To refuse to give Hotpoint my Date of Birth

[Mrsdavidcaruso]

Got my new washing machine today and I love it. Just gone to fill in the guarantee reg form and there is a request for my DOB, WHY, if its for marketing and research purpose surely an age range is good enough, if its for insurance purposes its the machine that would be insured not me.

I suspect its to do with selling data to outside agencies as they make it clear that If I give my email and phone number (which I wont) I am happy to receive marketing messages by email etc and there is a box (which I bet they ignore) that I tick to say don't want to be contacted by third parties and I suspect that if they sell data on they get more money selling data with a DOB on.

Anyway not sure why I am asking I wrote NO in big letters all over the DOB box.

I would be interested to know however if people actually give their DOB to companies like Hotpoint

I do. It's not a big secret. Anyone could request a copy of my birth certificate.

It doesn't bother me at all.

Over-collection of data. Again.

Why is it a problem.

piper because they are a private company and my DOB is none of their business especially if the only reason for wanting it is to sell it on, if they want to know the ages of their customers to enable them to provide a better service or target specific sectors of the community then an age range would give them all the info they want happy to say I am between 25 and 30 if they want but not my DOB, they don't need it and unless they can tell me what they use that info for they are not getting it

You're right, it is none of their business.
Just put some random numbers down.

If you had a name like David Jones a dob I'd handy.

just make one up. I'm sure I have a birthday every day

It was a request, not a demand.

If you do not want to 'disclose', then don't.

It really isn't that much of a biggie.

31 June 1000. That will confuse their computer.

parti it is more of a demand there is another form for hotpoint repair that also has DOB on it but it has a star next to it and it says optional this form doesn't .

I'm with you - I hate loathe and despise being forced to give information that has nothing to do with what I'm doing, but is purely for the company to use for bloody marketing. I especially hate having to give my marital status (why?? What earthly difference can this make to any transaction??) and the thing that REALLY riles me is being forced to give my email address/register with a company when I want to buy something from their website. Again - why?? Just take my money and let me buy without having to register with login details I will never remember

Sorry, slightly detailed there. OP - you are so not being unreasonable!

I had a similar grrrr moment at bloody PC World (why do I go there, it's a total farce!) Got my dh a laptop for Christmas, ex -display so even cheaper than on line. At the checkout the lady wanted all my details. (I was paying by debit card) I refused to give my name, address, telephone number, DOB, colour of underwear, dress size... (only joking) It took a while before she conceded. She tried to imply it was part of the Guarantee. But as long as one has the receipt, the Guarantee is valid anyway. I always try to be kind to checkout people, their lives can't be all that fun. But blimey....
Pressed the red face thing as I went out. (Does that register anything, or is it merely a stress-reliever?)