you were called today at ....

stressedout75

i am getting stressed out we have always had alot of sales calls coming to the house and always know how to handle them we have an answer machine so when that clicks in they hang up! however last thursday night at 21.45pm we had a call which hung up when it reached the answer machine when i did 1471 it said you were called today at 21.45 we do not have the callers number to return the call we then had another at 02.15 and 06.45 all 4 hours apart, friday night i took the phone off the hook saturday night left it on no calls, sunday night no calls, monday night took it off the hook again and then last night at 23.05 we had another call we then took it off the hook again its really strange i really dont believe its someone doing it to wind us up well i hope its not but what do we do can we get these numbers blocked or just take the phone off the hook until they get bored and if it is someone winding us they can phone in the day time when im in a better frame of mind! any advise would be very welcomed, oh and are phone network is virgin media.

Cat72

I had this too and found the easiest option was just to change my number. As If I was to have any screening service It would have cost me.
Im with bt they offered my choose to refuse free for a month- but does not prevent when numbers are withheld ! The costs after the month.

To be honest the phone companies do not do enough to stop this, they offer to put me on a list which is supposed to prevent marketting companies getting your number. However I started to get calls several times a day and they got later, later at night .Sometimes there would be a marketting companies number and sometimes not.
Its not worth putting up with this for what it does to your piece of mind.
Its free to change number and might seem a hassle but its finally stopped it and im ex directory.
Good luck .

macman

Are you registered with the TPS?

stressedout75

hi, so im not on my own, i trust my judgement that they are coming from a call centre because the number is not being withheld, i will think about changing my number but it would be a shame as we have had the same number for 10 years plus and you think to yourself why should I? but i really want it too stop, im wondering if we carry on taking the phone off the hook after 9pm at night it may stop after a while, anyone that needs to get hold of us can use our mobile phones, do you know whether these calls that say that they have no number to return the call are definitely from call centres or international? thanks

stressedout75

i have just been looking at Tps, but will they be able to help with these types of calls where there is no number, or just withheld numbers?

nancyo

You can make your number ex directory and then these companies cant get your number...think the telephone companies may even be able to block them from calling you - think it costs you though.

stressedout75

the thing is we are ex-directory, it probably doesnt help that we give our details out on-line quite a bit regestering for different things im wondering if these details get shared they say there safe but are they really, i only sign up for big branded names though.

macman

stressedout75 wrote: »

i have just been looking at Tps, but will they be able to help with these types of calls where there is no number, or just withheld numbers?

TPS reg should screen out all cold calls originating in the UK-nothing they can do about overseas calls though.
Bear in mind that it doesn't happen overnight, it takes a couple of months for the lists to update.

stressedout75

i have just registered with TPS, im not sure whether it will help with the late night calls, i guess i will continue to take my phone off teh hook for the next month and see what happens its so annoying,frustrating and although you know they are sales calls they really do play with your mind at that time of night, i was always brought up never to phone anyone unless its urgent after 9pm, its something i dont do and when someone i know phones me after 9pm i get really cross, so why should i put up with these calls at this time of night and that the fact that is no-one there as they hang up, im getting wound up nowm thanks for the advice

macman

Because calls from abroad don't take into account the time difference. They're silent because they use auto-diallers, and there aren't always enough 'agents' to keep up with the auto-diallers. Regulation here is tighter, but in many other countries it's weak or non-existent.

stressedout75

thankyou for your re-assurance its nice to know there are people out there who go through the same things or have the knowledge to help others.