Carphone warehouse, requirement to give name/address to buy sim only packs

Our man in Havana

What legal requirement is there to give a name/address to them when you are buying a PAYG sim pack? I couldn't buy a €10 sim card from them. I went down the road and bought one for €10 cash no questions asked.

AFAIK the networks don't require this info? Is this a marketing scam?

PhoenixRising

Bond-007 wrote:

AFAIK the networks don't require this info? Is this a marketing scam?

I've bought a UK and a French sim in the last few months, and both required name and address etc. upon purchase.

So it seems that Ireland is the exception, selling sim cards to anyone with no questions asked, but maybe that's changing now as you experienced. I presume it's a security measure. Maybe the networks are now obliged to have at least the name and address of the owner of each sim card they sell.

Slice

Since the networks dont require that info you shouldn't have to provide it to CPW in order to buy a SIM. You should check where you stand on them asking you that info with a consumer association

The General

if your so worried about it, just give a fake name and address its not that hard

Shop Assistant: "name and address, please"
You: "john smith, 38 Invisable Street, Fublin"

She cant turn around and say thats not your name and address

Guy:Incognito

Do dixons not ask for details when you buy things?

Our man in Havana

Nope, last time I bought something there no questions asked.

dshakey

the reason that cpw require ur name and address etc is for thier records not for the networks or any other legal reason.

Our man in Havana

So its a marketing scam?

Munurty

The same thing happened to me in a few months ago. I stupidly gave my real name regretting it when i walked out of the shop. Maybe they have some deal done with the networks to get a bit of money per name. When you register with the network yourself you get €10 credit or something so maybe the cpw gets a little cut of that

Our man in Havana

I always use fake names when registering for free credit. Something like John Smith, 1 main street, Anytown, Any county. Never had a problem with it.

drdre

guys its because sim cards are being used for fraud and illegal stuf so carphone need back up. but u can give fake details and they cannot say that its wrong:)

elderlemon

Bond-007 wrote:

What legal requirement is there to give a name/address to them when you are buying a PAYG sim pack? I couldn't buy a €10 sim card from them. I went down the road and bought one for €10 cash no questions asked.

AFAIK the networks don't require this info? Is this a marketing scam?

There is no legal requirement - its their decision to ask for idenitity (for their marketing effort) and your decision not to provide same and take your business elsewhere. I can go into voda or o2 and buy a sim pack with not identification required or asked for so the only reason cpw want it is so that they can send you additional flyers in the mail every second day.

Jammer

Stekelly wrote:

Do dixons not ask for details when you buy things?

When buying something of value. Reason being if you have a problem with the product, and you've lost your receipt they can look it up.

I think its for warranty purposes (although I'm not sure how or why they'd apply that to SIM only packs). I got asked for my details when buying my iPod in an O2 store. But to me its no big deal, I just gave my info, have nothing to hide.