How Do Telemarketers Get Your Phone Number?

Smile and Dial

Telemarketers work off of a numeric list. The list is a page of telephone numbers with the same area code and prefix. They will work through the list in numerical order based on the last four digits.

Phone Numbers for Sale

Businesses such as hotels and grocery stores that offer a discount card collect and sell your phone number to telemarketing agencies. This information is sorted by demographics such as race, income, household size and spending habits. It is then sold to telemarketing businesses that have a customer base similar to your profile.

The Internet

Most often, you are the one who gives your phone number to telemarketers. When you open an unsolicited email, follow the link to the website and input your phone number, it goes directly to the company who sent it to you. Not only will its telemarketers call you, but your information will be sold to other telemarketing companies.

Resources

• How to avoid telemarketers
• One of many telemarketing companies