"Local Energy Advisor" spam calls

andygb

Just seen this thread. I am getting up to half a dozen of these calls a day, they drive me absolutely mad.

mta999

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82132226#Comment_82132226

on mobile or landline?

Boohoo

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82132226#Comment_82132226

I have a call blocker phone and I get about 10 calls a week that don't get put through because a computer can't press a button when asked .

I also get loads on my mobile but if you block them loads more from different mobile numbers ring you.

My partner and me changed from Smarty to Mozillion about 2 months ago when they did a 2 year deal for about £5.50 pm and we have noticed that after checking our call history that the amount of of cold calls went up a lot.

Coincidence or not but it's annoying.

poseidon1

I have a comparatively old Samsung Note 10 plus phone. Spam protection is built in and can be enabled in call settings.

https://www.samsung.com/us/support/answer/ANS10003438/

As far as I am aware similar feature exsists with the other main phone manufacturers.

On occasion a spam call arises, it is clearly identified as such and I can choose whether to engage or not. Most times I decline and block the number going forward.

Interestingly, it appears Vodafone are now offering AI enhanced scam call protection at network level. Not sure to what extent this is better or the same as what Samsung already embeds in their devices.

https://www.vodafone.co.uk/newscentre/press-release/ai-powered-scam-call-protection-secure-net/

missile

I got tired of the "local energy advisor" calls on my mobile. Hang up and block the number and the next and next. Now I have blocked all calls from unknown numbers. I have 100+ now. Hopefully they will stop soon ?

Wish I could do similar to block nuisance emails

Grumpy_chap

I usually ask these caller to advise what the energy intensity is for a tin of spiced ham and pork.

Frozen_up_north

My iPhone 13 with the latest iOS update, includes spam blocking. Unknown callers (those not in your phone directory) are asked why they are calling, not one of these spammers has succeeded in defeating the spam blocking. Maybe given time they will find a way around it, but for the moment it works…

fwor

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82134242#Comment_82134242

A while back you would be usefully wasting the caller's time, but these days you're just talking to a computer which is concurrently handling dozens of calls - it's no longer (IMO) worth your own time. I just hang up.

Boohoo

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82135499#Comment_82135499

As most of these calls are spoofed or use mobile numbers that change daily they are near impossible to report to the authorities so they can take action and close them down or fine them like they did in the past.

prowla

When you pick up a call, wait for 5 seconds before answering; often the automated systems will hang up if nobody speaks immediately.

Regarding the ones which ask questions, give a silly answer and see if it goes on to its next question; it's just pre-screening you to put you through a person in a call centre.