Can companies sell personal information without permission?

[tele_lover]

I keep receiving emails from recruiters. I have not posted my email address online.

Sales "leads" companies are storing my address and selling it.

I'm aware GDPR means I can request a company deletes my data but how can it be legal to sell personal data without me ever giving permission?

To be honest none of these companies have been UK-based.

And are there any good services which will get my address deleted from most sellers?

Edited by tele_lover on Wednesday 22 May 17:28

[FMOB]

tele_lover said:

I keep receiving emails from recruiters. I have not posted my email address online.

Sales "leads" companies are storing my address and selling it.

I'm aware GDPR means I can request a company deletes my data but how can it be legal to sell personal data without me ever giving permission?

To be honest none of these companies have been UK-based.

And are there any good services which will get my address deleted from most sellers?

Edited by tele_lover on Wednesday 22 May 17:28

It is called 'sharing information with select partners' that will be in the T&C's that you agreed to.

P.S. we selected everybody on the planet as a select partner.

[Simpo Two]

Pragmatically, just mark them for the spam bin/blacklist and you'll never see them again.

[Cyberprog]

tele_lover said:

I keep receiving emails from recruiters. I have not posted my email address online.

Sales "leads" companies are storing my address and selling it.

I'm aware GDPR means I can request a company deletes my data but how can it be legal to sell personal data without me ever giving permission?

To be honest none of these companies have been UK-based.

And are there any good services which will get my address deleted from most sellers?

Edited by tele_lover on Wednesday 22 May 17:28

Simply put, it's not legal!

Many people will try and get around it with fine print, but consent for marketing needs to be very specific. I've litigated against recruitment agencies in the past, and won, though that was under the older DPA leglislation, and I've not done anything under GDPR (albeit that has more teeth).

[Robertb]

There are scams involving recruiting emails and text messages... nice job for you, you apply, they offer you a job, the company that offers you a job gets you to pay an admin fee to set up your HR details etc, or uses personal info obtained to steal money, identity etc.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-surrey-68110...

Possibly your email details have been obtained from a data breach, or just a bot getting lucky.

Or maybe via LinkedIn?

[TheDrownedApe]

I steadfastly hunt out the "don't use/share my data" button on every new site i visit and buy from.

Occasionally they blatantly ignore my request and i get spammed by their daily emails. I just go to the unsubscribe link and never think about it again.

However I've often thought they are breaking the law, but how do you prove you clicked that box and how hard would it be to get the prosecution over the line?

It's one of those "Illegitimi non carborundum" things.

[tele_lover]

Simpo Two said:

Pragmatically, just mark them for the spam bin/blacklist and you'll never see them again.

Email addresses are used to access online banking and many other systems.

This isn't about spam.

[tele_lover]

Cyberprog said:

Simply put, it's not legal!

Many people will try and get around it with fine print, but consent for marketing needs to be very specific. I've litigated against recruitment agencies in the past, and won, though that was under the older DPA leglislation, and I've not done anything under GDPR (albeit that has more teeth).

The problem is the few I've come across are mostly based in the US and one was Israel. Fortunately the US one is California and they do have a GDPR-equivalent law.

I absolutely despise scum who broadcast personal information for money.