Recorded Message Phone Calls

Becles

I'm not very well at the moment, so decided to have an early night last night. I was asleep when the phone rang at 10.20pm ad woke me up. Picked up, and a recorded message told me I'd won a cruise and I had a to dial a telephone number to claim it. :mad:

The message didn't leave details of the company and the caller display says it was an international call. The lady on the message sounded American.

I'm on TPS because I don't want junk telephone calls. How do they get away with calling that late at night? I thought they were not supposed to ring people after 9pm?

Hunnymonster

Quite simply they get away with it by being not located in the UK. I had something like this some time ago from the Halifax - a call at 10pm, I challenged that I was being called at all, only to be told the call was being made from Eire, and therefore outside of the self-regulation regime in the UK.

soolin

I had my first call like this *ever* 2 days ago, thought I had managed to escape their attention.

Mine was the 'press 9 to hear details of your free cruise' one. I tried calling BT to complain but they didn't really seem to know what to about it. I am also registered with the TPS.

At least mine was during the day, if I got one late in the evening or at night I would be fuming.

Soo

surfcat

I received one of these 'American' calls whilst at home one lunchtime. Being both ex-directory and on TPS, I rang the BT nuisance call number. The girl on the line said that as the call was from outside the UK there was nothing they could do. I quoted their phone book which said if I was being harassed by calls the number could be blocked. She explained as the call was international they didn't have the number and there was no legislation to deal with it.

surfcat

In addition to my previous post, I would encourage EVERYONE who receives one of these calls to ring the BT nuisance call line (number in the phone book) EVERYTIME they get one. Hopefully if enough people cause a problem for BT (holding up their call centres, ie costing them money) then they will have to sort out some action.

cuggie

We have had to change our number because of that bl**dy company,
we were getting between 2 - 5 calls per day, every day for past 3 months,
we had the thingy on the line where people cant with hold their number, also registered with tps, still got them
called bt. really helpful (surprise) told us they cannot do anything, cannot trace where calls are coming from, its computer generated, dials say 2000 numbers , the first 20 or so get a recorded message the rest get hang up calls.
bt told us once number changed we can register for the silent call thing, that we didnt have to change number etc. but as we are all out at work and my daughter gets in from school at 3.30 we thought it would put her mind at ease if we changed our number,
so if every one contacts bt for the silent call thing they might be able to do something ?

littlereddevil

I agree with surfcat let's all try it

Paul_Varjak

surfcat wrote:

In addition to my previous post, I would encourage EVERYONE who receives one of these calls to ring the BT nuisance call line (number in the phone book) EVERYTIME they get one. Hopefully if enough people cause a problem for BT (holding up their call centres, ie costing them money) then they will have to sort out some action.

They can't take any action except complain that they are getting nuisance calls from you! The best thing to do is contact TPS, the Data Commissioner, the DTI and your MP, so that they may eventually do something!

surfcat

..but I simply don't believe that BT can't do anything about this.

Surely if they are aware that war-diallers are being used to dial 1000 numbers in succession, then they could simply filter out calls like this from abroad?

I'm sure BT can name no legitimate reason why a company outside the UK should be allowed to dial up UK numbers in this fashion.

trace-j

We've started to get these nuisance calls too. Same BT response and same American woman on the other end of the phone. I didn't appreciate the BT woman stating the obvious 'just hang up and don't press any buttons' when it was already explained to her that's what we did.

She also added for good measure about the unfortunate elderly gent who pushed the button, got connected to the premium rate number and ended up with an extortionate bill. Nothing like trivialising someones complaint to wind them up even more.

Yes BT it's good to talk, but its even better when your listening to what the person on the other end of the phone is telling you.

Good job it was a free phone number (0800 661441 if you want to have a go) otherwise I'd be wanting a refund for the phone call for pointless advice.

trisontana

trace-j wrote:

We've started to get these nuisance calls too. Same BT response and same American woman on the other end of the phone. I didn't appreciate the BT woman stating the obvious 'just hang up and don't press any buttons' when it was already explained to her that's what we did.

She also added for good measure about the unfortunate elderly gent who pushed the button, got connected to the premium rate number and ended up with an extortionate bill. Nothing like trivialising someones complaint to wind them up even more.

Yes BT it's good to talk, but its even better when your listening to what the person on the other end of the phone is telling you.

Good job it was a free phone number (0800 661441 if you want to have a go) otherwise I'd be wanting a refund for the phone call for pointless advice.

That answer about pressing the button and getting a very high phone bill is complete hogwash. For it to come from someone at BT is unbelievable. This " pressing 9 and paying for calls at £20 a minute " is an urban myth. Just have a look in the warnings thread to read the full details.