I know this is not music-related but these practises get on my tits!
Below text is taken from
http://www.oft.gov.uk
I also recommend
http://www.moneysavingexpert.com. The article on how to get cheaper calls using a BT line but via another company is really useful and will save you a lot of money.
Paying for goods more safely
When you shop from home, you often have to give more information to the trader than you would if you were in a shop.
This could include:
your name, address, postcode and phone number;
your e-mail address;
your credit card details.
Remember that the information you give to a trader can't be given to anyone else without your agreement.
If the company you're buying from wants to pass on your details to someone else, it must also give you the right to say no. This is often done with a tick box on the paperwork. Make sure you do this if you do not want your name passed on.
There are a number of things you can do to ensure more safety when paying for goods:
try not to give your bank account numbers, credit card details or any other personal information to a company you haven't checked out;
use credit cards, cheques or postal orders – not cash;
if you have to send cash, use registered post;
keep a copy of your order and a note of when you sent it;
if you pay for a product costing more than £100 on your credit card (even if you only pay the deposit) you may have a claim against the credit card issuer as well as against the trader if you have a complaint. This can be useful if the trader goes out of business;
if someone uses your payment card fraudulently to shop from home without your permission, you can cancel the payment and your card company must arrange for your account to be re-credited in full;
if you discover that someone has used your card dishonestly, tell the card issuer as soon as possible.
Junk mail and cold calls
Sellers want to market their products – and to tell you about any new goods and services.
Some consumers don't mind if they receive unsolicited mail, phone calls, faxes and e-mails. But other people only want a company to contact them if they have asked that company to do so. If you are one of those people, there are a number of things you can do.
Unwanted phone calls
If you want to stop companies phoning you at home without your consent, register with the Telephone Preference Service on
www.tpsonline.org.uk
Tel: 020 7291 3320
Fax: 020 7323 4226
Email:
tps@dma.org.uk
No company or supplier can cold call someone who has registered with them.
Even if you haven't registered, cold callers must at the beginning of the call:
give the trader's identity;
make their business purpose clear.
If they do not, they are breaking the law
Unwanted faxes
It's against the law for a supplier to send marketing faxes without prior consent. The Fax Preference Service website gives information about this.
Tel: 020 7291 3330
Fax: 020 7323 4226
Email:
fps@dma.org.uk
No company or supplier can fax someone who has registered with them.
The Office of the Information Commissioner monitors both the telephone and fax preference services which are regulated by the Direct Marketing Association. If you continue to have problems you should contact the Commissioner. The Commissioner can apply for an enforcement order if there has been a breach. Failing to comply with such an order is a criminal offence.
Information line: 01625 545 745
Fax: 01625 524 510
Mail@dataprotection.gov.uk www.dataprotection.gov.uk Unwanted mail
If you want to stop companies sending you catalogues and special offers, you can register with the Mailing Preference Service. Doing so will remove your name from all mailing lists. You can contact them (UK residents only) at
FREEPOST 22,
London
WIE 7EZ
Tel: 020 7291 3310
Fax: 020 7323 4226
Email:
mps@dma.org.uk Unwanted e-mails
If you want to stop companies sending you unwanted e-mails (known as spams), register with the Direct Marketing Association's e-mail preference service. Their web site is at
www.e-mps.org/en/
Please note that this service is run by the US branch of the Direct Marketing Association so any personal data won't be protected by UK laws.
You can also try your internet service provider (ISP) as they can often trace the sources and put a block on future mailings.
What if you receive goods or services you haven't even ordered?
If you receive goods that you have not ordered or that have not been ordered on your behalf, and it looks like the trader has deliberately sent them to you, you can keep them. You are under no obligation to return them to the supplier and it is illegal for a supplier to request payment from you. In effect, you can treat them as a gift.
It is equally illegal for a supplier to perform services for you that you have not ordered and then demand payment.
If a business seeks payment for unsolicited goods or services, they are committing an offence – tell your local trading standards authority.
"If you're in marketing or advertising, kill yourself" - bill hicks. 
