Virtual PC Doctor horrible people

welshmike03

We have just had a horrendous experience with Virtual PC Doctor. My 82 year old mother received a number of calls from this company; they wanted to speak to Mr. Peters and discus his computer. Firstly there has never been a computer in the house and secondly my father died 4 year ago.
Last night they called again, Luckily I was visiting, I told them to stop calling, harassing and wasting my mother’s time, the next hour was horrendous every time we hung up they rang back, I did everything to stop them and I mean everything but they still rang back, my mother spoke to them in tears explaining she was 82, did not have a computer and Mr. Peters died 4 years ago, they still rang back.
After 40 minutes I was able phone the police and report the incident, as soon as I hung up PC Doctor called again and again. I had to ring to police a further 2 times and they had to call PC Doctor to stop the calls. It was an hour of torture and mum, for peace of mind unplugged the phone, which is her only contact with the outside world.
It's 2 days later and she is still getting calls, what can we do?? We have already registered with the telephone preference service.
Can we take any action against this company what can we do?.

fluffnutter

This is horrible for you. What have the police said about it? Call your mum's service provider and ask them to block the calls. Tell them how serious this is and that you've had to involve the police.

In the longer term you can report them to the ICO, link here. But the priority is to get these distressing calls to stop. Call the police again and the service provider.

TwistedPsycho

Unfortunately. I suspect that they are an "offshore" company that cold call and charge for removing "viruses" found on your computer.

The problem is that they will phone everyone on the basis of assuming that they have a computer and do not believe anyone who says they haven't. This type of call somes up in the Techie sub-forum quite a lot and even abusing them does not stop them calling.

Norfolk_Jim

Get your mums telephone number changed.

david39

The calls will originate abroad and be outside the scope of TPS or any UK authorities.

Having had experience of less extreme, but still annoying, treatment I can assure you that you will never get rid of them by talking to them. The more you speak to them, the more they will ring you.

Does your mother have CLI on the phone (Caller Line Identifiacation where the number comes up on an LCD display)? If so, note that number and when she sees the call come in, pick the phone up and put it back down again. Don't ignore the call - they will assume she is at work and will ring her at night.

If she has a phone with a display on it but has not got CLI enabled by her phone provider - ring the provider and get it enabled.

These people rely on you talking to them - they are actually trying to get info from you, either by gaining access to your PC or by winding you up so that you release information to them that they can use and sell to marketing companies. From what you say, they already know she is 82 and lives on her own and you have confirmed the name to them. They also know that someone on that number will talk to them at length, so they can sell the number on to other opportunist companies as a "responsive" prospect.

If you do not have CLI then pick the phone up, when you realise who it is, put it down without speaking.

Eventually, they will log your number as one that does not give out information and they will eventually drop you - it may take months for that to happen though. It took two years for my number to clear completely, although very quickly after I adopted the above policy, the calls started to diminish.

fluffnutter

david39 wrote: »

The calls will originate abroad and be outside the scope of TPS or any UK authorities.

Having had experience of less extreme, but still annoying, treatment I can assure you that you will never get rid of them by talking to them. The more you speak to them, the more they will ring you.

Does your mother have CLI on the phone (Caller Line Identifiacation where the number comes up on an LCD display)? If so, note that number and when she sees the call come in, pick the phone up and put it back down again. Don't ignore the call - they will assume she is at work and will ring her at night.

If she has a phone with a display on it but has not got CLI enabled by her phone provider - ring the provider and get it enabled.

These people rely on you talking to them - they are actually trying to get info from you, either by gaining access to your PC or by winding you up so that you release information to them that they can use and sell to marketing companies. From what you say, they already know she is 82 and lives on her own and you have confirmed the name to them. They also know that someone on that number will talk to them at length, so they can sell the number on to other opportunist companies as a "responsive" prospect.

If you do not have CLI then pick the phone up, when you realise who it is, put it down without speaking.

Eventually, they will log your number as one that does not give out information and they will eventually drop you - it may take months for that to happen though. It took two years for my number to clear completely, although very quickly after I adopted the above policy, the calls started to diminish.

All sound advice.

If this company is actually Virtual PC Doctor then I think they're American so the ICO and TPS won't be able to help you. I'd still try to get the call blocked by the service provider though. Have you tried this?

popadom

But if you hang up theyll know someone is around and call-you ignore and theyll hopefully remove the number off their system.

fozmcfc

Another couple of things, maybe a whistle blown down the phone or just leave them hanging on, it's not costing your mum any money.

In the meantime maybe give your mum an old mobile phone with a pay as you go chip in it for emergencies.

hermum

Your Mum's phone provider may change the number FOC, with a police log no. Or route inward calls through them, my friend had to do that several years ago when she was being harassed.
I would answer & leave the phone off the hook until the other party disconnects.