Any 'research' company that makes unsolicited cold calls and keeps calling unanswered numbers is either incredibly incompetent or has a sideline selling vacuum cleaners. My wife learned this while working for them a long time ago. Seriously, can you imagine how much time it would waste having to call those numbers plus wait for the answering machine over and over and over and over... Real marketing companies want answers quickly and just skip the no-answer numbers. In the (extremely) rare case where a client insists on including no-answers they _WILL_ leave a message and hope for a call-back since harassment is hardly going to provide a willing victim-er-subject. Even telemarketers hesitate to keep pushing those numbers, and either discard them or reserve them for their most desperate callers.

There is also a federal "Do not call" list, but not all companies are honest enough to bother with obeying the laws. If you are registered on the list feel free to visit this link to file a complaint: h??ps://www.lnnte-dncl.gc.ca/plt-cmp-eng That will also give you links for registering if you aren't.

Btw, although there are exceptions to the law, they are still not allowed to harass subjects by constantly re-calling no-answers.

Hopefully this will help someone.

Cheers.

I googled the number I get lots of these---thanks to these type of boards it stops people from phoning back

Boy, they must have a VERY BORING LIFE if all they can do is spend their time on these ridiculous calls. I answered, no response, yelled Hello a second time and then hung up.

2nd call from "ICBC" this week. First caller was speaking English and we responded in English and advised that we were not interested in any survey. Then Sunday morning, get a caller speaking Chinese advising he is calling on behalf of ICBC. So much for the being polite and advising them that we are not interested. Now it makes me wonder if it's not a scam because after all, everyone in BC must deal with ICBC so a survey from ICBC will have relevance to everyone. In this day and age of scams, Internet phone numbers can be spoofed to look like they are from legit businesses and government agencies. Since this number has been advertised as being from a legit survey company, I'm sure any scammer will figure that out and use it as well.

RE: Joe,
Your phone number is not shared with anyone for the ICBC survey; but once the request is made to not be called for this survey it can take up to 30 days to go into effect. If you got called again by NRG for the ICBC survey more than once in a few days it was probably by mistake, not by design (ASSUMING you told them the first time they called that YOU wanted to opt out of the survey -you can't opt out for somebody else if you're not the person being surveyed- and presuming you made the request in an UNambigious manner - There's no benefit to them calling you any more than they have to, and as long as you make a clear request for yourself, NRG and other reputable research companies are only too happy to comply. If your number was disclosed by ICBC, your number can only be used to contact you from NRG Research on behalf of ICBC for that survey. Don't believe me? Then ask ICBC themselves - Survey research is not telemarketing - they cannot and do not sell your number- but ICBC does want to get your feedback IF you want to give them feedback on the service ICBC provided when you dealt with them, or bought their Autoplan insurance products.

these f*ckers are wack, burn the building

I am disappointed that ICBC has released personal information for data mining companies. I do believe the analyst at NRG and NRG is paid a commission for each completed survey. The questions are quite personal and when I refuse to answer I am given 'strong feedback backtalk' by the analyst. Note, that I did request to be removed from their solicitation list and requested no further calls. NRG has called several times since. Following my request to be deleted from the call list, a subsequent call was made to our telephone number and answered by a member of our family, without asking for permission to conduct the survey, questions regarding ICBC were asked, my family member replied in French and this frustrated the NRG analyst, who subsequently hung up.The ICBC claim to follow Privacy Act provisions and not to release information appears to be bogus.
I do believe the 'call lists' have been 'marketed' to other telemarketers and as recently as the call today, shortly thereafter I receive a telemarketing call for a 'cruise' and another call later in the day for Airmiles. During the past week, we have also been called for WestJet promotions. We have not flown WestJet in the past 2 years. Do I believe it is a scam, yes. I do believe ICBC should stop this practice of 'outsourced telemarketing' as I strongly believe this is a waste of ICBC revenue. Rather than waste revenue, ICBC should use the regular media, advice they have stopped this practice, and waste of money, with money saved to reduce the insurance premium. I also believe ICBC had the monopoly on insurance and that the insurance market should be open to all other insurance underwriters.

