Avoiding Nuisance Callers

Dave_C_2 · 10 August 2011 at 3:29PM

Laz123 wrote: »

I got a personal alarm that has a very high shriek. I used it last week. I used it on the last person (Indian call centre), turned it off and said, 'Are you still there?'

'What are you doing?' he asked. I did it again, twice more. After the third time I said, 'Now f off and leave me alone.'

The good thing is that the telephone system (including the telephone itself) is designed to protect against acoustic shock. You probably did yourself more harm than you did to the person on the other end of the telephone.

This is to protect against idiots trying to do physical harm to others over the PSTN. At the very least it protects you against an assault charge.

Dave

shammyjack · 10 August 2011 at 4:51PM

I almost always ignore withheld numbers but had one about an hour ago so decided to have some fun .

After confirming that I was the householder I proceeded to chat up the young male caller as though I was a old lonely " Queen " not letting him get a word in edgeways .

He soon rang off !

Fridaycat · 1 September 2011 at 10:05AM

savemoney wrote: »

Yes I have truecall

It bans silent calls automatically any calls that coem from you can assign friends so they bypass the device or you can get it to reject known numbers I have many of them

I do have caller ID though. Its very good

I have recently invested in truecall and it was the best £90 I have spent! I had to set up caller ID with BT for it to work properly (zero cost), and have not had an unwanted call since installing it!

I am registered with TPS, could always get rid of callers quickly, and always told them not to call in future and remove me from their database etc, and this seemed to work, but did not stop nuisance callers in the first place. Truecall has prevented this completely, so no need to mess about with smoke alarms or "playing along" with people - just the bliss of not getting the calls at all!

Tangible · 1 September 2011 at 10:55AM

Excellent advice by Thenotsowyzewun and because I'm a scambaiter I've used a VOIP number for years and it's been passed out to thousands of scammers and anyone I suspect might hand it out to marketing companies. I encourage scammers and marketing companies to use it.

I'd gladly post it here, though I imagine it would contravene forum rules, so I won't, but basically I don't have to get annoyed or upset when I hear the phone ring. In fact it's quite amusing to hear those who persevere beyond the answer message, and each incoming call is a triumph for me.

My landline is attached to an answerphone and usually the message is of a humorous nature and very lengthy. Anyone I want a call from gets my mobile number. I can still use the landline and call out, handing out the 'real' number, though anyone using it must be aware that there'll be a comic message waiting for them.

My mother always uses the landline (non- VOIP number) and I just pick up when I hear it's her.

If enough people did the same, marketing calls would end.

Lulu7767 · 29 February 2012 at 12:07PM

My favourite way of avoiding nuisance calls' ? When the accented voice says 'Is This Mrs. *** - I say Yes! Accented voice says 'Hello **** - how are you today?' I say ' Oh! lovie, thank you for asking. I was at the doctors again yesterday with my arthritis. Oh it's Soo bad, and my knees are creaking and its painful. Then there's my blood pressure, have I told you about that - well ...' By then... they've hung up, and I've amused myself!

suzplustwo · 29 February 2012 at 4:41PM

My cousin who works in IT got one of those calls when they claim to be calling about "a problem" with your computer. He was at home on holiday when the call came in. He spent a very merry 30 minutes toying with the poor man on the end of the phone whilst his wife was in near hysterics! :rotfl:

I worry most though about these people targeting people like my dad. His generation is less street smart about telephone scams and he feels he has to be polite to them.

G0D · 29 February 2012 at 5:19PM

I keep getting calls from people who claim they are Microsoft or that they are acting on behalf of Microsoft and that they have somehow "detected a problem with my computer". How they are supposed to have done that is something which they don't explain.

These calls seem to come in spurts, I get several in a week then there's a bit of a pause then another bunch of them over a few days. I know whet they are up to. Obviously they are not Microsoft (who don't call individual customers). I can only assume they are crooks trying to get control of my computer in order to extract information from it and/or to use it for other nefarious purposes.

If I have a bit of time I pretend to go along with them, often acting as a dozey old twit. But while pretending to try to follow their instructions (Hit "Start", open "Control panel", open "Administrative Tools". etc, etc) I keep pretending I'm doing things like accidentally hitting the wrong mouse button, making the computer crash, keep them waiting as it's very slow (like they have just told me it is), telling them to hold while "answering the door", etc etc ... just generally wasting their time.

I know it's probably rather childish behaviour but sometimes it can be quite amusing. Sometimes I'll go really bonkers, one time I pretended to have this stutter so put the caller through that agony of having to wait for me to complete every word while already realising perfectly well what I was going to say. Also sometimes I invent multiple personalities, saying "I'll just put you onto my wife as she knows about these things" and then speaking in a ridiculous high voice and waiting to see how long it takes for the caller to realise they have called someone really whacky.

Of course, all this is only if I happen to have the time. Otherwise I just tell them to Eff Off and put the receiver down.

This is the only answer I have been able to find to the ongoing problem of these calls, as they simply don't seem to learn not to call me.

Oh, and 1471 is no use, by the way - the number is not available. So there's no-one to complain to.

Spamalert · 1 March 2012 at 1:48PM

I googled myself by accident one day and found my details, including phone number, listed on
- sorry, was going to give link but as new user I can't - it's www dot 192 dot com.

192 take and collate all the information they can, and sell it on - they know your full name, age, phone number, who else lives at your address, how much your house is worth, etc etc. If you don't tick the privacy box on your electoral roll form, you will be there - mine was there from the electoral form before they started adding a box to tick to keep your details private. If your name is in the phone book, you will be there. It states you have to fill in a form to be removed, but they will do it by email if you ask.

My other top tip: When phoned, get into the habit of asking "Who's speaking please?" before confirming your name. Make sure you hear the name of their company before you continue - keep asking if necessary. If you can't understand the accent, it's probably a scam.

bailey70 · 30 May 2012 at 11:22AM

For some reason I've suddenly started getting calls from accident claim companies... the only reason seems to be the small and insignificant bump I had in my car last year (from what I was told by the one caller I did actually speak to).

I'm fairly certain I didn't tell my insurers they could pass on my personal details to anybody and I have been on TPS for many years.

tired_of_it_all · 30 May 2012 at 4:33PM

I was getting calls from one particular double glazing company every couple of days. At first I was polite telling them the property was maintained by a management company etc ... but they still kept ringing me back and just wouldn't take no for an answer.

One day I decided to be very keen ... double glazing yes please; fascias/guttering - ok; conservatory - oh how wonderful. After at least 20 mins their very pushy and cocky sales boy was salivating at the prospect. you could almost hear him counting his commission.

Just one final question I said...

How do you fix a conservatory to a third floor flat?

He slammed the phone down.

Never heard from them again ...don't know why

Avoiding Nuisance Callers

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