Cold calls whilst on preference service

Widows_Son

> Any tips for stopping them?

Wind them up with the Third Degree. Don't forget to ask for their date of birth.

david39

There is no way to stop them instantly.
They are all from companies trying to sell you debt counselling or debt avoidance of one sort or another or from injury lawyers or payment insurance companies. They are all scammers, that's why they have to use the underhand methods.

Their way of sucking you in is to get you talking and then picking up on accumulated knowledge of your circumstances, often gleaned over several calls. In worst cases, this information can be used for identity fraud.

The way to stop the calls (eventually) is NEVER to speak to them.

If you speak to them, even in anger, you will increase the call rate as you will be classed as "receptive". You will also have your phone number sold on to other scammers as a "live, receptive" contact.

Once you have picked up the receiver, you can tell the type of call it is without you speaking, so just put the phone down on them. If you don't speak to them, you are classed as unresponsive and are wasting their time and eventually the calls will reduce and finally stop.

I've been "on the list" for about three years, with calls coming in twice a day, every day, for about the first 18 months. After I gave them the silent treatment, they started to reduce and now I hardly get any at all.

By the way, not answering the call (i.e. not lifting the receiver when you see the number on the CLI screen of the phone) doesn't work - they just assume you work in the daytime and will start ringing you at even more inconvenient times in the night.

Also - they love you to lose your temper - that's when you inadvertently let information slip and as for speaking to their supervisor - well, there isn't one - you just get passed on to the guy on the next phone to the one you are talking to originally - and he'll ask you for even more information so that he can "make sure he takes the right name off the calling list".

brewerdave

I tried the security question angle on "John" (from Mumbai!!) the other day - I asked him for the 3rd and 7th letters of his mother's maiden name before I would confirm my name!
Instant disconnection!!:rotfl::rotfl:

cepheus

Wonder if it is possible to simulate the noise of a Fax machine?

welshbookworm

http://www.pacdv.com/sounds/machine_sounds.html
is a site offering free sound effects in mp3 and wav files, so if you're techy enough you should be able to use them