Simple way to avoid 98% of cold callers

pollypenny

Two week ago I had an 'unknown number' call on my mobile.

I answered and heard an Indian voice ask for the rest of my birthdate. I did give it, then he asked for more information before saying he was from M&S bank.

I didn't believe him, so cut him off and rang myself, on a different phone. It was from the bank, checking a big purchase, which is commendable.
However, why they use an unrecognisable number and an Indian call centre for security is astonishing.

prowla

pollypenny wrote: »

Two week ago I had an 'unknown number' call on my mobile.

I answered and heard an Indian voice ask for the rest of my birthdate. I did give it, then he asked for more information before saying he was from M&S bank.

I didn't believe him, so cut him off and rang myself, on a different phone. It was from the bank, checking a big purchase, which is commendable.
However, why they use an unrecognisable number and an Indian call centre for security is astonishing.

I've had one of those in the past - person calls me and asks me to go through security; it seemed rather dodgey and I told them no.

ColinFishwick

I have been ex directory for 20+ years, and rarely give my number out yet I still get cold calls. These parasites just try there luck with random numbers thats why you get them. I had truecall for over 5 years and decided not to renewal the online version and went for a BT 8610 phone with truecall. I still get them but my phone never rings

System

When registering for a login on a website, sometimes they need a phone number which I don't know why they need it. I put in a number in which doesn't exist.

I have noticed foreign calls use a UK number on display which is annoying

hollydays

I use a free extra landline number from switchboard free
https://www.switchboardfree.co.uk

sheramber

we also have call guardian which stopped our frequent cold calls until the last three months.

We get three calls a day, every day: one in the morning, one in the afternoon and one in the evening. Sometimes early morning sometimes near lunchtime, same with afternoon time varies. The latest evening one we have had was 8.45pm. Sometimes there will be two within 5 minutes of each other one international followed by withheld.

It is always one of International, withheld or a number with a leading zero which makes it too many numerals. None of these get through but show up on the call record.

They are nothing if not persistent.

DoaM

ColinFishwick wrote: »

and went for a BT 8610 phone with truecall. I still get them but my phone never rings

Exactly. They still appear in your received calls history, so they're still trying, but you're never interrupted/bothered by them.

walwyn1978

pollypenny wrote: »

Two week ago I had an 'unknown number' call on my mobile.

I answered and heard an Indian voice ask for the rest of my birthdate. I did give it, then he asked for more information before saying he was from M&S bank.

I didn't believe him, so cut him off and rang myself, on a different phone. It was from the bank, checking a big purchase, which is commendable.
However, why they use an unrecognisable number and an Indian call centre for security is astonishing.

We had the same thing with HSBC, rang up from supposedly their fraud team on a non HSBC number, I didn't believe them and rang the bank back to report it to be told the fraud team did want to speak to me. Baffling why they don't use standard numbers.

pogofish

You shouldn't have to do anything to avoid 100% of cold callers - The phone companies/telecom providers could end this at a stroke if they really wanted.

gonebust

I just unplugged the landline. The only calls we ever got on it were cold callers.

If I get cold called on my mobile I don't answer and just add the number to my block list