Silent calls - how to stop them.

skeggysteve

Sorry if this has been covered - I did a search honest!

I've been getting a lot of silent calls recently, did some research and found out about computer dialers.

More research and I found this website:

http://www.ukdatait.co.uk/cgi-bin/sgAddNumber.cgi

Where you can add your number. When you have added your number a pop box gives 0800 0831 138 as a number to call if you have any problems.

Strange that the TPS website still gives a 0870 number to call for this service.

Steve

Bufflowbill

The Silent CallGuard service is promoted by the TPS company, but has no proper relationship with the TPS itself. It has no formal relationship with Ofcom, not the ICO, nor is there any statutory force behind it. It is a purely commercial operation that is used by very few companies

Bufflowbill

From the Ofcom Site.

17. How can consumers complain if they receive a silent or abandoned call?

If you have not done so already, you should contact your network or service provider. Your provider might be able to identify the organisation making the silent or abandoned calls and provide you with advice or assistance to prevent such calls in the future.
If you continue to receive silent or abandoned calls and your network or service provider is unable to assist, please contact Ofcom’s Contact Centre to register a complaint:
Web: www.ofcom.org.uk
Phone: 020 7981 3040 (this number will be the cheapest option for most callers)
or 0845 456 3000 (this number may be cheaper for callers on the BT Light User Scheme calling from outside the London area)
Fax: 020 7981 3334 (this number will be the cheapest option for most callers)
or 0845 456 3333 (this number may be cheaper for callers on the BT Light User Scheme calling from outside the London area)
Post:
Ofcom Contact Centre
Riverside House
2a Southwark Bridge Road
London
SE1 9HA
Ofcom's Contact Centre logs all complaints under a case reference number. Ofcom will update our database of complaints accordingly. This information will help Ofcom to target and take action, where appropriate, against organisations that are making these types of calls.

UsFour

If you are with BT there are two things you can do :-

1) Subscribe to "withheld number blocking" - which means that if somebody rings you and they withhold their number it won't be put through to your phone - they will get a message saying something like "the number you are calling does not accept withheld number calls" - it costs around £3/£4 a month.

2) Also subscribe to "Choose to Refuse" so that you can key in any number or the last number connected - to say that you do not want calls from them. This is about £3 a month as well and they will get a message saying "the number you have dialled does not wish to take calls from you"

Both well worth it for peace of mind and to stop the morons who think it's funny to intimidate people.

I have both features and also caller display - which you can get free if you tell them you are having problems - and it's stopped the n***er who kept ringing me.:T

GoofyGAT

UsFour, the OP is talking about silent calls (although I'm sure your method will stop any nutter who keeps ringing!) that are made by computer diallers. No need to pay for anything to stop these silent calls. I registered with the Silent CallGuard service a number of years ago & haven't been bothered since. G

UsFour wrote: »

If you are with BT there are two things you can do :-

1) Subscribe to "withheld number blocking" - which means that if somebody rings you and they withhold their number it won't be put through to your phone - they will get a message saying something like "the number you are calling does not accept withheld number calls" - it costs around £3/£4 a month.

2) Also subscribe to "Choose to Refuse" so that you can key in any number or the last number connected - to say that you do not want calls from them. This is about £3 a month as well and they will get a message saying "the number you have dialled does not wish to take calls from you"

Both well worth it for peace of mind and to stop the morons who think it's funny to intimidate people.

I have both features and also caller display - which you can get free if you tell them you are having problems - and it's stopped the n***er who kept ringing me.:T

skeggysteve

Bufflowbill,
I know that Silent CallGuard is a private company. The point of my post was to give people a way to access thier service without using a 0870 number - sorry if I didn't make that clear.
I have read all the info on OFCOM's site zzzzzzzzz

UsFour,
Not with BT (why is anyone?) I'm with OneTel, have been for a few years now. Their response was - if the police are interested we will give you a new number for free if not then £35 to change numbers. Fair enough.

GoofyGAT,
Yes, you are correct. I have caller display and the withhold number reject thingy.
Trouble is these companies have twigged to the withhold and use a real number that if you call back just gives you a recorded message.:rolleyes:
Another problem is when they call in the middle of the night and I can't find my glasses to read the caller display:D

............................................

When I can see a number that I don't recognise I don't answer. If they leave a message I listen to that when it suits me, not them.

Heinz

skeggysteve wrote: »

Not with BT (why is anyone?) I'm with OneTel, have been for a few years now. Their response was - if the police are interested we will give you a new number for free if not then £35 to change numbers. Fair enough.

Which, as you may know, is the infamous TalkTalk now.

lee634

now i dont know if this actually works, BUT i heard somewhere that once you pick up the phone to these computer dialers if you press the * key about 8 times it confuses the computers and your number is kicked off the system.

it may be false but more research needed

skeggysteve

Heinz,
Yes I do know, but (touching large bit of wood!) I've not had any problems.
I might regret saying that though

lee634,
Interesting idea, I'll give it a go.
BTW, I do know that swearing down the phone at them does not work !