I've got them already on my 'blocked caller' list, they phone even on sundays. scumbags. told them already twice to get lost and not phone here anymore since I am working graveyards. My response to such disturbing calls is extremely unpleasant. In these times with all the spams, scams, phishings, frauds...NO ONE will give any info away to unknown phone numbers. they can say whatever they want 'who they are'. No proof. The only thing I found about this number are complaints all over the internet.

I along with many others are leary of unsolicited phone calls. They are a niusance and I for one do not answer them. The unsolicited numbers are easy enough to google so why don't these companies just say who they are. They are a PAIN.

Same as above. No one there yet they keep phoning!
Who is this person?

People on this thread are ridiculous! Thanks Commonwealth and I see stupid people for trying to set the record straight. This number is for a survey conducted by NRG. Honestly, checking their website shows they may do surveys for more than just ICBC. Maybe you do not have insurance from ICBC but you have an account with another company who wants information on how they are doing (Customer service wise). Just answering the f**king phone people. They won't kill you through it or steal your information through it. To take your information - you have to provide IT!!!!!!!! All they want to know is how the service is, how the insurance broker/claims broker was doing! The survey is to benefit YOU (the customer). I took the survey and was not bothered they knew when and where I renewed my insurance (along with my name and phone number).. why would I be bothered by them knowing this information? Is the company going to stalk me and arrive at my home to "steal" from me?? Of course, my rant here applies only to this company as there are a ton of ridiculous telemarketers out there trying to swiftly talk you into revealing personal information.
PLEASE, to set the record straight this number is NOT going to "scam" you into anything. It's a research company, I took their stupid survey about ICBC and that's it. They stopped calling (like "magic") OR PICK UP the phone and ask for them to stop calling you, then like "magic" they will stop calling. SIMPLE, so why are their so many paranoid people out there?

Bloody scammers.The real ICBC is also the biggest 'conflict of interest' company in BC. It is a crime what they have their hands in. Especially all that personal information, which now includes your digital medical records.

The thing is, the NDCL ( the national do not call list ) only applies to telemarketers - people who are trying to sell you stuff or get your money somehow. Market research - that is, public opinion surveys, like the kind conducted for governments and business, are explicitly exempted from the National Do Not Call list- but if you don't want to be called for surveys either, then don't despair. (I don't know for certain, but I believe the idea of the structure of the NDCL was to hit the telemarketers the hardest, while still allowing  some room for calls in the public interest - in a free & democratic society it is difficult to outlaw a public opinion poll - even if it's done, annoyingly sometimes, over the phone).So market research companies are allowed to make a call (or if no one is home/no one answers the phone- perhaps several calls) to speak with people. This was covered under the NDCL list regulations; but always remember that (legitimate) market research companies don't make sales, and there is absolutely no incentive for them to call anyone they don't have, any more than they have to - they only want to talk to people who WANT participate and share their opinions. So if you make the request to them, then they are not only obligated, but probably they'll even be eager to do everything they can to prevent you from being called again.   As I understand it (I could be wrong), because surveys are NOT considered telemarketers, research survey companies don't even have access to the numbers on the NDLC list- that is, they don't even know who not to call, because the list is only disclosed to the telemarketers. Because of this irony, survey research companies have to maintain their own 'don't-call-me' lists with the people that they contact who request not to be called again. So, as the person being called by a market research company, you've got all the power- just so long as you make the request to them to be put on their 'don't-call' list: (Legitimate) survey companies are all too happy to add a request to their do-not-call lists because this helps them too- like I said, they only want to talk to people who are willing to share their opinions and viewpoints; and there's zero incentive to bother the people that don't want to be bothered. Another irony (as I understand it- again I could be wrong) is that independent research companies, once they've banned themselves from calling a particular phone number, they NEVER disclose or share that number again with any other companies - which makes sense because it protects confidentiality; but it can also mean that just because you were added to the do-not-call list for research company 'A' you might still get a different call someday from research company 'B' - because company 'A' isn't allowed to share or disclose the numbers that they've banned themselves from calling with anybody else, including company 'B.' Sort of a rock-and-hard-place situation; the good news it that company 'B' would be just as eager to help get you on their no-call list as soon as possible too. BTW - as per the the rules (so I was told)  they can add anyone by request to their do-not-call list at the time of a call, no questions asked; provided the person making the request has been told 'the call was for a survey- not a sale'Again- hope this helps - the NDCL is still a good tool for getting rid of telemarketers (at least, all the ones that aren't offshore) and like I mentioned,  there are easy ways to opt out of the survey calls too.

