Cold Sales Calls - Wrong Name

Markee

At a frequency of approx 2-3 times a month I get cold sales calls asking for Steve Carter.

This is not my name, never been used as my name and I have had this same mobile for 15-20 years.

Most callers hang up as soon as I say I'm not Steve Carter, so I don't have the opportunity to ask them to remove my number from the association with this name.

(I think I know the answer to this one) is there anything I can do?

Maybe it's a simple mistake where Steve Carter has incorrectly entered my number as his, or randomly entered my number so he doesn't get cold sales calls...

Or should I just hang up as soon as they ask for Steve Carter?

J_B

Markee said:

Maybe it's a simple mistake where Steve Carter has incorrectly entered my number as his......

Father in law used to get texts from Santander (he doesn't have an account with them) telling him his balance which was usually about £15K

He went into the branch and asked how he could withdraw this money .... the texts soon stopped

nick74

Try telling them that you are Steve Carter but you want your number removing from their database?

Unfortunately they may not take any notice, so do what I do with cold callers and just answer the call without speaking, lay the phone in a quiet corner and let them talk to themselves for a few minutes. Seems the most effective way of getting cold callers to give up calling your number in my experience.

comeandgo

You could burst into tears and say he passed away last week so please stop calling.

Browntoa

I used to get drunken calls from a guy who swore I had stolen his mobile number and "he knew where I lived " so he was coming to sort me out .

I used to tell him to pop round as I was in when called until he gave up.

I'd had the number for several years before he started

victor2

Tell the caller you are the person they're looking for, but you're dead, having been killed in a car accident which was not your fault 6 months ago. If they continue the call and want more details, provide them - address of the local cemetary etc.

Then ask them to take you off their call list, as it's disturbing your death.

Humdinger1

Infuriating- why not try one of the spam call blockers that stops known fraudsters and withheld numbers from getting through and you can block a number mid call, very satisfying?  I can remember one called something like CPM Call Minder  that worked a treat for my mum.  Or else- if you have time and can be bothered- spin it out.  We used to get calls claiming to be from Microsoft, internet on fire, the future of civilisation depended on me following their precise instructions,  etc, etc.  I played confused for quite a while and finally asked them if the signals could be coming from the ironing board as we had no internet.  After some choice expletives,  they hung up and never called back.  Good luck 

EssexExile

Just block the number that's calling.

Markee

EssexExile said:

Just block the number that's calling.

Unfortunately it's a different number each time...

Markee

Thanks for all your responses so far, some food for thought.

On the basis of stringing out the call to waste their time as well, I heard a good one someone suggested (need to be careful it doesn't backfire as impersonating a police officer is a criminal offence...).

On receiving a cold call, the receiver stated that they were a police officer and the person they were trying to get hold of had died under suspicious circumstances, and because they had called on their number, they were now a potential suspect and need to be interviewed under caution and provide a statement to eliminate them from their enquiries.

I wouldn't recommend this course of action though...

redux

I've had 4 calls and texts for a tyre place hundreds of miles away, spread over several years.

Don't mess about with any of these oddball suggestions

Politely say it's a wrong number, and the calls will tail off.

Or if it really persists do a Google search for the wrong name and your phone number together, see if it's on a website somewhere, then contact them and get it edited.