Ways to stop overseas sales calls discussion

NonGeographicalMan

dannny wrote: »

You can't make that assumption on the information you have. Its the lowest of the low counter arguement to a post - "you must work for them", as the poster can't disprove it.

Whilst I share your own clear frustration that the ICO has been very slow to act and start issuing fines (to be fair a power they have only recently gained as before they had to start prosecutions in court at far greater expense to the public purse so hence why with their small budget for enforcement they were reluctant to do so) the fact is that the more reports are made to the TPS and the ICO (especially the latter as they are subject to the Freedom of Information Act) then the more pressure is put on them to start issuing more fines and in general taking more action.

I do agree that the ICO's current approach of only taking action on an exemplary basis against those who make tens of thousands of unwanted calls a month is mistaken as I have been troubled by a large numbre of UK based call centres, clearly sharing the same potential suckers contact list, since the beginning of last year wanting me to put £10,000 or more in to carbon emission certificates, rare earth metals or fine wines (all basically unsaleable and worthless once you have been conned in to buying them). These firms always consistently mislead about the prospects for the investment and want the money transferred in cash to their bank account by BACS/Faster Payment (where you have zero protection) and not by credit or debit card (where you have more come back with the firm). These firms are trying to prey on elderly people with assets but fast declining incomes from their savings in a most unscrupulous manner and should be a very high priority target for prosecutions - in my opinion ahead of kitchen fitting and design companies even if those firms are making the largest number of calls.

ICO funding should come, in part, from the fines they impose. Maybe then they would be more proactive in pursueing UK companies.

On that point I would fully agree with you but that cannot happen until there is a change in the law to make it possible. So perhaps you would like to write to your MP and the relevant minister to also make this suggestion.

battleborn

I get overseas calls from a Swedish lady called Ericka, she tries to sell me services for all sorts of special things.

:rotfl:

NonGeographicalMan

battleborn wrote: »

I get overseas calls from a Swedish lady called Ericka, she tries to sell me services for all sorts of special things.

:rotfl:

At times it seems a great pity this forum does not have an Unthank button that would dock one off a member's Thanked score. If such a facility existed I am sure it would a great deterrent to stupid off topic posts such as the one above.:mad::mad::mad:

battleborn

NonGeographicalMan wrote: »

At times it seems a great pity this forum does not have an Unthank button that would dock one off a member's Thanked score. If such a facility existed I am sure it would a great deterrent to stupid off topic posts such as the one above.:mad::mad::mad:

Get a sense of humour for goodness sake.

NonGeographicalMan

battleborn wrote: »

Get a sense of humour for goodness sake.

I suggest you take yourself to the Comedy or possibly the Erotic Comedy Forum if making silly and irrelevant jokes of this kind is your main purpose in posting here.:mad::mad::mad:

battleborn

NonGeographicalMan wrote: »

I suggest you take yourself to the Comedy or possibly the Erotic Comedy Forum if making silly and irrelevant jokes of this kind is your main purpose in posting here.:mad::mad::mad:

Chuckles @ you

bod1467

battleborn wrote: »

Get a sense of humour for goodness sake.

Oh such irony! :rotfl:

gregg1

Paddy_Landau wrote: »

These are scammers, with zero ethics. Just put the phone down on them. Don't bother to engage in conversation.

Unless you have a prepared honeypot machine, in which case you can waste a couple of hours of their time, during which time they cannot be scamming a more vulnerable person.

I actually did this when I had one of these calls recently. Pretended to go along with everything they asked me to do, switching on my computer, click on run programme etc. I kept saying the screen had gone blank and they had to start all over again. After about forty minutes (I was bored so I found it quite amusing) I confessed I had not even turned on the computer. They were pretty angry and it gave me immense satisfaction I have to say.

dandelionclock30

I've had my name taken off the 192.com database and since then I've just had one nuisance call in 2 weeks!. That's a massive improvement as I was getting about 5 or 6 per week.They all seemed to be ringing from India/Pakistan.
I've also got a whistle but haven't had to use it yet!.

madonnamustache

No, I do not work for the "TPS breaching cold calling industry" and I am quite upset with that assumption. I don't think it should take 2000 complaints against one company for the TPS/ICO to do something. I have presented them with clear evidence against a number of companies, and they have done absolutely nothing about them.

When I do the work of obtaining names, numbers, addresses, times and other details of the conversations I have had with people that disturb me every day, and they wait until 2000 people complain about the same business, it's annoying, to say the least.