Nuisance telephone calls

Katykat

Not sure where the correct board is to post but here goes. The past few early mornings we’ve had phone calls from unknown numbers on the landline. We rarely get landline calls so immediately we suspect it’s a nuisance call. The numbers begin with 160 or 130 which we know is not a recognised code. We just let it go to voicemail & of course no message is left. Does anyone know what these numbers are? Is it a computer? At the same time, I’ve had a couple of calls to my mobile, which I answered because was from a number beginning 07. Again, nobody on the other end. These calls were also quite odd as both of them had very similar numbers to my own mobile number- just the last 2 digits were different. I find that too much of a coincidence. Clearly something is going on but I can’t fathom out what. 

ToxicWomble

Which phone line provider are you with ?

There was/is one that was notorious for sharing and piggy backing single lines with multiple end users which leads to weird calls at weird hours (when they figure you won’t be using the line)

Mnoee

I had one from a mobile with a similar number to mine (smarty network) that gave me a spiel about my national insurance number being cancelled recently - the day before was a silent call from London. I just block and forget about them. They're like busses sometimes, none for ages then a spate of them. 

Katykat

ToxicWomble said:

Which phone line provider are you with ?

There was/is one that was notorious for sharing and piggy backing single lines with multiple end users which leads to weird calls at weird hours (when they figure you won’t be using the line)

Sky for landline & mobile 

JamoLew

ToxicWomble said:

Which phone line provider are you with ?

There was/is one that was notorious for sharing and piggy backing single lines with multiple end users which leads to weird calls at weird hours (when they figure you won’t be using the line)

Was going to suggest similar, but Sky wasn't on my Radar for this.

It does sound a bit odd

nyermen

I've had a few calls to the landline recently (unlisted, number not given to anyone since I moved in, just there for broadband).  All seem to be spoof numbers, as they're an extra 0, eg. 00771 (rather than 0771 which would be a UK mobile number) or similar.
I suspect they are trying to trick to ring them back, and 0077 would dial eg. Kazakstan.  Maybe there's a premium rate waiting at the other end?
So far, I've had numbers that would go to Malta, Kazakstan, and one other I forget.

MothballsWallet

@nyermen The country code for Kazakhstan also goes to Russia (thanks to the USSR days).

Jenni_D

Simplest solution is to get a handset (or handsets) which have Truecall built in. (e.g. BT do versions with what they term Call Guardian). I did this a few years ago and I can't remember the last spam/scam/nuisance call that came through.

Truecall etc. only allows your phone to ring if the caller's number has been pre-approved - e.g. in your contacts list or VIP list. Everyone else gets a prompt to "announce" their call - i.e. say who they are so you can decide whether to answer. Nuisance callers don't announce so you don't get disturbed.  

Abbafan1972

I keep getting calls from a mobile number to my mobile saying that there's been suspicious activity on my NI number or I am being done for tax fraud.  Bloody annoying, but hey ho. 

MattMattMattUK

Abbafan1972 said:

I keep getting calls from a mobile number to my mobile saying that there's been suspicious activity on my NI number or I am being done for tax fraud.  Bloody annoying, but hey ho. 

Yep, those and the tax return ones always happen quite a lot at this time of year, they try to keep them seasonal, the same with the batch in July for the interim self assessment payment etc. The con artists are nothing if not seasonal. 

Jenni_D

You can get apps which will screen calls to your mobile. Some of them sync to an online database so that each number gets a "community" good/bad rating.