Abused by Solar Panel Marketers
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Not sure if this is the place but it's been a helluva day.
Off and on, I would get calls (Private Caller) SO NOT A WITHHELD NUMBER from some call center (mancunian accent) asking if I wanted Solar Panels. The name they asked for wasn't mine nor do I live at the address they have on file, so obviously I've gotten a telephone number previously used (hence the reason TPS say they can't help, but can they ever?) - this said, I have had this tel number for over 10 years.
So I warned them last time that if they rang again, I'd be making a complaint. They rang again and I asked the name of their Company which was refused. I asked to speak to a Manager and really wish I hadn't.
She was a Grade One Nutter. She not only refused to give me the name of the company she worked for, but began to verbally abuse me. I hung up quickly. She called me back again and again and again. After the 5th time I answered. The abuse continued - she told me that what they did to 'people like you who want to complain' is take the phone numbers home and dial it all weekend. She then said she was going to take my number home with her and do this.
I pointed out that was in breach of data protection and was illegal - I was told that she couldnt give a F*** and I was in for it. I hung up. She called me back again and again. I picked up and said nothing - she continued her abuse.
She tied up my line and I couldn't dial out. She had muted her line, but was still connected through to me. I called the Police on my mobile and reported it. They told me to call my phone provider as well and ask for help. The only solution was to change my phone number as their call blocker would only block witheld numbers and not 'Private Caller'.
So now I've had to change my number due to these people. I can't understand how they can get away with this - how I can be abused in my own home in this way and have no power to do anything - to find the perpetrator, the company.
I've had to run away while they continue to make these calls. I shudder to think what would happen with someone elderly as my heart was thumping like mad whilst I was abused.
Is there really, really nothing else to be done?
Off and on, I would get calls (Private Caller) SO NOT A WITHHELD NUMBER from some call center (mancunian accent) asking if I wanted Solar Panels. The name they asked for wasn't mine nor do I live at the address they have on file, so obviously I've gotten a telephone number previously used (hence the reason TPS say they can't help, but can they ever?) - this said, I have had this tel number for over 10 years.
So I warned them last time that if they rang again, I'd be making a complaint. They rang again and I asked the name of their Company which was refused. I asked to speak to a Manager and really wish I hadn't.
She was a Grade One Nutter. She not only refused to give me the name of the company she worked for, but began to verbally abuse me. I hung up quickly. She called me back again and again and again. After the 5th time I answered. The abuse continued - she told me that what they did to 'people like you who want to complain' is take the phone numbers home and dial it all weekend. She then said she was going to take my number home with her and do this.
I pointed out that was in breach of data protection and was illegal - I was told that she couldnt give a F*** and I was in for it. I hung up. She called me back again and again. I picked up and said nothing - she continued her abuse.
She tied up my line and I couldn't dial out. She had muted her line, but was still connected through to me. I called the Police on my mobile and reported it. They told me to call my phone provider as well and ask for help. The only solution was to change my phone number as their call blocker would only block witheld numbers and not 'Private Caller'.
So now I've had to change my number due to these people. I can't understand how they can get away with this - how I can be abused in my own home in this way and have no power to do anything - to find the perpetrator, the company.
I've had to run away while they continue to make these calls. I shudder to think what would happen with someone elderly as my heart was thumping like mad whilst I was abused.
Is there really, really nothing else to be done?
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Comments
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Im not with BT, but that does not resolve the issue. The number comes up Private Caller - this is done to get around these services0
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OK, if you're not with BT that wouldn't work. But, for the record, it does cope with withheld numbers.Im not with BT, but that does not resolve the issue. The number comes up Private Caller - this is done to get around these servicesAre you for real? - Glass Half Empty??
:coffee:0 -
Fruit_and_Nut_Case wrote: »OK, if you're not with BT that wouldn't work. But, for the record, it does cope with withheld numbers.
Yes..but as I say they work around this, so it's utterly useless. Marketers use Private Caller, fake local numbers, International numbers etc...Withheld is rarely used in my experience anymore and is utterly pointless.0 -
Just buy [or borrow or scrounge] a £30 landline with an answering machine. Three here under £30. Anyone you know or recognise or want to speak to you pick up, anyone bothering you will soon get sick of taking to themselves.Disclaimer : Everything I write on this forum is my opinion. I try to be an even-handed poster and accept that you at times may not agree with these opinions or how I choose to express them, this is not my problem. The Disabled : If years cannot be added to their lives, at least life can be added to their years - Alf Morris - ℜ0
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Put a small ad in the Manchester Evening News (or similar) with an absolute bargain and get the phone number a bit wrong...:D0
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The best line is to say you already have solar panels. They will remove you from the call list immediately.0
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Adopt the rule of BoP.
If I know not whom you are, no I answer your call.0 -
londonTiger wrote: »The best line is to say you already have solar panels. They will remove you from the call list immediately.
Tried that and they don't. Neither do Safe Style windows and i did actually buy windows from them ( NOT via a cold call btw). They only stopped when I rang their main office and complained.
The only people I can see buying anything from cold callers are unfortunately vunerable people who feel intimidated. Hell, I WAS intimidated and Im not some little old lady.
TPS are a bag of rubbish and really shouldnt be funded by anyone. They are one of those Organisations put in place to make it look as if 'something is being done' when in fact it isnt. ICO are another dog without teeth. Its all very academic, but no results.0
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