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How To Stop Scam Phones Calls ???

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  • Johnmcl7
    Johnmcl7 Posts: 2,840 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    I also recommend a phone with the Call Guardian service, I just wish I'd got one sooner. Now when the phone rings it's worth actually answering it and it means important calls from the hospital and similar get through. Almost never get any cold calls as the auto diallers don't get through and the few that manually dial don't generally bother as they know the call likely won't be answered.
  • esuhl
    esuhl Posts: 9,409 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    This is probably too complicated for your dad, but it's a funny idea.

    This guy set up a voice-activated robot to answer telemarketing calls. The idea was to waste their time (without wasting your own) so that they never call back.

    There's a TED Talk on it here, where he explains how he created the "AI" to converse with telemarketers, and includes some very funny conversations between the AI and the person calling!

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXVJ4JQ3SUw

    There's a much quicker explanation here of how it works, and how to use the system yourself (whilst listening in for comedy value). :-)

    http://jollyrogertelephone.com/how-to-send-your-telemarketers-to-this-robot/
  • DoaM
    DoaM Posts: 11,863 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Fifth Anniversary Name Dropper Photogenic
    https://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=bt+8500 + later version I think 8600
    I have had no spam calls in 3 years

    Perhaps I should have said "not the current model" rather than a blanket "not available". :) That said, looking at the link you provided, the 8500 seems more expensive then the 8600 for equivalent numbers of handsets.

    (I think I paid <£50 for my dual handset 8500 when I got it about 3 years ago).
  • Hoogle
    Hoogle Posts: 214 Forumite
    Fifth Anniversary 100 Posts
    I got the BT 8610 premium in a currys sale last week not 1 phonecall has got through it other than the seelect few numbers I have allowed
  • I inherited a BT8610 phone a few weeks ago and, as others have reported, it has pretty much eliminated spam. (I do also have an old phone plugged in, so I do know when someone rings, even if the BT phone blocks it.)

    One annoyance is with some of the automated callbacks from banks (for security checks). Since they're not usual contacts, they don't get through. Not sure if there's an easy way to force through a call you're expecting, but you don't yet know the number. (Did try picking up the other phone, but couldn't hear the other end due to the BT phone barking at me !)

    And of course, one never knows if you're missing calls you did want. Currently waiting for a callback from a builder after we had some wind damage the other day, and just have to hope that he hasn't yet called, rather than that his call has been blocked.
  • aardvaak
    aardvaak Posts: 5,836 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    I got rid of my landline two years ago. Bliss.

    How do you connect to the internet with no landline?
  • WobblyDog
    WobblyDog Posts: 512 Forumite
    Tenth Anniversary 100 Posts
    https://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=bt+8500 + later version I think 8600
    I have had no spam calls in 3 years

    Yes, my mum has an 8600 and it has pretty much blocked all unwanted phone calls. Well worth the money.
  • Johnmcl7
    Johnmcl7 Posts: 2,840 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    I inherited a BT8610 phone a few weeks ago and, as others have reported, it has pretty much eliminated spam. (I do also have an old phone plugged in, so I do know when someone rings, even if the BT phone blocks it.)

    One annoyance is with some of the automated callbacks from banks (for security checks). Since they're not usual contacts, they don't get through. Not sure if there's an easy way to force through a call you're expecting, but you don't yet know the number. (Did try picking up the other phone, but couldn't hear the other end due to the BT phone barking at me !)

    And of course, one never knows if you're missing calls you did want. Currently waiting for a callback from a builder after we had some wind damage the other day, and just have to hope that he hasn't yet called, rather than that his call has been blocked.

    You can switch off the Call Guardian feature for any times you're expecting calls that might not get through the system, I do that for automated bank calls (although moved to mobile where possible) or when a relative was in hospital and wanted to make sure calls got through.

    I don't have one of the handsets in front of me but I think you can see calls which didn't get through the call guardian in the call log, it usually seems to show a lot of international calls and the occasional 'local' number which isn't really a local one at all.
  • Jackmydad
    Jackmydad Posts: 9,186 Forumite
    Tenth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    Call Guardian is the best idea. I got one a few months back.
    No calls now, gone down from 3 or 4 a day.
  • knightstyle
    knightstyle Posts: 7,228 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    We got the BT 8500 nearly a year ago and have only had 1 yes one unwanted call since!
    It takes a little time to set up to allow friends and family to phone straight through but very very worth it.
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