Once again it seems prudent to re-post information that was already posted here:NRG Research Group is an independent Canadian market research company (something very different from telemarketing). Survey companies aren't interested in sales, promotions, or talking to people who don't want to share their opinions - they just do surveys - and they will be quite happy to add you to their 'never-call' lists. Don't want to be called again? Most survey/ research companies are very professional and reputable - they maintain their own 'never-call' lists and they will gladly never call you again if that's what you want. But until they contact you, they can't know that's what you want. If you never pick up the phone to let them know this, or just slam the phone down BEFORE they've identified themselves as conducting a survey, then they are obligated to phone that household back because that it considered a non-answer/no contact, so, of course in that situation you are bound to get called again. Telemarketers (people who ARE trying to sell you a product or asking for money in some way) are not allowed to call you at all, if you are registered on the National Do Not Call List- but survey research (be it consumer or public sector based) is not telemarketing; which is fine- because survey companies aren't interested in sales, or talking to people who don't want to voluntarily share their opinions. Both government and businesses recognize the importance of obtaining public opinions, so, unlike telemarketers, survey research companies are not allowed to presume "do not call me" as the default position- but if you let them know, they will be happy not to contact you again (or at least, this has been my experience).ICBC's own website {  http://www.icbc.com/about-ICBC/shiftinggears/phone-survey } says:"By taking five minutes for an ICBC phone survey, you can help us improve our claims, licensing and insurance services.ICBC regularly surveys our customers by phone to find out what we're doing right?and what we need to work on.These confidential surveys are conducted on our behalf by NRG Research Group, an independent research company based in Vancouver.If you are contacted by an NRG representative, please be assured that these surveys are legitimate, and are permitted under Protection of Privacy legislation. Your identity will not be revealed without your permission.The surveys take no more than five minutes. If you agree to take part, the feedback you give us will help us improve the way we provide services to you."Do not call" listParticipating in the survey is completely voluntary. If you would prefer not to be contacted, you can be added to our do not call list by calling our customer contact centre at (604) 661-2800 or 1-+1 800-663-3051."By the way, survey researchers ( phone interviewers ) NEVER leave voicemails because they are never (with very few exceptions) ALLOWED to leave voicemails. Why is this you ask? Well, as I was to find out, interviewers are paid by clients and clients don't want interviewers wasting paid time leaving voicemails- every minute an interviewer is NOT conducting a survey is costing the client money for nothing. If an interviewer makes 200 calls in a night and it takes 30 or 40 seconds to leave a voicemail on every call, you can see how the unpaid time adds up. Moreover, most people don't want their answering machines filled up. But again, if you let them know not to call, they almost certainly won't.

This is a legitimate call from the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia (ICBC), conducting a five-minute survey regarding a recent insurance purchase. Everything they told me checked out. Another annoying survey, but legitimate.

The carrier for the phone number (778) 373-0447 is mts Airstream you can find them online and their ethics number is +1 855-236-6970 please everybody call this firm and complain.