LBM Direct Marketing Complaints and Correspondence: October 2006

This page represent some of the emails we've received about LBM Direct Marketing, almost all of which are complaints. You can read the full story here.

2/10/06

• "T" is another TPS subscriber who describes LBM's "line" on TPS:
  I have received three calls from LBM last week and I found your website on an MSN search.
  
  I called LBM on their complaints line and was asked to give my phone number which I refused as I am listed on the TPS already. I asked them to remove all TPS numbers from their list.
  
  The lady on the other end informed me that the TPS registration must be renewed each year. I checked with the TPS and found that this was a complete lie. Only corporate numbers need to be renewed each year not residential numbers and I have been registered for over two years with them.
  
  LBM do not and refuse to remove numbers listed via the TPS. Their actions are illegal.

Updated: 3/10/06

• "M" is yet another TPS subscriber: I have received many of these calls.I never answer 0800 calls but very one I googled was from LBM. My husband answered a few and each time the line went dead. I am on the Telephone Preference Scheme, so I have e-mailed LBM and told them his and to stop calling. If they do continue I will report them to TPS. These calls are a nusiance and should be stopped. Surely this is illegal!!!
  
• "A" has a plan for revenge. Groo: Like one of the other posters on your site, I, too, check any missed calls I don't recognise on Google. My number is registered with TPS and yet I received 2 of these calls within 4 days from the 01616030000 number. Worryingly, this is now my son's new number and I've had to educate the kids so they don't fall victim to shysters like LBM. I run past the house of one of the directors each year in the Wilmslow half marathon; I think next March I just may be needing a dump on his front lawn...
• "J" discovers that LBM are trying to pass themselves off as O2 again: I just got called by some guy who said he was from O2 Mobile. He asked me who I was with (O2) and what contract I was on (Monthly). I asked him to confirm the company he was working for and he said O2 Mobile. I said that if he was from O2, surely he has this information as I am a customer? He agreed and said that he would remove my number from the list. I told him that if he didn't know I was a customer, then what was he trying to sell me? He said he wasn't trying to sell me anything as he was calling from O2 (although he didn't know I was a customer when he made the call). He then asked me to confirm that I was on a monthly contract and asked me how long I had been with O2. I told him again that surely if he is from O2, he would have this information. He said he needed that information in order to remove my number from his list. I said that I was very happy with O2 and politely said goodbye! The number he called from was 0800013662. A quick google brought up your site.

4/10/06

• "G" is another TPS subscriber who has struggled to make LBM stop calling, as this copy of an email to LBM demonstrates:
  My Telephone Number is **** *******
  
  I have emailed you twice before
  Phoned you on several occasions
  
  Talked with Mr John Rickman on two occasions
  
  Every time you have promised to remove my telephone number from your system
  This is that latest email i sent to LBM
  
  My number is registered with the TPS and BT silent call guard  
  You obviously have no intention on taking action on my repeated requests.
  
  your number that keeps calling is   0800 051 0660
  
  you have phoned on the following:
  24-09-06       @ 9:30
  25-09-06       @ 10.56
  27-09-06       @ 9.58
  27-09-06       @12.17
  27-09-06       @4.34pm
  28-09-06       @ 9.30
  28-09-06       @ 12.24
  
  Therefore. I have now reported your company to OFCOM, the DMA & Trafford Trading Standards. If i have to go further, i will be contacting BBC Watchdog and also taking legal steps against your company.
• "M" takes some action: Thanks for all the info on the site. I have now emailed the DMA and also BBC watchdog about it. I have included the link to your site on the Watchdog one. Perhaps if they take it up, something might get done!!

5/10/06

• "E" shows her frustration with LBM: found your webpage about this annoying company. Rather than ringing the 0845 number I'm making a number of calls a day to the 0800 number and leaving the phone off the hook for a few minutes perhaps while I go to the bathroom, cook the supper or change babies nappy - they then end up paying for the call. Perhaps if enough of us did this it may help them mend their ways!!

9/10/06

• "A" takes an alternative approach: I too have had calls from LBM – the first call I told them I was with vodafone and happy and they hung up on me, they now call all the time even though I’ve got a friend to tell them I’ve died.

10/10/06

• "C" suggests that the Protection from Harrassment Act 1997 might be relevant if you feel that LBM have made harrassing phone calls:
  On one or two occasions I have spoken to someone who purports to be from O2 or Sky TV asking if I would like to upgrade. As I don't have either of these products, I find this rather odd. I have tried asking them to stop calling and to remove my number from their files or to speak to a supervisor but this is when they usually hang up. However, the majority of calls are usually silent which is even more annoying.
  
  I am registered with the TPS and never (repeat NEVER!!) give my consent to anyone to pass my details on or to use them for telemarketing services.
  
  Has no one ever considered using sections 1 & 2 of The Protection from Harrassment Act 1997 against these people? 
   
