Nuisance Calls

topherxp

slenderkitten wrote: »

if you get calls from cold callers just put the phone down, i never say anything in case they are charging ME for the phone call.

Oh yes, because of course you won't get charged for a phone call if you don't speak.

Also you only get charged for an incoming call if it is reverse charge.

slenderkitten

topherxp wrote: »

Oh yes, because of course you won't get charged for a phone call if you don't speak.

Also you only get charged for an incoming call if it is reverse charge.

well someone may take over 2 min before deciding to put the phone down. Sometimes people get calls from companies claiming to know who they are and then people get into conversations with them revealing even more information about themselves to possible fraudsters, they do charge per MIN you know, its a possible scenario.

i think you need to think about it a bit more!:EasterBun

So once again - if you have a cold caller on the line don't say anything and just put the phone down.

Certainly better than wasting your time listening to an idiot on the phone line trying to sell you something you don't want. Besides its hardly BAD advice is it!!!

BexTech

Funny how urban myths sudenly become fact with some people.

If someone has called you, then as long as it's not a reverse charge call, which you have to confirm you wish to accpet the call, there is no way of you paying per minute or anything for an incoming call.

Don't let urban myths spread.

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slenderkitten

ermm WHERE in my post does it say FACT - if you look closely i said POSSIBILITY but you seam to forget the other point i made about people revealing more of their info when people call up claiming to be from a company they purchase a service from. it is always mentioned on such programs like watchdog and other consumer programmes.

again your not paying attention to the message, if you want to get yourself all in a tizzy over a message to tell people not to engage in conversations with cold callers that is your choice but my advice still stands, as it will most certainly protect them from revealing any info that fraudsters can get.

besides they are charging me, i am wasting the battery charge in my portable home phone in speaking to them, it maybe minute, but if you get alot of them then it would add up eventually!!

Ypaymore

If you dont speak to them,how do you know they are a cold caller?

HugoSP

I have just received a phone call from RHL and this time I held on for a bit and someone came on the line.

I asked him to remove my number from the database and he refused as he was calling on behalf of a Sky account in my wife's name, he tried hiding under the data protection act. I asserted that he was calling my number, as my name is on the phone bill and I wished it to stop. He couldn't guarantee that I would not receive further calls so I asked to speak to his manager.

Apparently manager was busy, so my repeated requests to interrupt him (as I had been interrupted by them several times) was denied and got me cut off!

I then called the above phone number, I spoke to a professional and curteous call handler, complained about the handling of the call, asked for my number to be removed and stated that I would allow one more phone call as they stated that it may take a while for the change to filter through then further calls received by us would be invoiced by us to RHL at £20 each time we had to answer one.

I think this stance is reasonable and hopefully a court or the regulator may agree.

Cotku

My Mum is registered with TPS (I wonder how effective they really are) and had a telephone call from someone whose 'first language was not English' and asked about her re mortgage. Mum doesn't have a re mortgage and she told him that to which he replied, "Don't be ridiculous, you asked us for the money." And a heated debate almost began until my Mum had the sense to put the phone down and it ran a few seconds later and it was the guy again - "Why did you hang up on me?"

Unfortunately she did not think to 1471 the number but she was clearly angry at being harassed this way.

As to your phone number... it's only unlisted/ex-directory as far as the telephone company is concerned. If you ever signed up for a registration where you had to include personal details including your unlisted telephone number, I'm afraid your belief in true data protection of your details has been violated. Companies will sell anything for a profit and then hold their hands up and apologise claiming it was a computer error.

Look at the rising incidences of banks and similar institutions dumping detailed customer information in the rubbish without shredding or burning them.

I expect the line going dead when you answer is someone ticking a list to establish that your number is valid and therefore ripe for cold calling at a later date by many other companies.

I don't have Caller ID on my phone so I let it ring and a few minutes after it has hung up, I do 1471. If I recognise the number, I call that person and apologise for not getting to the phone on time. Anything will do, I was putting the rubbish out, just in from some shopping, etc. They understand.

And as for family... we have specific ringing arrangements. There's a ringing and a pause and ringing and a pause and so on. It's easy with redial to hang up and call back several times, letting it ring on the last time until it is answered. Only close family and friends know the 'code' of rings that will be answered if I am home.

And who to complain to? I'm thinking that the issue with these cold callers is that they are outside of the UK or other countries who have laws in place regarding cold calling. Therefore, TPS and MPS are powerless. It's a means by which companies originally or formerly based in the UK, can register abroad, dissolve the UK company and continue to harass UK citizens as before.

I remember reading about unsolicited mail being sent from certain countries in Europe because they are not affected by the UK laws. I guess there are companies in the UK targeting European or international customers as well.

As long as they're not 'doing it in their own backyard', it won't be considered illegal. Best thing is to ignore them.

That double or triple ringing thing I mentioned is a big help though... and only your family and best friends will know.

slenderkitten

quite easy just listen to the dialogue and you will quickly find out what they want.

bottom line is i dont give out my numbers to anyone except family and some other select few, i also have free caller id so this helps me identify people too, electricity/gas etc i dont give my numbers too as they can write to me and that way i have proof of what they say to me otherwise they dont need to speak to me.

also if i let the answer machine pick up if there is no number showing and its someone i know i will pick up the phone otherwise i will not answer it.

SkintAgain

I can give you plenty of numbers who I know are after money !!

slenderkitten

lol i am sure we all know plenty of people who want money