Is there ever going to be a time when 'spam' calls are stopped?!!! WARNING; LONG RANT

Dave_C_2

<flame on>
Is it only me that thinks that this whole thing is disgusting. Let's face it, BT and similar companies have the technology to kill this stuff dead in its tracks. They won't because it's earning them money.

I didn't sign up to BT to get spam calls!

Not only that but companies such as Truecall and the new BT 6500 are making extra money on the backs of these parasitic phone calls.

Maybe there is a market for a "no nuisance call" phone line where international, withheld number and mass market calls are blocked by default.
<flame off>

Dave

HPS

Thanks again everyone and yes Dave ^^^, it IS disgusting and SHOULD be stopped. It is ludicrous that we have had to resort to such measures: using our home phone only for outgoing calls, because of the level of nuisance calls.

I appreciate the idea of a caller display, but as Azari pointed out, many people are withheld: British Gas, the doctor, the hospital, the library, anyone calling from an 'extension' within a company, about three or four of my close family... so how are we supposed to know who it is (or isn't,) if it's withheld.

I really just wondered of anyone knew if this spam calling epidemic was going to be stopped, as it's a ruddy pain!

Thanks anyway!

maninthestreet

Have you tried going ex-directory?
My number is both ex-directory and registered with TPS and I never get any cold-callers,

mum2one

I'm ex directoty and registered with TPS still get spam calls, - usually get there company name, their name, number and threaten to report them to the TPS or ask for a supervisior.

I've sometimes spoke in a foregn language or chatted about the weather as thou it is the best thing in the world

Try the this call is being recorded as evidence for TPS
x

HPS

maninthestreet wrote: »

Have you tried going ex-directory?
My number is both ex-directory and registered with TPS and I never get any cold-callers,

I have been ex directory on all my home numbers and also registered with the TPS on all of them too. Sadly, none of it seems to help. I think that my provider is a bit useless and gives me recycled numbers that have been with someone else quite recently. and have been sold to marketing companies.

missprice

I am ex directory and with TPS and get calls everyday.
I use the ansaphone thingy to screen calls.
the 2 rings came about cos I was messing with it and fixed it to two rings and lost the idiots guide to changing stuff also known as the destruction booklet

and it has worked well for me as those horrible recorded messages don’t get through cos the recording has finished by the time the spiel on answer phone has gone through. and most real spam callers hang up when they get the recording as no point talking to a machine it cant buy stuff.:)
so only people that really wanna talk to me bother to leave a message.

Fire_Fox

HPS wrote: »

I have been ex directory on all my home numbers and also registered with the TPS on all of them too. Sadly, none of it seems to help. I think that my provider is a bit useless and gives me recycled numbers that have been with someone else quite recently. and have been sold to marketing companies.

But that is why you have to be patient and not change your number every ten months. With the best will in the world the telemarketers are not going to check with TPS before every call, even the Mailing Preference Service and Royal Mail opt out take weeks to months to start taking effect.

lippy1923

artbaron wrote: »

The number of my new place has been recycled. Originally I got a few calls about some person who's name I've forgotten, but in the past couple of months I've had about two dozen asking for Mr Bean(!). Some use number withheld, others use landlines or mobiles which I've blocked. Recently I've been making up stories about Mr Bean and one caller was told that Mr Bean had died on the way back from a retreat in Nepal whilst another that Mr Bean been arrested for unspeakable crimes and would phone them back in the unlikely event he made bail. None of this has any effect so I just think of it as opportunity for light entertainment if the mood takes me.

:rotfl:
At least u can laugh about it

unholyangel

I didnt read all the replies (late and bedtime) but calls like this can be annoying. I got them years ago when working nightshift and there is nothing more annoying than being woken up after only 2-3 hours sleep except when you're being woken up for a marketing call or a debt collector chasing someone else. More than once I was tempted to tell them where to go.

While research calls etc arent covered.....you can still request they remove your details. If they dont comply, I then send a written request stating that I was withdrawing any express or implied permission for them to hold/process my details. Under Data Protection Act, you can request that a company do not process your information (and they must comply unless they have a genuine reason for not doing so - and it needs to be a good one). They also have a duty (under DPA) to ensure that all information they hold is accurate and up to date (which helps take care of debt collectors who are chasing the people the number used to belong to).

You do get screeners (as mentioned in one post above), but if you have caller ID, you can also block numbers if your handset allows it (my panasonic handsets allow it - the phone doesnt ring when a blocked number calls) and some handsets also have a "night" mode....in night mode, if someone isnt on your VIP list....the phone doesnt ring.

vikingaero

Telephone numbers are never private or ex-directory. There are only a certain number of them and they get recycled as people move/cance/change providers.

TPS only helps with companies that actually use their database - most small companies, scammers and international scammers don't. There are no controls on international scammers that can be enforced.

Most spammers/scammers will use an autodialler to dial blocks of numbers. Any that get picked up are marked and marketed as live.

The best way to deal with this is to change your mindset from being annoyed to annoying them. Either put the phone to one side and carry on with your jobs around the house. Or have fun. Make up ridiculous names and scenarios. Pretend to be half deaf so they have to repeat themselves. Most of all annoy the person on the other end of the phone line.

Of course someone will say that the person on the other end of the line is simply doing their job. Would it be better for them to be umemployed and claiming benefits? Quite simply. Yes. These are non-jobs that 99% of people don't stick out because it's crap. These non-jobs mess up their job prospects and benefit claims.

If the public stand up to these people and keep them on the line as long as possible then we stop them calling other people.