Piffed Computer Scammer Now Won't Stop Calling

donnac2558

Not sure how to handle this.

Phone rang, I have caller Display which showed Out Of Area. Now usually I ignore these, but my brother in Canada has rang twice this week about family matter.

I answered and Indian voice said, "Hello Mrs.......(I am not a Mrs anyway), this is Computer Solutions." Told him to !!!! of as I knew he was a scammer and hung up. Phone rang straight away and I didn't answer, but checked in case it was my brother as he would leave a message. Oh yes message left full of abuse and stating he would ring and ring and ring. Which he did like every 15minutes phone is ringing. I of course not answering. Now I am with Virgin so contacted them. Was told to register with Silent Gard which is free and deals with silent calls and things International. It takes 24 hours to kick in, but not sure it will work. So sitting with phone unplugged as he is ringing every 15-20 minutes must be in between scamming others.

Virgin did say it it continues they will try to do something, but I think that means changing my phone number. Don't really want that.

Any ideas what I can do?

Thanks.

toffifee

Gosh - how horrible!

Sorry, I don't have any suggestions. (I have seen people suggest blowing a referee's whistle down the phone but I don't suppose you've got one handy.)

I hope someone comes along soon who can help you.

Double_V

I am also going through same problem.
Please help me.
Tons of messages and calls. Even though I am on TPS.
Doesn't seem like TPS actually works.

maninthestreet

Double_V wrote: »

I am also going through same problem.
Please help me.
Tons of messages and calls. Even though I am on TPS.
Doesn't seem like TPS actually works.

TPS will not prevent calls from abroad.

Blackbeard_of_Perranporth

Nor does TPS stop charity calls!

djtonyb

A friend recommended me one of these BT 6500 DIGITAL TWIN CORDLESS ANSWER PHONE WITH NUISANCE CALL BLOCKING for the same reason.

You can block all withheld, international numbers etc...we have gone from 15 phone calls over 2 days to none

Helix

djtonyb wrote: »

A friend recommended me one of these BT 6500 DIGITAL TWIN CORDLESS ANSWER PHONE WITH NUISANCE CALL BLOCKING for the same reason.

You can block all withheld, international numbers etc...we have gone from 15 phone calls over 2 days to none

That wouldn't work in the OPs case though as blocking international calls would also block calls from his brother.

donnac2558

Not sure a BT phone would work with Virgin service either???

I know there is the True Call but its nearly £100. Not sure how it works, do you just plug it in to the phone line and then your phone?? Withheld numbers would be my doctor etc as well.

Not sure if he will give up by tomorrow or have his mates phoning all night????:eek:

bod1467

For those with a BT-based phone line, Trucall technology (which also requires Caller ID active on the line) works really well. We got a BT8500 set (under £50 for a dual set with answer machine) and since then not one nuisance call has come through. (It still logs that calls have been made, but doesn't ring the handset).

@OP ... Even though you have a Virgin line, can you still use any normal BT-line phone system? Or do you need to use Virgin-specific phone systems? (Just to see whether you could still use a Trucall-enabled system).

In terms of your brother in Canada ... could he not text you beforehand (e.g. via Skype, Whatsapp, Facebook Messenger, etc.) so you can temporarily disable the Trucall guard? (Or even just chat via one of these internet-based VoIP systems ... will probably be cheaper for everyone).

zagfles

I've had a couple of these who call back continually, after deliberately wasting their time (cold caller bingo!).

What I did was every time he rang, I answered and as soon as I realised it was them I just put the phone down on the table, off the hook. He could rant and abuse as much as he wanted, no-one was listening, he could hang up and call back, he'd get the engaged tone

After 20 mins or so I'd put the phone back on the hook. If he phoned back, repeat, just leaving the phone off the hook for longer.

They soon get bored.

boo_star

donnac2558 wrote: »

Not sure a BT phone would work with Virgin service either???

I know there is the True Call but its nearly £100. Not sure how it works, do you just plug it in to the phone line and then your phone?? Withheld numbers would be my doctor etc as well.

Not sure if he will give up by tomorrow or have his mates phoning all night????:eek:

Trucall (and the BT phone that people have recommended) work just fine with Virgin phonelines, you just need Caller ID enabled for it to work properly (which you appear to have already.)

Bear in mind that if the scammer is phoning manually they could still get around Trucall by just pressing the hash key and the phone will ring. You are of course free to decline the call but if having to deal with the call itself is the issue here, Trucall (and the BT phones based on it) might not work.