Junk phone calls/phishing?

SevenOfNine

OK, landline & mobile are registered with the Telephone Preference Service, but junk or phishing calls still annoyingly filter through on the landline (I don't part with my mobile number easily).

I tell most of them a simple lie, it's a rental property, which works better than 'not interested', & does seem to have got me off 'call again next month' lists.

Can't figure out how to shake off the internet/wifi ones though. Usually claiming to be from Microsoft wanting to 'fix my PC problem', the latest being from BT (yeah right, to both of those).

Previously I tried the 20 questions, who are you, where are you, what's your contact number, do you seriously think I'm going to log on or give you any info whatsoever, but I'm bored with that now & it doesn't work on a more permanent basis than that single call.

Lately I've been trying to insist I don't have a computer, & no wifi access but it's not working, still getting further calls.

Don't want to use a call blocker to block withheld numbers as I think (but correct me if wrong), that will block anyone calling via a switchboard, or indirect route to an outside line.

Any better ideas?

Stevie_Palimo

TPS meaningless if you have given permission on a form or agreement and this is where many people go wrong by claiming I am on the TPS you cannot contact me, Well you actually gave permission here so we can and have will be the correct answer.

Microsoft scammers will be purchasing files in large volumes at very cheap rates and phishing for people to part up with money, Being offshore nothing you can do to stop these unless you have call blocker added, It will not always stop every call though.

If you give out your number or not it wont matter as in most cases you have agreed to marketing without even knowing or seeing as it is listed in within the small print on almost everything you have signed to, Insurance, phone network, bank accounts, shopping online and so on.

Smartsaver7

I tell them to hold as someone at my door, then put the phone down and waste their time.
Best one was the persistent guy who insisted on coming to measure up for a conservatory, we gave him our address a second floor flat.
The annoying ones are the automated ones with the squeaky child like voice.

Ilona

I don't even let them get more than three or four words out before I declare, not interested, goodbye, and immediately put the phone down. Ignore them.
ilona

forgotmyname

The scam calls just require you to string them along for as much time as you can. I put the phone down after telling them i had to get the computer out and switch it on. They hung on for 20 minutes and were most upset when i said i could not find it.

They asked if it was a laptop and i said no its a large beige desktop computer., i said ive looked in every room and its not there. They hung up.

waste their time. Someone must be paying for that call.

hollydays

I don't give out my landline and I've rarely had these problems.When I have had a dodgy call it's been automatic dialling .
The last one I had was someone with an Asian accent claiming to be from my local council( it was 5.30 and they would have been closed . My dialling code is a town code but I'm not with that particular council!
I let her know I knew she was a fraud, but politely.
I've got a spare landline number I give out to retailers and it emails me if someone's tried to call me on it.only family and friends get my personal landline

Blackbeard_of_Perranporth

Ah the ms scammer. I keep them online as long as possible. During this time they cannot scam someone else. If we all do this, they will give up!

worried_jim

I too have played with the scammers in the past with great joy by saying the most vile abusive things to them but about a month ago I got rid of my phone line as I don't need it- the only people who call are scammers and I was paying £17pm for the privilege.

My mobile is £10pm with 500 mins of calls and it's easy to block any unwanted calls.

My life has been bliss since doing this and I would recommend to anyone, why have you still got a landline?

Browntoa

Got one yesterday , told him to wait while I booted the pc up the said it stopped at a screen that said cryptolocker that wanted me to send money to unlock my files . When I asked him to access my pc and fix it he put the phone down

Cryptolocker is ransomware for those who do not know

SpammyTheSpammer

Shudder to think how many calls we could be getting if we were not.
Currently we get about 7-10 a week of these scamming/phishing/coldcalling timewasters

Missus_Hyde

I find these callers are rather like the London buses; nothing for ages and then five come at once!

Actually one of my simple pleasures is to lead them on until I become bored and then be as rude and abusive to them as I can be. I had one who claimed to be from the TPS; he was a little more tenacious than the average scammer and rang several times (having told him to foxtrot oscar and bother someone else I simply put the phone down and cut him off each time he rang.)

Really the Microsoft computer scam is so old it's pensionable; I can't believe they're still trying to scam people with it, but I suppose there could be someone who's never heard of it and gets taken in by it, or they wouldn't bother. :cool: