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Be Careful With Your Address and Phone Number

jaschmidt | Dec 14, 2009 |

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A lot of us unquestionably see no danger in revealing or giving out our address and phone number. We wonder how this could be harmful for us or if this could lead to any real problem, yes, it can. Let me narrate my experience. I was filling an online survey one day and I was absolutely hooked to the survey. I have not had any bad experience regarding this in the past.

Instantly, I was asked for the address and phone number. I didn't see any danger or trouble in giving my address since they were going to mail me a gift certificate for diapers. I could not comprehend the reason why they demanded my phone number as well. Unwillingly, I provide both my address and phone number.

I move on with the survey. It was very lengthy and tiresome, consuming almost twenty minutes. As a final point, I assumed that I was through with the survey, but my assumption was wrong as it was not over yet. In order to obtain my gift, I had to provide my address and phone number to another survey topic also.

Despite the fact that my internal voice was asking me to stop, I finished the extra survey. Immediately I completed that online form and press the continue key, to my greatest surprise, a further survey came up, yet again; they said if I desired to receive the prize I had to sign on to three topics of importance. Once more they request for my address and phone number. At the end of the day, I completed the task of satisfying these forms and made it to the finish button which I cheerfully clicked and went away for the rest of my day.

A few days had passed since I had filled the surveys and I had totally forgotten about giving out my address and phone number. Approximately, a week later however, I was reminded of it. My home mailbox was spilling over with advertisements. Day after day I was receiving applications for the whole thing from shoes to wheelchairs. I perceived the mailings as an embarrassment and disgraceful waste of paper, but I did not know any other way to stop the solicitations rather than calling the company. Roughly two weeks from filling out the surveys, I was reminded that I gave out both my address and phone number. Streams of calls started coming in.

Almost every day, I was receiving calls for numerous things. It gives me the impression that any companies that I marked off as a subject of importance were calling and writing me. I have to get a new telephone number to stop the calls which was the best option to go by it but now I've a lot of kindling paper for my fireplace. Occasionally or at times, it is not sensible to declare or give both address and phone number to anyone.