Yeah. So what's new?
Good practise to never reveal your real information anywhere and if you have to reveal CC info, monitor your statement frequently lor.
Don't be so quick to dismiss about this article. It is interesting not because it proves information theft occurs but it reveals to some degree the involvement and inner workings of a telemarketing firm (identity not revealed unfortunately). It also shows banks M-, R-, and C- (presumably, Maybank, RHB, and CIMB?) leak their customers data (most probably illegally by their staff). It also reveals our data are only worth RM1 or RM1.50 each -- I thought it would be much higher. The story tells of a situation where 200 customers data were sold for presumably only RM200 to 300 only -- I always thought it went to the thousands considering the worth of the customer data.
Yes, we should not reveal our personal data over the phone or to anyone, but I know for a fact that there are still people (not few) who either willingly or inadvertently reveal their personal info such as IC, credit card numbers, and home addresses over the phone. How do I know? I know because people tell me in their comments in my blog.
The article also talks about how telemarketers are pressured to get the customers to reveal their security code. The article also said some people aren't aware that 3 digits is their security code. The article also says telemarketers shelf life is often 6-8 months only because of the huge pressure to get sales (sometimes only 1-2 per month which is equivalent to a commission of RM100-200 only).
Malaysia's Data Protection Act is already enforced but it is difficult to enforce information theft. Singapore recently developed the "Do Not Call" for people who don't want telemarketers to call them, but it wouldn't stop scammers or people pretending to be telemarketers to harass or scam people.
So, while all these is old information to you, to me it is new, and I suspect if one read the article more properly, some of the information is at least interesting and new.
---------- Post added at 09:52 PM ---------- 6 hour anti-bump limit - Previous post was at 09:22 PM ----------
Another case of our information being shared with our forced consent.
I wonder if anyone also received a letter from Astro this year stating that "Privacy Notice on the Data Protection Act that clearly states (amongst others) I may at any time hereafter make written inquiries and, upon payment of a prescribed fee, request, in writing, for access to, or correction of, your Personal Data or limit the processing of your Personal Data by submitting such request to the Personal Data Protection Officer of Measat Broadcast Network Systems Sdn Bhd via registered post or email."
In other words, we need to write to Astro specifically that we do not want our personal data to be shared to third parties. So duly, I wrote to Astro that I DO NOT want my personal data to be sold or shared, and I sent it by registered mail. This is their reply:
"Please note that you will not be able to limit the usage of the personal data for the above purposes (as defined in the Privacy Notice). If we are unable to use your personal data as provided by you, then we regret to inform you that we will not be able to provide our services to you."
In other words, this statement contradicts their earlier letter!
I am not the only one, as reported here:
https://www.facebook.com/Astro/posts/10151496556519627
https://www.facebook.com/Astro/posts/10151425712934627