• "L" is yet another TPS registered subscriber who has received unwanted calls from LBM. This is a copy of her email to LBM:
  At approx. 10:15 today I received a call from your company, the operative addressing me by my first name. I was both surprised and unsettled by this and told them that it was inconvenient to talk at this time. Since discussing this with my partner and looking up your company on the internet I have discovered that you are a marketing company who have acquired my personal details from a 3rd party. As my home telephone number is both ex-directory and registered with the TPS I am shocked that your company has decided to side step this and call me anyway.
  
  I would like to take this opportunity to request that you delete ALL my personal details from your database and do not contact me by this method again. I also have to inform you that after having sought legal advice, I have been informed that as I have registered my details with a service that is specifically designed to prevent me receiving calls of this nature you have chosen to ignore this and by doing so your actions can be construed as harassment. If you attempt contact me again in this way I shall have no choice other than to instigate proceedings against you for harassment, citing the above. I have also registered complaints against your company with the information commissioners office, the office of fair trading, trafford trading standards and OFCOM. I shall also be forwarding a copy of this email to Benjamin Parr Dixon, Timothy Borthwick, Mark richard Bates and Verran Townsend who I believe are directors of your company.
  
  I expect to receive written confirmation of the above by return. 

11/10/06

• "J" is yet another TPS subscriber: For two days I received several calls from this company, approximately six.  Each time the when I answer the phone the caller hung up.  I used 1471 to identify the telephone number, 01612178400, entered it into google and was directed to your site where I was notified of this scam.  I am registered with the TPS service to not receive such calls and so I have complained to Trafford Trading Standards as asking for this company to cease and desist from calling my home number.

12/10/06

• "S" has been pestered repeatedly by LBM:
  Thank God for your website - I have been getting a string of these calls from these pests and they dont seem to stop.
  
  How do they get these numbers?
  
  My question would be that how can I get them to stop without the need to give the essential details they wanted in the 1st place which is my number to stop the pestering calls?
  
  I have every day this week for the last month and a half received calls from the 0800 number  between 11-1 each day.
  
  Looking at the website there doesn't seem an awful lot that can be done.
  
  The complaints seem to be brushed under the carpet and in the meantime we have to put up with it. What is the sense in having complaint departments if they can do nothing except take a note of your complaint?
  
  What do I do - is the best I can do is ignore them? Surely that cant be right
• "B" is also registered with TPS:
   Yes - I am receiving an average of 2 calls a day from LBM and was delighted to find your web report. I have just registered a verbal complaint with OFCOM and been given a ref no.
  
  My tel no is registered with TPS, FPS and SPAMGUARD and I have never inquired or owned an O2 or Sky product or service.

13/10/06

• "L" lets us know that LBM has FINALLY moved to a freephone number to unsubscribe:
  I've had several of these 'silent' calls, or ones that hang up as I answer, from 08000136662 to my mobile.  I called it back from the landline to avoid paying for the call, and was given another number to call if I wanted to be removed - that was 08000 136675, also a freephone no, so maybe they are changing some of their practices as a result of the complaints.  I called the number from the landline wondering if it would let me unsubscribe my mobile number and it did give me the option of putting an alternative number in to the one I was calling from ...... so, I wait to see if its worked - my landline is already registered with the TPS, so will be interesting to see if I get any more calls to either phone now.  Just thought you might like to know.
  
  PS :  I found you by googling LBM ....... wonderful thing the web! :-)) 

14/10/06

• "S" is another person with some in-depth knowledge about the telecoms industry and shares his suspicions about LBM's marketing practices:
   I've had a couple of calls in the last week from the LBM "pond life" on my personal t-mobile handset.  Your pages are solice for the little guy, giving some comfort that the spammers are under a microscope.  Such fun to see that you check your web logs and publish when the vermin from LBM are visiting the site.  Well I hope they read this;
  
  The interesting bit.  I work for a SMP (significant market power) telephone company, not BT.  I find it interesting I don't get calls on my home landline, supplied by my employer to me as a residential custimer, from our friends at LBM.  If they ever do call me I'll have superb switch data under my fingertips regarding their calling profile and I will ask the senior management team to examine the data with a view to Ofcom prosecution and blocking that traffic at the switches.

18/10/06

• "G" shows that these unwanted calls from LBM can have a negative impact on your life:
  After receiving phone calls from 080001366675 I Googled it and found you ! I have been called repeatedly every morning , which being a night worker went down like a lead balloon ! The free phone number give me " sorry no reply " automated reply. I feel a trip to Trafford coming on !! 
• "J" is another TPS subscriber: I keep getting calls from 08000272500, rings a few times then hangs up or if I answer it, the line goes dead. Anything I can do?  I am already registered with TPS. [note, this is MGT plc, not LBM]

19/10/06

• "G" is another person who has had silent calls: I have received several calls from LBM asking me to ring 0800 0136675 .  When I phoned this number the message your web page describes was played to me and I was invited to call the same number again. I have also received no answer calls and quick ring-offs.

