Visited a website, now getting called by the company, is it legal?

[fishbowlhead]

Ok to fill you in, i visited a website of a company last night on my phone whilst in bed, searching for steel shutter doors for my factory. Found one in my area, Guardian industrial doors, had a look on the website, went off the website, then today i got a call from them. Bare in mind i did not accept any cookies, nor enter my mobile or details into any form for a call back. Im wondering how exactly they gleaned my number, is this even legal?

I had a look on who called me website and no complaints there, anyone else ever had this happen from a website?

[briareos_kerensky]

That doesn't sound legal at all, and I think they got your number from your ISP, I can't see any of the big phone OS developers broadcasting your phone number to anything. I'd contact the ISP and ask for a clarification first.

[MartyG]

Loads of crap can be sent as metadata in the request headers by your browser - wouldn't be surprised if some phones and browsers are leaking that data: have a look here on your phone and see what it's sending: http://browserspy.dk/headers.php

[fishbowlhead]

Cheers Marty. Doesn't appear to be larking anything sensitive. I have latest iOS version installed with do not track on at all times (whatever that's worth these days).

[ETC]

This exact thing happened to me with RAC it was an invisible gif that did it apparently. mine was using my iPad and my isp is sky if that helps

[fishbowlhead]

It's pretty shocking behaviour to be honest. Not like there a massive company like RAC either. I'm going to some more digging on this.

[DoDonJoshua]

I'm not sure it's possible, at least without something sketchy happening. If you've ordered from this place before, they may have your details already, and effectively on revisiting them your IP/MAC address could have triggered a call back?

I've done a few tests and can't seem to get that data from the header packet, (connecting via adk and debugging) but i'm with Vodafone.

[S3M]

This sounds well dodgy, sound like it breaches the data protection act, might be a bit of a grey air, but certainly they shouldn't be collecting your phone number unless you give them direct permission to do so. Ringing you back after that is just so so dodgy.

[Dogg Thang]

How is this possible? It sounds incredibly unlikely and yet it happened so... how? That Browserspy site shows next to no info for me and nothing that would hint at how browsing could possibly compromise your phone number. I'd be tempted to call them to ask how they got your number.

[smouty]

I'd be tempted to call them to ask how they got your number.

Definitely. Also if you aren't already, register with the telephone preference service. http://www.tpsonline.org.uk
It is amazing how many cold callers are not aware they have broken the law when you tell them

[fishbowlhead]

To be honest this seems like a minor thing, but actually smells of borderline data theft/spyware to be able to glean a telephone number just from a website visit.

I'm really not happy about it from a consumer point of view, also as a business owner I'm disgusted someone else finds it acceptable to do this to a potential customer.

If I find there in breach of the law, I'm actually going to report this to the police.

[charlesr]

I don't understand how this is possible. I'd like to know though!

[fishbowlhead]

Well 3 mobile have no idea nor the police. Now to contact trading standards when there open Monday.

[Asura]

Sounds daft but are you sure there isn't a legitimate reason?

Maybe they call every new business that opens up nearby?

[fishbowlhead]

Sounds daft but are you sure there isn't a legitimate reason?

Maybe they call every new business that opens up nearby?

It's no coincidence that I visited a website for approx 20 secs then they called me the next day. There is absolutely no legitimate way they could of accessed my personal mobile number, which I don't give out even to important customers, it's not listed anywhere at all.