MSE News: Silent calls targeted in Ofcom crackdown

Options
Former_MSE_Guy
Former_MSE_Guy Posts: 1,650 Forumite
I've been Money Tipped! Newshound! Chutzpah Haggler
in Phones & TV
This is the discussion thread for the following MSE News Story:

"Telecoms regulator Ofcom will introduce new rules to prevent consumers being harassed by silent calls, but the crackdown won't start for another four months ..."
Read the full story:
Silent calls targeted in Ofcom crackdown
OfficialStamp.gif
«1345

Comments

  • Heinz
    Heinz Posts: 11,191 Forumite
    First Anniversary Combo Breaker Car Insurance Carver!
    Options
    Ofcom is not called Ofcon in a number of forums without good reason.

    Anyway, I thought the Conservatives were going to scrap Ofcom because of its ridiculously high cost.
    Time has moved on (much quicker than it used to - or so it seems at my age) and my previous advice on residential telephony has been or is now gradually being overtaken by changes in the retail market. Hence, I have now deleted links to my previous 'pearls of wisdom'. I sincerely hope they helped save some of you money.
  • Oblivion
    Oblivion Posts: 20,248 Forumite
    Photogenic First Post First Anniversary
    Options
    I have a digital answer machine permanently in curcuit to filter out unwanted callers. I am also subscribed to the Telephone Preference Service to try and reduce the number of unsolicited calls.

    Despite this, my phone still rings on average 6 times a day and then the caller rings off again after hearing the first part of my 'greetings' message saying we don't accept calls from telesales companies. How many of these are automated scattergun calls or human originated calls I don't know.

    What I do know is that these pointless calls are driving me nuts!
    ... Dave
    Happily retired and enjoying my 14th year of leisure
    I am cleverly disguised as a responsible adult.
    Bring me sunshine in your smile
  • BarneyBee
    BarneyBee Posts: 30 Forumite
    Options
    Oblivion wrote: »
    I have a digital answer machine permanently in curcuit to filter out unwanted callers. I am also subscribed to the Telephone Preference Service to try and reduce the number of unsolicited calls.

    Despite this, my phone still rings on average 6 times a day and then the caller rings off again after hearing the first part of my 'greetings' message saying we don't accept calls from telesales companies. How many of these are automated scattergun calls or human originated calls I don't know.

    What I do know is that these pointless calls are driving me nuts!
    yes i know how you feel

    i'm also in the same boat as you, but i have had Truecall for the last 2 months now so my phone will not even ring from these so called Cold callers,

    well worth there money
  • MORPH3US
    MORPH3US Posts: 4,906 Forumite
    Combo Breaker First Post
    Options
    Another toothless attempt by Offcom.... this great new rule means each company can now only make one silent call PER DAY...

    What about people like me that don't want to receive ANY silent calls EVER....

    All this about "it thinks its an answerphone" and "glitches in the system" is BS.... why can't they just have allocate one call per one operator...
  • Paulgonnabedebtfree
    Paulgonnabedebtfree Posts: 2,740 Forumite
    Options
    I sometimes actually pay to receive these calls. I have an 0845 number for my business which costs me 2.5ppm to receive a call plus I pay the bit from landline to mobile if I have it on divert (quite a lot of the time).
    It's bad enough receiving them but to actually pay for the privilege does pee me off.
  • Silent_Calls_Victim
    Silent_Calls_Victim Posts: 49 Forumite
    Options
    Far from being toothless, Ofcom has always had adequate powers to deal with Silent Calls. It prefers not to use them, pretending to have powers of regulation that it does not possess and adopting a policy of improper tolerance of the practice of making Silent Calls.

    More on this matter from this news feed.
  • DaveF327
    DaveF327 Posts: 1,160 Forumite
    First Anniversary Combo Breaker First Post
    Options
    Good news about the silent calls,

    BUT! What about the automated message that I get nearly every day from some debt management company? I bet everyone has heard it by now, you know.. the one that plays a recorded message by a bloke who sounds a bit like Mike Reid saying, "This is an important message! Please do not hang up. Please listen carefully. Recent government legislation... blah blah.. 100% of your debts... blah blah.. Press 2 now".

    Of course, I just love to press 2 to "play" with the person at the other end, but they have an annoying habit of hanging up on you the very instant you deviate from their script. Even asking them (very politely) where they're calling from will make them hang up without a word.

    Even though I block incoming withheld calls, this one always originates from an "Unavailable" number.

    Add to that the various calls I get from hundreds of different 0845 numbers, even though I'm registered with the TPS. They always ask for the previous owner of the number (yes, BT kindly recycled the phone number they gave me which appears to have once belonged to a business :mad:) but they keep on calling every day, so the TPS doesn't seem to have any effect.

    Is OFCOM planning to take any action with that?
  • Heinz
    Heinz Posts: 11,191 Forumite
    First Anniversary Combo Breaker Car Insurance Carver!
    Options
    DaveF327 wrote: »
    Add to that the various calls I get from hundreds of different 0845 numbers, even though I'm registered with the TPS. They always ask for the previous owner of the number (yes, BT kindly recycled the phone number they gave me which appears to have once belonged to a business :mad:) but they keep on calling every day, so the TPS doesn't seem to have any effect.
    Surely, when you see those numbers on your Caller Display, those deserve the "Hello, Pizza Express, Josh speaking. May I take your order please?'" treatment?
    Time has moved on (much quicker than it used to - or so it seems at my age) and my previous advice on residential telephony has been or is now gradually being overtaken by changes in the retail market. Hence, I have now deleted links to my previous 'pearls of wisdom'. I sincerely hope they helped save some of you money.
  • Browntoa
    Browntoa Posts: 49,302 Forumite
    Name Dropper Photogenic First Post First Anniversary
    Options
    had a game with a scattergun caller the other day , told him if he could tell me my name I'd buy something from him.....but he only knew the number, had fun for a few minutes with him until he gave up
    Ex forum ambassador

    Long term forum member
  • DVardysShadow
    DVardysShadow Posts: 18,949 Forumite
    Options
    From the article
    If you've been a victim of silent calls you can report the firm to Ofcom.
    To find out who called you try dialling 1471 to get the number and look it up on the internet or call it back.
    If the caller withheld their number, you can call your telephone provider's nuisance number helpline, stating the time and date of call to attempt to trace the number.
    Ofcom's chocolate fireguard.

    If they really meant business, they would make it mandatory for any company doing silent calls to display their number with caller display.

    But Ofcom are not in the business of regulating, they are in the business of doing nothing with a light touch.
    Hi, we’ve had to remove your signature. If you’re not sure why please read the forum rules or email the forum team if you’re still unsure - MSE ForumTeam
This discussion has been closed.
★ ★ ★ Meet your Ambassadors

Categories

  • All Categories
  • 343.3K Banking & Borrowing
  • 250.1K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
  • 449.7K Spending & Discounts
  • 235.4K Work, Benefits & Business
  • 608.2K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
  • 173.1K Life & Family
  • 248K Travel & Transport
  • 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
  • 15.9K Discuss & Feedback
  • 15.1K Coronavirus Support Boards