"Free Message" Debt Reduction Phone Call

Grier78

I am setting up a Facebook group to collate all the information that is out there about this problem and take action.

As they hide their number its much harder for people to complain to the TPS, but this problem is not going to go away without taking action. Please join me.

facebook.com/group.php?v=wall&gid=103491329689199

Or search Facebook for the group "No More Freee Messages"

Many thanks,
Chris

DVardysShadow

GeorgeUK wrote: »

DON'T DO IT !!!!!

You know how banks have an automated service where you press x for various departments?
How about press 2 to be put through to a premium rate number.
I remember something similar was going around a few years ago but it was £10 per minute.

Supposedly they vouldn't do anything about it because it was not a company or number in the UK.

It's not worth the risk.

Internet myth. You cannot be charged for this. Or if you can, let us see an authoritative link.

stebiz

BB78 wrote: »

Is anybody else getting this, everyday I get a call from a withheld number its a recorded message saying "This is a free call, please do not hang up you will not be charged" and then goes on about reducing your debt in 12 months??
I don't know how they have got my number as I'm registered with TPS, I'm not interested and am fed up of receiving the call but it doesn't give any indication as to who is making the call.
Does anyone know who it is and how to make them stop??

I'm getting these regular too. I reckon a DCA has sold my number on. Seems too coincidental. I've gone through to the operator too on a couple of occasions and told them in so many words that I would call down there and shove something vertical up their rectum. To date I am still getting the calls, and this option is looking more and more likely.

stebiz

Oh and I've never been charged.

BB78

The day after posting my message saying the calls had stopped they started again!! Aarrgghh!!
I did take the opportunity to have another listen & they definitely claim to be a "Government backed" scheme, trouble is there is no such thing!! The Government has set down how debt management and payment plans should be carried out & but there is not a Government backed debt management scheme.

This annoying call is obviously from a debt consolidation company who have bought our phone numbers from somewhere. They are blatantly lying hoping to con people in to using them by making people think they are somehow legitamate & linked to the Government.

I've been getting calls from another number but not withheld this time, when I put it into whocallsme.com people have been leaving messages saying the company obtained their phone number from their credit card company or because they have a store card.

Despite ALWAYS ticking or unticking (which ever is stipulated) that I do not want my information shared with third parties or used for any other purpose I wonder if someone is breaching the Data Protection Act & selling or passing on our phone numbers? Sadly until we find out who this is calling we aren't going to be able to find out how they got our numbers or make formal complaints to get them stopped!

Please join the Facebook group and maybe a little people power will see the calls stopped!!

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=103491329689199

bargainbetty

Lots of these companies do not even have a list of phone numbers, and certainly not one connected to your name. Therefore, asking them to remove you from the database is pointless.

Although now banned in the US and here (I believe) there is a machine called an autodialler. The area code is programmed in and then it auto dials every nuimber in the area, regardless of whether or not is a actually a phone line (i.e. 0208 000 0000, 0208 000 0001 etc). When a line is activated (call answered) it generates the message, and if you press the button, you get connected to someone who will then take the call. Others just autodial and connect each answered line straight to an operator.

Unfortunately, each time they identify a 'ringing' line, the machine logs it and ensures it gets redialled. Numbers that do not generate a ringtone are cleared off the list.

Because lots of these are outside the UK, we have little or no recourse against them. No numbers to block, TPS can't do a damn thing.

Hang up. Ignore them. Sorry, very little else we can do, except petition the Government to request trade agreements with other nations that autodiallers be banned.

Best wishes to everyone on this pleasant Spring Friday!

GeorgeUK

Sorry DVS, can't provide a link or anything.

My grampa got one of these and when we called BT, they said he had accepted a reverse cherge call to a premium rate number. This was a few years ago, but they had said as the call did not originate in the UK there wasn't anything they could do to stop this. Not sure if it was the one where they could keep your line open even when you had hung up??

I think the most you can be charged now is £1.50 per min but i wouldn't like to risk it.

immoral_angeluk

I read something a while back about these, they're on autodiallers and if you press # repeatedly as fast as you can the machine deletes your number from the system as it deems that the number is invalid or something like that.
Might be worth a try but bear in mind I can't remember where it was I read that or whether it still stands.

Happytogetdebtfree

Hi i too get these calls i let them run to answer phone a recorded message comes saying press 2 i dont do anything it goes off it rings everyday but they do talk some tosh we can wipe a 100% of your debt bla bla as part of a goverment intiative what about as part of a goverment intiative having some paycuts and sending the excess aved to us citizens via cheque il put ittowards my debt pay off lol x

BB78

Happytogetdebtfree wrote: »

Hi i too get these calls i let them run to answer phone a recorded message comes saying press 2 i dont do anything it goes off it rings everyday but they do talk some tosh we can wipe a 100% of your debt bla bla as part of a goverment intiative what about as part of a goverment intiative having some paycuts and sending the excess aved to us citizens via cheque il put ittowards my debt pay off lol x

Hmm that's interesting, because every time I have left withheld numbers go to answer machine no message is left?!?! Obviously because I haven't answered I can't say for sure whether it was this "Free Message" calling or not but it definitely has never left a message.
And this makes me wonder whether its an auto dialler or not, can auto diallers differentiate between a person answering and an answering machine? Surely it would just recognise the call had been answered and would play the message?