Automated nuisance calls

Alf2060

Hello,

I am trying to sort out a problem for my parents with automated nuisance calls they keep receiving. They state that "Mr Jones" (someone I know) should call "XXXX" and quote ref "XXXX".

I believe there have been a few calls a week recently and possibly from different companies, who I think maybe debt collection agencies. I got the number of the last caller and I found out on this forum that it is from Red Debt Collection Agency.

I do know that this person has had debt problems in the past but has never lived at this address and I don't know why he has used this phone number as a contact.

I wonder how I can stop this and other calls linked with my parents phone number and also what implications this will have for them for credit rating etc?

Thanks in advance,
Phil

InsideInsurance

As they have the "correct" name then there will be no impact to credit ratings etc.

There is little you can really do to stop it because they aren't marketing calls. You can tell them there is no one of that name on this number and you've had the number for X years therefore please remove it from their records. If you keep getting calls after that you can threaten them with going to the police for harassment but it will be a fairly hollow threat.

If you are with BT you can pay to block telephone numbers from being able to call you but you probably dont want to be paying as a result of your associates miss actions.

Would personally speak to the person, seeing as you know them, and get them to contact the agencies and also get them to update their records with the correct telephone number for him.

I did have a similar issue a few years ago and thankfully the debt collectors did immediately stop calling after I said that the person was unknown to be but I think I was lucky

Buzby

I've been going though this with a range of firms, and it started 2 months ago, I get around 20 calls a week, from 0900-1900 daily and at weekends. There's no way you can stop them, a Truecall unit does take away the pain, but it costs £100.

missile

I can block phone numbers on my Panasonic phone.

hunsbury0

missile wrote: »

I can block phone numbers on my Panasonic phone.

My Panasonic dect phone can block chosen numbers but for some reason it will not let me block "withheld" numbers.

pfaas

I've been looking into automated phone calls as we were being pestered by PPI and other automated sales calls:mad:. They are illegal if you have not given prior consent to receive such messages, but of course you may have unwittingly given this when you sent for a free sample, or entered a competition! If you are receiving such calls you can complain either to the Direct Marketing Association or the Information Commissioners Office. However its often difficult to find the details of the guilty organisation, specially as it may involve replying on a premium rate number. There is a government e-petition that's just been launched to try and make these illegal full stop. If every one who got an annoying phone call solicited another signature for the petition it would be an impressive number. The e-petition is on the governments epetitions site and is called "Make automated phone calls to private numbers illegal". It might take a while but we may as well start with the democratic methods.:D

lofielectronic

I certainly think something needs to be done about this. We moved offices at work two years ago, received a new telephone number from BT and since then we receive about ten calls a week, either automated 'PPI' type calls, or else calls trying to sell us things or fake scam calls. BT, and BT business have been no help at all regards this, in fact recenlty their BT Business Local have added to this with several 'silent calls' followed by actual sales calls.

Of a larger concern is that following the death of my mother last year someone clearly sold on their home number as since that time my father has been deluged with these kind of nuisance calls so now an elderly man with limited mobility is receiving two or three of these nuisance calls every day and more worryingly for us is no longer bothering to answer the phone as he thinks it will just be another one of these automated calls.

I have just had to remove another four from his answer machine, Curved Air Marketing Solutions was the longest going on for several minutes with a recored survey which went on as noone was there to 'opt-out.'

BT or more likely someone else do need to look into this as the TPS is clearly inefective and BT seem only interested if they can charge extra for another service.

Dunree

hunsbury0 wrote: »

My Panasonic dect phone can block chosen numbers but for some reason it will not let me block "withheld" numbers.

Your provider should be able to block witheld numbers for you, mine does

mum2one

its illegal for a company to use a blocked / withheld number you can get choose to refuse from BT its free for a month then £3 per month afterwards, - once you have answered the calls you then dial a special number, it worked with blocked numbers, the only downside is they need to be companies that are in the Uk. we get calls for a woman who use to have this number we've had it for 5 yrs, shes still giving it out!! We;ve had to change our number before due to dodgy calls,.

BargainGalore

Or get Truecall it blocks all of the cold calls whether there are international or number withheld, okay its £80 but does the job, plenty of folk on here rate it good. I got one myself a few months back after I got pestered by PPI company and they dont pester me anymore

Elsewhere

lofielectronic wrote: »

I certainly think something needs to be done about this. We moved offices at work two years ago, received a new telephone number from BT and since then we receive about ten calls a week, either automated 'PPI' type calls, or else calls trying to sell us things or fake scam calls. BT, and BT business have been no help at all regards this, in fact recenlty their BT Business Local have added to this with several 'silent calls' followed by actual sales calls.

Of a larger concern is that following the death of my mother last year someone clearly sold on their home number as since that time my father has been deluged with these kind of nuisance calls so now an elderly man with limited mobility is receiving two or three of these nuisance calls every day and more worryingly for us is no longer bothering to answer the phone as he thinks it will just be another one of these automated calls.

I have just had to remove another four from his answer machine, Curved Air Marketing Solutions was the longest going on for several minutes with a recored survey which went on as noone was there to 'opt-out.'

BT or more likely someone else do need to look into this as the TPS is clearly inefective and BT seem only interested if they can charge extra for another service.

My mother-in-law (aged 93) has found a solution to these nuisance calls that suits her. Sometimes she takes ages to get to the phone - she's pretty doddery - so we always let the phone ring for ages (she doesn't have an answering machine). She told me the other day that even if she's nearby and could answer quickly, she doesn't because the sales people give up after a few rings, but friends and family hold on much longer!