gathering phone numbers

[findtim]

in a different thread i mentioned a website business plan i am currently doing and the plan is that i would gather a persons phone number into an email to admin so i can then bill the "lead company" , i've had a message back that this is illegal and/or phishing.

so let me explain the process and feel free to state your opinions ) i have broad shoulders)

SO the website is a lead generation site, its for towtrucks.

SO, you're on the side of the road and you have a crash, you pick up your smart phone and search for a towtruck, my site comes up, it gives you 3 options eg: RACQ, tims towing, nationwide tow ?

ALL you have to do is click the logo icon and your phone will ring them.

on this "click" an email is automatically sent to admin with your mobile phone number and your geo location

this email is then sent to the tow company to validate that the lead came from my website.

am i doing anything illegal?

more: i've been told its easy to achieve on an android but iphone block this happening, but i have a guy working on it for me and he reckons he can do it.

As always i never want to break the law , there will be NO future marketing conducted from that information, once the lead invoice is paid the details will be deleted.

tim

 

[Shane]

If you disclose the data collection and its purpose to the user via the privacy policy you should be fine. I don't know if a link will be fine, or if you'll need them to actually tick an acknowledgement though.

If you were just pulling the data without telling them at all, then no that would't be cool.

PS. This is just from my general knowledge and experience and is definitely not legal advice!

 

[findtim]

i've had similar conversations, the secret to the business model is that its VERY user EASY " just click"

people have suggested they fill in their phone number but that defeats the purpose of "just click"

i like your idea of privacy policy detailing what will occur as nobody is ever going to read it but ITS THERE.

an acknowledgement tick also defeats the "just click" benefit as its a "warning flag" but it might be a middle ground for me to consider.

I know i trust myself to act properly but of course nobody else trusts websites to do that.

THANKS for you input it was really good


tim

 

[findtim]

Furthermore my arguement is what is so different to what i am doing to the fact that we all have caller id on our phones? and 99% of people don't care?

ALL i am doing is grabbing a phone number so i can prove the the "lead company" that they should pay for my lead.

open to ALL suggestions

tim

 

[Rhythm]

http://www.privacy.gov.au/materials/types/infosheets/view/6565

You are here: Privacy.gov.au > Materials and resources > Types > Information Sheets > Information Sheet (Private Sector) 6 - 2001: Security and Personal Information

 

[findtim]

http://www.privacy.gov.au/materials/types/infosheets/view/6565

thanks, having that you made no other staement then to provide the link i'm going to have to guess at the point of the link ! but still thankyou.

what i get from the link is i should database the phone numbers within SSL.

if thats your message then thanks and thats no worries.

all good info and i appreciate everyones time thus far.

tim

 

[johno69]

From a user point of view, I'd be rather pissed off if I found out my number was being mined.

I go to great lengths to protect my personal use mobile number. Hiding something like "We will collect your phone number" in a privacy policy that will be hard to find let alone read on a mobile I don't think is enough.

Surely you can validate it with an email stating current time and current location.

 

[FirstPageResults]

I think it comes down to how you sniff out the information and how you disclose it. A poor example was when Google Street View went data mining and didn't tell anyone.

To protect the user I guess you can always black out a few digits.. but I don't see how your going to get the number without user input in he first place - smart phones don't pass them in the HTTP Headers?

 

[FirstPageResults]

Just thought I add a bit more info here. I recalled that ReachLocal has technology that does something similar to this:
http://local.reachlocal.com.au/totaltrack

What they do is setup a trackable phone number to record leads sent from advertising campaigns. No need to track the phone number (although I'm not sure if they do). Some large affiliate sites also do this when sending leads to call centres rather than the user filling out online forms.