Sales calls clogging up my answering machine

SnowyOwl_2

I've recently started getting long, long, looooong pre-recorded sales messages left on my answering machine. One was to do with selling an endowment (how'd they know I've got an endowment?!?) and another one to do with some sort of phone call service if you're a BT customer (which I am, wonder if they knew...).

It's rather cheeky their machines phoning my machine and then prattle on forever and a day flogging something I would rather research myself if I were in the market for it in the first place!

Is this a new marketing ploy or something? Would registration with TPS get rid of these calls?

110frankie

TPS has cut our calls down dramatically. Takes justa few minutes to register, well worth it.

IvanOpinion

Add a message that says anybody leaving a sales related message will be charged £25 for the privilege so please remember to leave your number

Ivan

Nile

SnowyOwl wrote:

Would registration with TPS get rid of these calls?

Yes it will and you can stop junk mail too.:j

The Mailing Preference Service will stop junk mail.

The Telephone Preference Service will stop unsolicited phone calls.

When you have set them up for your address, consider asking your elderly relatives if they would like these services too.;)

My elderly relatives are very grateful for the dramatic reduction in unsolicited phone calls and piles of junk mail.:j

Grumpysally

Does TPS cover calls from overseas?
Ive registered and it has cut down cold calls to almost nothing. I do though keep getting called from an 'international' number ( have caller display) I don't know if this is always the same company being very persistant or just that these are the only companies not abiding by TPS.
I either ignore them and let the answer machine deal with them which means they inevitably call again later or I pick up the phone but dont speak. Their machine doesn't like that. Childish I know but they dooooo annoy me.
Not that any of this helps the OP.......... just set me off on my own little rant.

hollydays

Also,i was registered with TPS but started getting phone calls,about 5 a day where the phone would ring at odd times,as soon as i answered it would cut off.I established these are the silent calls plaguing so many,and you can register seperately with TPS to stop them-it worked,but i think they are changing the law to stop these calls soon.

ManAtHome

TPS doesn't stop international calls - I've been on the system for a few years now and it's very effective apart from the offshore call centres. I leave them for the answer machine as well.

MPS also works - only been on this for a few months, but volume of junk has dropped dramatically. Only stuff it doesn't stop is all the junk the posties have to cart round - so when you get a real letter you also get a bucket-load of 'special offers specifically tailored for you... the occupier (or the green bin more like..).

maxiscot

Yes TPS and MPS has drastically reduced the number of silent calls I get. It is exceptionally irritating - used to get those you have won a cruise calls on my answering phone which went on forever - but since registering with TPS that has stopped. Now I get the very occasional call from India which I just hang up on.

november

I don't understand what mail MPS does remove although it says it removes 95% of unwanted mail?

It says this:

It will not stop mail that has been sent from overseas, un-addressed material or mail addressed to The Occupier. You can expect to continue to receive mailings from companies with whom you have done business in the past. You may also receive mailings from small, local companies.

Most of the junk mail we receive through the letterbox is not via the post its hand delivered supermarket 'special offer' leaflets etc - about 3 lots some days and at least one lot a day :mad:

Most of the remainder comes via the postie either unaddressed or addressed to 'The Occupier'

Don't really get much personally addressed from companies we've never dealt with So I take it registering with MPS wouldn't help

Seems a right waste of trees to me plus I hate sorting it as some won't go in the recycle box but has to go into the recycle bin and visa versa depending on whether its shiny or not and you have to take all the plastic bits off (window envelopes) to go in the ordinary bin :mad:

edited to add

Interesting. TPS says it is already against legislation to send 'junk' text messages without permission. I'm always getting them (asking me if I want to upgrade my phone). Next time I'll do something about it now I know I can

gibby

with junk mail you can get your revenge - for free

return the junk - in a new envelope - or just reuse an old one
but dont stick on a stamp

the post office then charge the company £1.25 as a fee minimum or more if its heavier.

I also got really annoyed with one company as it cost me over £15 in calls to an 0870 number for one of their probelems
so I found lots of old stuff - like odd shoes and stuff I didnt want and sent it to them - bit by bit - just to get my own back.

I was told about this by my postman who said lots of people do it

G

moonrakerz

gibby wrote:

with junk mail you can get your revenge - for free

return the junk - in a new envelope - or just reuse an old one


G

Even better - send it back with another firm's name & address on it. eg:- Send Readers Digest stuff back with Which's name and address and vice versa. Just make sure there is no code or anything on it which relates to you.