23/10/06

• "M" shows that being ex-directory doesn't help: I just received a call to my ex-directory line from 0800 0130051, needless to say I wont return the call. Strange to see they are not blanking their number so my call-barring is not brought into play.

25/10/06

• "D" is yet another TPS subscriber:  Despite being registered with the TPS, I've received around a dozen 'silent' calls from 08000 641 081 within the last week alone. I finally had enough today, 'Googled' the number and, as a result, found your excellent website. I followed your advice and rang the 08000 number (08000 136 675). The only positive thing I can say is that the process of de-registering my number was quite straightforward (assuming it works, of course). Nevertheless, they should never have phoned me (and certainly not repeatedly - that's harassment) in the first place.

26/10/06

• "A" has been receiving these calls from LBM for months: Yes I have been getting these calls for months  now. First time I got the call, I simply didn't answer it, then noted the number 08000641081. I then googled this number, which then found your site. I stored the number as "TROUBLE" in my phone, every time they ring....I just ignore them. Thanks to you for setting up this site, at least we know they are nuisance:)

27/10/06

• "S" has some good ideas:
  I recently changed my old 02 contract for a new 02 contract as simply it was alot cheaper to have a new phone as a new customer than upgrade. On my old 02 contract i had about 1 call a month off these people but sinve i changed my phone & nimber last week i have been having roughly about 6 - 10 call a day (no exaggeration) 08000510660 & a number that's not listed above 08450020012 [note this number is not LBM] the main nuisances. I presumed the call centre was in India as i could hardly understand the person & always saying from 02 or 02 insurance simply trying to sell me crap or after personal details. I now just ignore the calls or if pissed off answer & just shout abuse down the line & hang up i know its childish but the really get to me when your at work with the phone ringing 6 times a day with spam calls. Anyway i have rung the number today and registered to stop the calls so we shall see what happens & i will post to let you know if they have stopped in a few days.
  
  PS -you would have thought after telling a company so many time to stop calling & you NEVER buy or hand out personal details to cold calls they would get the message & stop calling ! But these people are scum & thick as pig shit or there must be a lot of gullible/stupid people out that give there scum there personal details so it makes it worth while for them to harass people. I just wonder if we all pooled together & all e-mailed / called watchdog we could get this company on the program & expose them ?  

31/10/06

• Not content with making harassing phone calls, LBM are now sending out email spam unsolicited commercial email to organisations, pushing their dubious "marketing" services:
  
  LBM is the UK's leading provider of contact centres and direct marketing solutions for major brands.
  
  Not only are we a data owner, but we also understand precisely how to manage, manipulate and model data to help you acquire and retain more customers, add more sales and more value.
  
  Our experience enables us to deliver bespoke blends of data, database marketing, analytical and contact services, for unrivalled results in B2B and B2C campaigns.
  
  Call us now on 0870 845 5005
  Quoting Reference XXX XXXXX
  
  As always, LBM offers the best solutions to your most challenging business issues. It's one of marketing's greatest quests: pinpointing your most profitable customers, understanding their needs and maximising their lifetime value to your company - and all the while systematically transforming more and more customers and prospects into your 'best customers'.
  
  The answer: LBM's range of insight and data services
  Data alone isn't enough. You need quality contact data and true insight into what makes customers tick. So at LBM we offer a blend of services that help you understand and retain your customers, while maximising every cross-selling, upselling, brand and loyalty-building opportunity. We also help you gain new customers and then make sure you keep them.
  
  The key customer types for your business
  Our more intelligent approach to segmentation, for example, will help you focus on the key customer types that will help your particular business grow. We can track their behaviour patterns and, through our industry leading predictive models, identify their future needs. All of which can make a big contribution to your bottom line and keep you ahead of the competition.
  
  Our model approach to making your business more successful
  LBM is the only company in the world to have its data modelling tools independently evaluated, audited and accredited by the Manchester Business School. It's a unique industry first that gives our clients absolute confidence in the quality of our data services.
  
  Some further reassuring facts
  Uniquely, LBM is both one of the UK's top five call centre providers and a top five data list provider. So you benefit from a more joined-up approach and effective service.
  We offer clients a full consultancy service, drawing on our extensive experience across virtually all sectors to provide the right blend of solutions to successfully meet your marketing and sales objectives.
  Our client list includes Alliance & Leicester, Canon, Carphone Warehouse, Co-operative Bank, npower, O2, PC World Business, Sky and many more leading brands. However, we work on behalf of all sizes of business - clients and agencies alike. 

• "R" registers with TPS after getting silent calls: New Vodafone customer, daily calls from 08000640060 all silent.  Googled the number, got your website.  Registered my number with TPS - I'm not holding my breath though!