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I gave my number at an open house. How do I get random real estate agents to stop harassing me?

The Guardian — Privacy · · International · Privacy Law

An Australian renter or buyer shared their contact details at a property open house and is now receiving unsolicited outreach from real estate agents they never contacted. A policy professional explains that Australian law provides recourse through spam and privacy complaints.

Why this matters: Most people hand over their number at an open house because it feels required in the moment. It is not always clear that doing so can put you on contact lists shared across agencies you never chose to deal with. Australia has spam and privacy laws that cover exactly this situation — but most people do not know they can file a complaint, and agents count on that. The friction of opting out should not be heavier than the friction of opting in. If you are in this position, the law gives you tools. Use them.

Who should care: General readers · Privacy officers · Policy

This summary is AI-assisted and may contain errors. It is an original briefing to help you gauge significance quickly — not a reproduction of the source. Always read the linked original before relying on it. See our methodology.

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