Sales Calls and My Elderly Mother In Law

My elderly MIL is plagued with sales calls despite me regeristing her with the TPS. She's very tottery on her feet and takes her ages to get anywhere. Sometimes the phone rings and she's in the bathroom, she has to get to the phone ( which she always thinks is important) just to discover it's a sales call. I've told her to ask them to stop calling her, take her off any list she maybe on, tell them she's not interested, etc etc. still the calls persist! What can I do to stop these bloomin people? She's on BT and I don't feel that 'Caller Display' will help her as she will still have to get to the phone to see who's calling her so she can ignore the call. What else can I try?
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  • savemoney
    savemoney Posts: 18,127
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    I would recommend getting a device that can block sales calls like Truecall

    It really does work and has been recommended for old people or a BT phone which has cut down version of truecall

    http://www.home-phones.co.uk/cordless-telephones/cordless-with-answermachine/bt-6500-cordless-phone-with-call-blocker/

    The phone doesn't even ring on blocked numbers
  • We had this problem with my late mother.

    So we bought her a set of portable phones for her home, and told her to always take one in the bathroom with her, just in case. After a week or two, it became automatic. She didn't even have to get up from her chair in the lounge when the phone rang.

    Just requires a little forethought.
    "There are not enough superlatives in the English language to describe a 'Princess Coronation' locomotive in full cry. We shall never see their like again". O S Nock
  • JJ_Egan
    JJ_Egan Posts: 20,281
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    BT8500 range includes Truecall blocker.
  • cashbag
    cashbag Posts: 127 Forumite
    The BT8500 is a godsend! Had it 2 months now & not one call has got through. However it will depend on your MILs ability to either input already known numbers (using 1471 to get them off her current phone every time someone rings), or to actively block calls which might/might not get through on the call block phone the first time they ring her. My old Mum is having trouble with these calls - also takes her ages to get to the phone as she also cannot ignore it. But sadly she does not have the mental capacity to understand about blocking numbers if I got her a blocker system. Have to rely on the nuisance callers eventually giving up when they realise they are having a conversation with someone who is not even sure what day of the week it is!
  • r2015
    r2015 Posts: 1,136
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    Have to rely on the nuisance callers eventually giving up when they realise they are having a conversation with someone who is not even sure what day of the week it is!

    That does not work, I act the doddery old forgetful man on the phone, keeping repeating things they say, telling them to speak up, misunderstanding what they say, etc. yet they still keep calling.

    Nothing stops them, even agreeing to let them send you, by post, details of what they are not selling you, then when they call to see if you got them and you telling them you threw them in the bucket and to !!!! off, it all starts all over again a couple of weeks later.

    Now I try to keep them on the phone for as long as possible, 1 and a half hours and repeat calls for 4 days is my record.

    I even answer the phone with "how can I waste your time today".

    Nothing stops them.

    You will never stop them. NEVER!
    over 73 but not over the hill.
  • Thanks for all the replies. Truecall looks an option, but, oh, technology and my MIL don't mix! I did try and have an online chat with a BT Rep as to what services would help my MIL but gave up after half an hour of waiting around for the 'cut and paste' reply from a rep halfway round the other side of the world. This is called progress..... ����
  • JJ_Egan
    JJ_Egan Posts: 20,281
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    Truecall or Callblocker are the only services that will actually help .

    BT stuff is here .

    http://www.bt.com/includingyou/calling-easier-unwanted-calls.html#more1
  • forgotmyname
    forgotmyname Posts: 32,517
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    The truecall device or BT phones dont require any extra user interaction to use as a normal phone. She can carry on using them as a normal phone.

    Then when you visit you can check teh call log and block any unknown or dodgy nunbers.

    I have a small while box off ebay. During the call you can simply press block, it cuts them off dead and when they ring back all they get is disconnected.

    Ive had zero calls get through to the phone and actually ring since Oct/Nov time now.
    Usually it was several times a day including some dodgy Bangladeshi number thay used to call early hours of the morning.

    Dont pay for the BT blocking services, they dont work.... I had a refund off them when i was still getting calls.
    Censorship Reigns Supreme in Troll City...

  • missprice
    missprice Posts: 3,735
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    Is there an answer machine?
    Set it to 2 rings or less, then she has no need to get up and answer as she won't be quick enough, or turn the ringer off.
    Make sure she has a mobile though if you turn ringer off.
    My answer machine is set to 2 rings before it picks up and now that everyone has to leave a message they have mostly stopped calling.
    From 8 + times a day to a couple a week but still the machine is set same.
    If its important the caller leaves a message, as most are just sales calls they don't leave any message.
    63 mortgage payments to go.

    Zero wins 2016 😥
  • savemoney
    savemoney Posts: 18,127
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    edited 30 January 2015 at 2:49PM
    Once truecall it setup and need very little attention thats the whole point of it calls only get through that you allow to if you so wish even with little set up once its plugged into phone socket and phone into truecall is it intercepts calls on your behalf. Its won loads of awards and designed for eldery too

    The BT phoen I showed wrong model but its the BT8500 is also suppose to be good as said.


    Thread on it here

    http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=5133006&highlight=bt8500

    from £25 single phone

    http://www.telephonesonline.co.uk/catalogsearch/result/?q=BT+8500


    You get your life back and not pestered by vermin/scammers
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