What can i do about persistent boiler room calls to elderly MIL??

Jo_F

With NTL, we could chose to have a block put on the phone line that stopped any withheld numbers getting through. The ones with w/h numbers we told to dial some numbers beforehand and it temp unwitholds the number for that call.

But it does mean that all with held numbers can't get through (as found when the hospital were trying to contact me when my ex went into HDU).

I'm sure BT are likely to have this facility.

trisontana

That is the problem. Some private automatic exchanges (the sort used in offices) withhold numbers, so you can miss important and legitimate calls from such places as hospitals.

geo555

Ignore all "witheld" numbers and get an answerphone. If a call is important they will leave a message.

Mark7799

ariba10 wrote: »

We have caller display and an answerphone.

Any calls from international or number withheld we let go to the answerphone and if it should be one that we want to take we pick up the phone.

Cold callers never seem to want to talk to an answerphone.

When I get "international" appearing on caller ID (I seem to be getting bothered more and more by such calls as well) my new trick is to answer the call in Welsh and keep the conversation going in the same way.:D

setmefree2

Mark7799 wrote: »

When I get "international" appearing on caller ID (I seem to be getting bothered more and more by such calls as well) my new trick is to answer the call in Welsh and keep the conversation going in the same way.:D

lol:rotfl:

trisontana

It looks as though the police have now caught up with one company that's operating this con:-

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/7295536.stm

I'm glad to see they might get 25 years in the slammer.

setmefree2

Thanks for posting that- Sadly, they are not the only ones operating this scam...:o

MothballsWallet

Amalea wrote: »

I believe BT can find out a phone number even if the caller witholds their number-have you contacted them stating that they are nuisance calls with some dates/times that they have called? They probably can't tell you what the number is, but they should still be able to check and block the number at their end.

Correct - the caller's number goes through the entire phone system, even if international or withheld.

If it didn't, then the phone network wouldn't work: all of the phone system standards/protocols I know of rely on having the caller and called numbers in order to set up the speech circuits.

The "hide number" bit is like an option in the "dial number" function for the protocol in use, and can be enabled/disabled as needed (default is usually disabled). All it means is that the local loop part (your exchange to your phone) won't be able to show the number.

I used to work for telecoms equipment suppliers, so I know a little about how the network works.

trisontana

There is a programme on BBC2 about these scams next Friday (21st) at 7pm in the Money Programme slot. It's called "The Great British Shares Swindle".

vetfred

Apologies if this has been mentioned, but just because the call originates from outside the UK does not mean the TPS can't do anything.

If the call comes from abroad on behalf of a company abroad, then sure, they don't have the power.

If it comes from abroad and they are calling on behalf of a company in the UK, then they fall under UK jurisdiction and the TPS can help.

I'm not sure who or what this company is or if they have a relationship as such to the UK but just thought this should be pointed out for anyone assuming a call from abroad can't be dealt with by the TPS as it can in some instances.