A survey of cold calling and spam emails lifted the lid on how ineffective unwanted marketing material is.
A UAE study found that three people responded from seven million text messages sent.
To make matters worse for the marketers, nobody completed a purchase after visiting the related e-commerce website.
Researchers surveyed 700 residents, half of whom were frustrated by the amount of unsolicited marketing material they received, while 63 per cent supported tighter data protection laws.
If you visit a website you expect to be exposed to advertising, but if someone gets hold of your phone number and calls you, that is much more intrusive
In 2011, the UAE's Central Bank declared a ban on cold calling. This prevented banks and finance companies from offering loans and services to people who had not sought out their business.
But the practice is widespread in various forms – often under the guise of prompting people to accept deals and special offers.
In real estate it is widely used to promote rentals and properties for sale.
Andrew Laity, chief executive of UAE-based Inphota, a company that sources online data to improve business marketing, led the research.
“We try to work with businesses to show that if people get spammed all the time they become very resilient towards it,” he said.
“Our aim is to help create greater commercial results for these institutions.
“I wanted to understand if people were aware of the amount of messages they received or if they were immune to it.
"The survey showed people were annoyed by these messages and that is becoming counter productive to the brands," Mr Laity said.
Inphota found 44 per cent of consumers still received communications from a company they had asked to desist from sending messages and remove their details from databases.
A further 54 per cent said unsolicited communication would stop them using that company completely.
Most of the data analysed came from shared details when a customer signed up for a product or service warranty.
Other information was gleaned from urchin traffic monitor (UTM) tagging, a website marker that allows users to trace online visitors.
Property, restaurants and traditional businesses moving into e-commerce were most likely to engage in spam marketing, Mr Laity said.
“If you visit a website you expect to be exposed to advertising, but if someone gets hold of your phone number and calls you, that is much more intrusive,” he said.
“I have been copied into emails where clients are sending unencrypted information on group emails, which is a crazy security risk.
“A lot of the time companies are not using this data maliciously [but] they are just unaware of the risks involved of it being procured elsewhere.”
According to a 2018 report on email delivery by tech company Return Path, 6 per cent of sales and marketing global emails were blocked as spam.
It evaluated a sample of two billion promotional emails sent to consumers between July 2017 and June 2018 across 140 mailbox providers and found a further 10 per cent went undelivered.
Junior marketeers under pressure to hit unrealistic targets or on commission-only roles were most likely to enter the spam market, researchers said.
With its diverse sales workforce, the UAE has varying standards of data privacy and ethical behaviour, with no laws governing the use of personal information.
Insiders said data packages containing everything from Emirates ID numbers, phone numbers, addresses and passport expiry dates were regularly hawked around selling industries, particularly the property market.
The Real Estate Regulatory Agency in Dubai said those found to be cold calling can face fines of up to Dh50,000 ($13,615), with rule-breaking agents facing a month's suspension.
One estate agent, who did not want to be named, said the practice was widespread in Dubai.
“Everyone is doing it,” he said. “In the real estate world, data is much more targeted so you get to know who owns the property, their nationality and other useful information.
“If agents know who owns a villa or apartment, they can deal with them directly to sell or rent their property. That is the knowledge you’re paying for.”
Data package fees depend on how current the information is.
A tranche of property owner information leaked from one major developer was on offer for a monthly subscription of Dh1,500, or a one-off fee of Dh6,000 for six months of data.
That information is then used to cold-call potential customers.
“Financial services people are notorious for this," the agent said.
"If you own a property in Dubai I could probably tell you your passport number, when it expires and your Emirates ID number."
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
Credit Score explained
What is a credit score?
In the UAE your credit score is a number generated by the Al Etihad Credit Bureau (AECB), which represents your credit worthiness – in other words, your risk of defaulting on any debt repayments. In this country, the number is between 300 and 900. A low score indicates a higher risk of default, while a high score indicates you are a lower risk.
Why is it important?
Financial institutions will use it to decide whether or not you are a credit risk. Those with better scores may also receive preferential interest rates or terms on products such as loans, credit cards and mortgages.
How is it calculated?
The AECB collects information on your payment behaviour from banks as well as utilitiy and telecoms providers.
How can I improve my score?
By paying your bills on time and not missing any repayments, particularly your loan, credit card and mortgage payments. It is also wise to limit the number of credit card and loan applications you make and to reduce your outstanding balances.
How do I know if my score is low or high?
By checking it. Visit one of AECB’s Customer Happiness Centres with an original and valid Emirates ID, passport copy and valid email address. Liv. customers can also access the score directly from the banking app.
How much does it cost?
A credit report costs Dh100 while a report with the score included costs Dh150. Those only wanting the credit score pay Dh60. VAT is payable on top.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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U19 World Cup in South Africa
Group A: India, Japan, New Zealand, Sri Lanka
Group B: Australia, England, Nigeria, West Indies
Group C: Bangladesh, Pakistan, Scotland, Zimbabwe
Group D: Afghanistan, Canada, South Africa, UAE
UAE fixtures
Saturday, January 18, v Canada
Wednesday, January 22, v Afghanistan
Saturday, January 25, v South Africa
UAE squad
Aryan Lakra (captain), Vriitya Aravind, Deshan Chethyia, Mohammed Farazuddin, Jonathan Figy, Osama Hassan, Karthik Meiyappan, Rishabh Mukherjee, Ali Naseer, Wasi Shah, Alishan Sharafu, Sanchit Sharma, Kai Smith, Akasha Tahir, Ansh Tandon
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
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Price: From Dh98,800
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Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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THE SPECS
Engine: 4.4-litre V8
Transmission: Automatic
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WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
TEACHERS' PAY - WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Pay varies significantly depending on the school, its rating and the curriculum. Here's a rough guide as of January 2021:
- top end schools tend to pay Dh16,000-17,000 a month - plus a monthly housing allowance of up to Dh6,000. These tend to be British curriculum schools rated 'outstanding' or 'very good', followed by American schools
- average salary across curriculums and skill levels is about Dh10,000, recruiters say
- it is becoming more common for schools to provide accommodation, sometimes in an apartment block with other teachers, rather than hand teachers a cash housing allowance
- some strong performing schools have cut back on salaries since the pandemic began, sometimes offering Dh16,000 including the housing allowance, which reflects the slump in rental costs, and sheer demand for jobs
- maths and science teachers are most in demand and some schools will pay up to Dh3,000 more than other teachers in recognition of their technical skills
- at the other end of the market, teachers in some Indian schools, where fees are lower and competition among applicants is intense, can be paid as low as Dh3,000 per month
- in Indian schools, it has also become common for teachers to share residential accommodation, living in a block with colleagues
Uefa Champions League play-off
First leg: Wednesday, 11pm (UAE)
Ajax v Dynamo Kiev
Second leg: Tuesday, August 28, 11pm (UAE)
Dynamo Kiev v Ajax
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
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