There is no need for a pre-paid sim card to have my full details on it, I haven’t signed anything and I’m not on any contract, why should they have my name and DOB?

People give out their personal details too easy and then cry when someone has gotten something in their name etc.

Plus, I’d never be in that situation. If I was changing networks I wouldn’t want to port my number they take from 1 to 3 days and I’m inpatient, I’d rather just give everyone my new number. No big loss.

Mikey

E3only

Totally understand your concern.

The giving of personal details however has neither links to a ‘contract’ nor any signing.

It’s one of those things that were introduced toward tightening of information gathering after 9/11 and 7/11.

One is obliged to give out those details else you are lying & if caught (very unlikely) you could be serious trouble. Remember the case I think was Dr. Hanif or something ?

He gave away his SIM card when he left AU or was he using someone else’s and they got caught in some anti-terrorism stuff.

Anyway, the point is – the network holds your personal information and you are covered by privacy act (supposed to be anyway! – I have had instances when people have got hold of my number without any connection and as such and totally understand your side). However (no offence) if you were just concerned of giving out our personal details then it’s easy enough to do the right thing and walk up to one of the outlets. You then exactly know whom are you giving those details to.

Again no offense, but tricking them over the phone just makes me feel “why should I give my personal details when……” rather than “I am concerned of privacy”. If one thought per the later – then there are alternatives for doing it the right way…..

Thanks.

Mikeyc

The only things that have and need my details are:

Bank account and Credit card
Passport/medicare/drivers licence
Work and Uni
Landlord/estate agent

That’s it.

The following never get any of my information

Phone (mobile or landline)
Utilities – electricity, foxtel, internet, gas etc

I have all of them, but none in my name or DOB – they never need to know and the bills are always paid on time so no problem.

Simply because I learned the hard way, when I was 18 I got a mobile contract (won’t name the company) the person who worked in the store used my details to gain credit – and it took me over a year to clear and get off my credit file and prove it wasn’t me.

The only things that will get my details are things that NEED them and HAVE to have them. Phone and Foxtel don’t care if my name is John Doe or not, as long as I pay the bill on time it keeps them happy! Been doing it that way for about 5 years now.

Mikey

E3only

As I said – totally understand where you are coming from.

Giving out false names, DOB etc is an offence. What you feel “they don’t need it” does not mean it’s the right thing.

I had 2 enquires on my CRA as well which I quickly got on to and after some bureaucratic cra*p got them erased. However the point is – when you sign up for FOXTEL (usually a 12-24 months contract) or even telephone line at home (no contract) & if you give false information & god forbid you are caught you will be in a huge mess.

“They didn’t need it” wont stand much of a voice to be honest.. . . . . . but hey – you know what you are doing. None of my business probably..

Mikeyc

It’s not false information technically, it’s just slightly altered to make sure the same mistake can never happen again – it’s my name in its original language (Gaelic) and the date of birth is different because I give it in the American format MM/DD/YY.

So they still have MY details, just not in the right way.

If I got caught, which would actually never happen as I pay the bills plus I have never actually signed anything at all or done a recorded contract. I’d play dumb. But my bills are all on time and hey, as for doing the “right thing” I am, I’m paying the bill’s, but that’s as far as I’ll go, no one did the “right thing” when I needed my Credit cleared.

Mikey

TillyG

See, if I had done the false name thing with the utilities then I'd have been pretty much buggered when it came to:

1) getting our PR visa - they wanted 12 items of "bills" (incl utility) to prove address etc

2) getting DD into school - again, they wanted proof of address (tenancy plus a utility bill) to prove we're in the area (very strict on catchment for this particular school).

But I've never had any need to hide who I am so it's just never occurred to me to give false info.

Mikeyc

When I need proof of address I have plenty of items:

Tenancy agreement
Bank statement
Credit Card statement
Payslip
Drivers Licence
Letter from my work
Letter from my Uni

For ID I have:
Australian Passport
Irish Passport
British Passport
Drivers Licence
Citizenship cert
Medicare Card
Credit Card
Eftpos Card
Birth Cert

More than enough

Foxtel, Pizza Hut and the Phone Company will get my personal details when they can be trusted with my details; past experience has proven me otherwise. It’s not about having something to hide, what could one possibly want to hide from Foxtel or Telstra? None of them are important enough.

And you state to get your PR you needed 12 bills, even if I was using my details on all my bills I still wouldn’t have 12! I don’t like debt or contracts, prefer to keep it at 1 credit card for emergencies only and leave it at that, I’d die if I had 12 different bills!

Mikey

TillyG

Fair enough, entirely up to you. I just guess I (and others on this thread) don't understand the need to keep personal details so "personal", iykwim?

I know you said you had some problems with Credit Reference Agencies - we had a couple of problems too, but it was no big deal. One of them was someone who lived in the same block as us (we lived at 51B he was at 51E) and he was flagged as being on the CIFAS list (can't remember what that stood for but it was to do with some fraudulent behaviour). We also had DH's mum's ex-boyfriend associated with DH, for some reason.

A quick letter to the relevant agency and it was sorted. No big deal.

Mikeyc

lol, Over here it can be a nightmare to clear it, you have to go through so much crap and at the time it caused me so many problems and it was still a hassle, you have to go through the original company and then prove it wasn’t you and you didn’t spend it or cause the debt (it’s very very hard to prove) and bla bla bla. Took over a year too much hassle all over some muppet that worked in a phone store.

So I just find it much easier this way, lol.

Mikey