Simple way to avoid 98% of cold callers

Gambler101 · 5 July 2017 at 2:05PM

I just let the answerphone take all calls, if its a friend or family they know I do this and as soon as they start speaking I pick up, if its a cold caller they ALWAYS ring off.

Manxman_in_exile · 5 July 2017 at 6:55PM

Gambler101 wrote: »

I just let the answerphone take all calls, if its a friend or family they know I do this and as soon as they start speaking I pick up, if its a cold caller they ALWAYS ring off.

It's not just me that does this then!

I made the mistake a couple of years ago of picking up a cold call (I was expecting someone else). As expected I was plagued with more calls for the next couple of weeks until they got bored. I assume that once a number has been recognised as "live" it becomes a commodity to be purchased by other scammers.

forgotmyname · 5 July 2017 at 7:35PM

I was getting tons of dodgy calls from all over the world. Bough ta £25 call blocker (the small white one sold under several names) and instant silence.

Blocked withheld numbers and unknown numbers and international numbers and it also allows 1000+ unique numbers to be blocked.

When some dodgy telecoms company up north sold off a load of numbers to overseas scammers i just added the entire area code to the blocked list.

I get the very very rare odd call , but i just say, hang on can you hear this... CLICK and blocked.

Le_Kirk · 7 July 2017 at 6:34PM

gardner1 wrote: »

The BT8600 takes a bit of setting up ie inputting all your numbers but in the 4 months I've used it not a single silent/nuisance call has got through and it used to be about 2 or 3 a day

Try the lazy way. You just wait for people to phone you and then periodically check your calls. There is an option to Block, Delete or ADD to address book. Of course you have to have caller ID.

Pjsmith76 · 9 July 2017 at 8:55PM

As most my cold calls are ambulance chasers I just ask them to confirm the date of my accident.
But hell just asking them to spell the name of their employer and then the address gets them to hang up fast.
(Did have one that demanded the date of the accident who got hung up on)

I tend to get a cluster of half a dozen every few weeks.

Only one that got past was on the local dial code (also used by my then insurance company)

ka7e · 9 July 2017 at 10:48PM

I have assignable ringtones on my phone - my Mum has "Ode to Joy as her ringtone (her name is Joy), family members have "Ride of the Valkyries" and everyone else on my friends list has Pachelbel's "Canon". If it rings like a normal phone, it's left to go to answerphone. Genuine callers leave a message, cold callers hang up!

worried_jim · 9 July 2017 at 10:54PM

pogofish wrote: »

You shouldn't have to do anything to avoid 100% of cold callers - The phone companies/telecom providers could end this at a stroke if they really wanted.

I ended it at a stroke by getting rid of my phone line. Save £18 a month and peace and quiet- should have done it years ago. Bliss.

Pmarmalade · 10 July 2017 at 8:02AM

pogofish wrote: »

You shouldn't have to do anything to avoid 100% of cold callers - The phone companies/telecom providers could end this at a stroke if they really wanted.

It's difficult to say what's legit and what isn't though, and who are providers to say another business isn't legitimate? They do marketing calls also, after all. But if a company is reported enough times, something should be done.

As others, for my mobile I use an app that blocks spam calls. My house phone sits on silent and is never answered.

Simple way to avoid 98% of cold callers

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