You've won! type of nuisance calls

[Deleted User]

Yet another nuisance automated call saying I had won something. Actually I hung up after hearing for the word 'congratulations'.

How do these nuisance people get hold of my number? It is ex-directory and has the number with held when I dial out.

Is my number just picked at random?

Can it be blocked from these type of calls.

cslogg

Deleted_User,
I am getting at least two calls a night of this type.
BT have told me they are aware of the problem but they cannot do anything as the calls are coming from abroad.
I was also told by BT that they normally target an area and then move on after a few weeks.I have been getting these calls for around a month.
All in all BT are a fat lot of good.
I do the same as you and hang up straight away.
There must be something we can do.

cslogg

dag_2

I wonder if there's any such thing as a heuristic junk-call screening system. If anyone phones you, a computer answers the call automatically, and listens to the first few seconds of what the caller has to say - and your phone doesn't even ring unless the computer decides that the call is not junk.

It exists for email - so why not phone calls too?

Then again - even if it did exist, it might be some time before phone companies start offering heuristic junk call screening at exchange level to the end users. And people are bound to complain about the false positives too.

So ...

Can it be blocked from these type of calls.

I think the short answer is "no".

Usually the best thing to do with these calls is hang up immediately, without saying anything or pressing any keys at all. Doing anything else confirms that there's actually a person on your phone number, which increases the chance that your number will be targeted again in the future.

pinkonion

The most bizzare one was today when I received such a call at work - not so odd you say? I work on directory enquiries!

Are they programmed to call 118xxx numbers too?

pricefighter

New Member. Silent Calls Victims. personal website https://www.users.waitrose.com/~silentcalls/ contains useful info about all types of nuisance calls silent and otherwise.

BexTech

Deleted_User wrote:

How do these nuisance people get hold of my number? It is ex-directory and has the number with held when I dial out.

Is my number just picked at random?

Your number maybe ex-directory and you withhold your number, but that doesn't stop anyone from dialling it.

Your number may be picked at random, or more likely your number has been sold on to these companies. When you do business with companies they will sell your details to a mailing list company unless you indicate otherwise.

BexTech

Heinz wrote:

Or may simply be one of a series a computer dials sequentially (that's the most likely for calls originating overseas).

Yes, when I posted randomly I was also thinking sequential dialling at the time.

bridiej

Is there no way of stopping these calls?

Getting them more and more frequently and it's driving me MAD!

pricefighter

Probaly the usual outfit in Florida.

Did it say you have won a Caribean Cruise,and all you had to do was phone
0800 091 0084?

Realist

Im getting them as well and my number is ex directory and withheld as well.

Pain in the !!!!!!.

Edinburghlass_2

pricefighter wrote:

Probaly the usual outfit in Florida.

Did it say you have won a Caribean Cruise,and all you had to do was phone
0800 091 0084?

I don't listen that far, but my daughter got one the other day and all I heard her say was I am already packed and then she put the phone down,lol.