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British Gas harvesting phone numbers by duplicity

(1) British Gas obtains my number in a sneaky way.
(2) They make it hard for me to request a removal of my number
(3) When I manage to request it, they don't actually remove it
(4) I find my number may be with other subcontractors.

Is there an action group anywhere which is trying to stop
practises like that by British Gas?

Here are the details:

I once rang British Gas and they ended my identity verification
by asking for my phone number. It was doen very smoothly and I
provided my number because I thought it was needed as part of the
identity verification.

"What's your name?"  "John Smith"
"What's your address"  "99 The High Street"
[ID verification is now complete]
"What's your phone number?"  "020 7777 0000"

On a subsequent call to British Gas I noticed what was happening
and questioned if it was actually necessary to give my number for
identity verification. This time, British Gas said "No" and that
my number was requested in case there were emergency works in the
area or something like that and I needed to be contacted.

I didn't feel that was a good reason to let British have my phone
number on file so I asked for it to be removed.

All sorts of obstacles were then put in the way. I made several
calls and was told: it wasn't possible. Or write in. Or it had to
wait until I had received the next bill. Or it would take 10
weeks. Etc. Etc.

Eventually I got through to someone who said they actually could
remove my number and I was happy.  A few months later during a
call to British Gas, I find British Gas still have my number.

From the conversation with them it appears BG may have provided
my phone number to various subcontractors which they use for road
works, issuing statements, receiving payments, etc.  British Gas
couldn't be certain my phone number would be erased from the
subcontractor's systems.

What the heck is all this about???

(1) British Gas obtains my number in a very sneaky way.
(2) They make it hard for me to remove my number.
(3) Someone accepts my removal request but then ignore it.
(4) I discover my number may now be with other subcontractors.

Is there any action group to stop this happening. I guess British
Gas is probably not the only company doing this.

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