Ways to stop overseas sales calls discussion

LynnS1

We went through a spate of getting 3 or 4 calls a week from the same company telling us we had won a holiday in a competition (which we had never entered). They would ask questions such as "can you give me your email address so I can send you the information". My husband, if he has time, will talk to the callers and ask things like "what is an email address?" but then switch to totally irrelevant questions such as "what is the weather like where you are" and asks them things that are obviously not on their script. After a while, he will say something like "sorry I've got to go now as aliens have just landed in the garden and I've got to go and make them tea". The calls stopped after that! lol

DavidP24

Best solution is to be ex-directory and be careful who you give your number to (never online).

I use a Voice Over IP number that forwards voicemails to email for all online transactions or sites that really need my number. I can either pick these up on my mobile or mostly I just let them forward to email, the scammers never leave a number. I get this by buying £10 of calls my VoIP provider and I get to choose a regional number in my area. I use VoIP to give my relatives abroad free calls to me from abroad.

A word of warning about 0844 numbers; they are NOT included if you get free 0845 calls from BT or Plusnet. So look online for landline alternatives. The worst of the 0844 numbers is Sky TV who keep you waiting ages while they rack up your charges.

I am on TPS and there is one UK company that continues to flout the TPS rules, it is Kitchens Direct. I keep reporting them to TPS but they do nothing.

The other company that openly ignores TPS is Talk Talk, if you use their website to check if they have service in your area they call you up. They break the data protection act because they do not give you an opt out service and they hide behind the fact that they do have a small print notice telling you they will call you.

When they called the caller was rude saying we will do what we want, we are exempt and a load more argument. I said to him do you really think I will EVER deal with Talk Talk again after the way you have spoken to me?

My approach was simple, previously I have recommended people to Talk Talk if their profile suited Talk Talk. Now, not only will I never deal with them or any CPW company, I will not recommend them.

If you really want to know if Talk Talk work in your area use the samknows website:

http://www.samknows.com/old/broadband/checker2.php

I think that any company that creates a site like the Talk Talk site to get around legislation is NOT a company worth dealing with. The fact that they do this tells you that they are not honourable.

So like Kitchens Direct they go on my blacklist even if they are cheaper or if MSE suggest them (this week).

DavidP24

LynnS1 wrote: »

We went through a spate of getting 3 or 4 calls a week from the same company telling us we had won a holiday in a competition (which we had never entered). They would ask questions such as "can you give me your email address so I can send you the information". My husband, if he has time, will talk to the callers and ask things like "what is an email address?" but then switch to totally irrelevant questions such as "what is the weather like where you are" and asks them things that are obviously not on their script. After a while, he will say something like "sorry I've got to go now as aliens have just landed in the garden and I've got to go and make them tea". The calls stopped after that! lol

I like that, I always keep them talking and if they want an email then donald@disney.com works.

I used to get a lot of people from a radio station calling every day for a competition. I would put them on hold (loudspeaker with mute), when they started coughing to make sure I was still there I would say "please make sure your radio is off, we will put you through shortly". Then I would just wait until they either hung up or finally say to them "what is your answer" and then say sorry you did not win.

If you really want to wind up cold callers you can say they need to speak to your wife/husband because they handle the money. Offer to give them their work number, then give them the number of London Zoo and tell them to ask for Mrs G Raff or perhaps Ms L E Fant.

carolp9256

Can someone advise how to stop getting international telephone calls please. I stopped answering the telephone if it said the incoming call was international as we are getting 2 - 3 a week. Now, yesterday morning, I received a call at 1.15am and that isnt funny and so I must find out how to stop these calls. :mad:

jennien81

Most phone companies offer (for a few quid a month! but worth it not to get out of bed...):eek: a call blocker service, that stops withheld numbers (I get family calls from New Zealand and their number is always "from a newtwork that does not transmit numbers" so its worth checking their website for details.

Hope that helps.

Keep_Takin_The_Medication

Here`s a little trick i was given by a spotty young sale rep working in a call centre in Leeds and is very simple, the only snag is remembering to follow the "silent rule"!
Simply when the phones rings you just need to pause before you speek. Give the caller chance to speek first and you will know yourself if you recognise the voice or not. Most of the calls i have received from UK call centres you can hear other people on other calls in the background even before the caller speeks to you. The calls i receive from non UK callers always seem to have a slight pause before they speek or the odd bleep or click, again let them speek first, this is when you make your move!
Simply remain silent!!! then repeatedly prees the hash or star key on your phone at a steddy pace, once every second. Do this for a short while or aslong as it takes for you to decide if the caller is someone you want to talk to, by this time they will have made them selves known to you, if they are a rep from a call centre hopefully you have just convinced them that they have rung a fax or data phone line number and with a little luck just crossed your number off their list.:A
Its very simple. The tone that is made by pressing the keys on your phone will (with a little luck) confuse the caller who is expecting an "Hello" and not something that sounds like a machine in some company or factory.
The all important thing is to keep quiet! If the TV or radio is on in the background you have blown it straight away. Remember you want the spotty little ~#!=: (so and so) to think he has just rung a machine and not someones home phone, yours.
This works best if you have a mute button on your phone. Press it just as you pick up the phone and this turns off the phones microphone so the caller hears totaly nothing except this rather anoying machine bleeping back at them, you pressing the star key!:D
This little gem will not stop you getting cold called, it will stop you getting called again from the same call centre. Just try it and see!
Ill leave you to guess how many different companys use call centre to sell and promote their products and services. Ever wondered why the sales guy on the phone who is trying to sell you double glazing sound just like the guy on the phone who was yesterday trying to get you to sign up for lessons in Spanish?;)
Best of luck!

Shadow6688

I have used a very effective way of dealing with cold overseas calls.

I tell the caller I am VERY interested in their product, but would they please hold the line for a moment while I :.....get a pen/paper/coffee/glass of water/take another call/call a family member/(any excuse)

Of course I simply walk away and mow my lawn / wash my car / walk my dog, leaving the phone line open, costing the caller money, time and distress! What a wonderful therapy for me!

Strangely, I never hear back from them........:T:rotfl:

donnac2558

I am ex directory and TPS also call blocking.

Yet for the past few weeks getting calls froma call centre in India. Their English is so bad I cannot understand a word they say. I have an idea they are trying to say my name, which is a simple not hard to say name. I just keep saying, sorry I cannot understand you, sorry I cannot understand you. Then hang up.


I did once tell a Indian Call Centre when they said my name. Sorry she is dead.:A

sueeve

I just put the phone dwown, but don't ring off. I like to hear the frantic 'hello' repeated for a minute or two. Then I check they have rung off, and i do too. I seem to be getting less calls, so perhaps it works.

P444UL

1st Post so Hi everyone..
I have been chuckling away at the many solutions particularly "do you want to buy my bike"
Another option if you can get their fax number. Send them 100 sheets of black paper regularly. Make sure there is a small ammount of white text explaining what you want them to do.
Works for most customer service related problems...