Silent Calls

Sooler

I am also getting calls from 0800 0191773 daily, they are from Capital One, I don't know if other companies make marketing calls via this number.

If you phone the 0800 number you get a recorded message from Excel Contact Centre.

How much does phoning the 0800 number cost them?

fabienne_2

could we get an auto dialer to ring their 0800 number 300 times a day?

pinkvixen

websiteowner wrote:

For the first two weeks or so in June we would get an average of 2 silent calls per 3 working day period. Sometimes we were in, sometimes not, but having caller display we had a fair idea it would be a silent call when it showed up as witheld. I wonder if this was the same company?

While the calls certainly weren't overly excessive (had about 10-15 in total) they were distressing and I registered with the TPS and the Silent Calls number found at the TPS.
Fortunately the calls seemed to have stopped now, but I did get a international call about 2 week ago (at least I got a recorded message when I answered, so I hung up - hope this isn't a regular thing)... I don't suppose the TPS has any juristiction over those using international numbers will they?

My number is ex-directory and until then (after 6 years) we had no problems with unwanted calls (the only companies we got calls from were ones we had dealings with and when giving my number out I always checked the "no offers thanks" option).

It annoys me to know there is at least one company who had (guessed?) my number and I don't even know who they are... I only hope that they don't have my name beside the number and sell it on elsewhere. Wish I knew how my number ended up on their list!

I registered my company under the Business TPS but still get cold calls from telephone sales people announcing that they are from BT in order to be put through to me if I don't answer the call initially. Upon questioning them as to who they are, they give a name of some telephone company or other and when I ask why they said they were BT, the respond by saying 'We work alongside BT'.

I then ask if they realise that our number is listed under TPS and that they could be fined up to £1,000, they cant get off the phone quick enough, apologise and say they will remove our number from the database. 'Which database?' I ask and quizz them as to where our number came from to get onto their database in the first place. The response? Yep! 'BT sold it to us.' Would you credit it?

So, forget ex directory and the TPS and definitely forget them 'guessing' your number. BT are cashing in by selling lists of numbers to potential sellers of telephone services. BT are not the ones ringing you but are still making a tidy profit.

By the way, one company asked how long ago we registered with TPS, stating that we had to renew each year. Does anyone know if this is true? It's news to me. Probably their way of justifying the call.

WSO

pinkvixen wrote:

I registered my company under the Business TPS but still get cold calls from telephone sales people announcing that they are from BT in order to be put through to me if I don't answer the call initially. Upon questioning them as to who they are, they give a name of some telephone company or other and when I ask why they said they were BT, the respond by saying 'We work alongside BT'.

I then ask if they realise that our number is listed under TPS and that they could be fined up to £1,000, they cant get off the phone quick enough, apologise and say they will remove our number from the database. 'Which database?' I ask and quizz them as to where our number came from to get onto their database in the first place. The response? Yep! 'BT sold it to us.' Would you credit it?

So, forget ex directory and the TPS and definitely forget them 'guessing' your number. BT are cashing in by selling lists of numbers to potential sellers of telephone services. BT are not the ones ringing you but are still making a tidy profit.

By the way, one company asked how long ago we registered with TPS, stating that we had to renew each year. Does anyone know if this is true? It's news to me. Probably their way of justifying the call.

I think the key point with your case is that you registered a business number, and while I don't know the ins and outs of registering business numbers and what to expect - I suspect BT felt justified in selling your number since (and I know this is an over generalisation), "why have a business if you don't want calls from potential clients or business partners?"... and I'm pretty sure the number wouldn't have been ex-directory and therefore they were simply providing information that you could get elsewhere (ie the phone book)

I find it hard to believe that BT sell lists of residential numbers listed on the TPS or indeed numbers that are ex-directory since this would go against the whole ethos of ex-directory. My parents are ex-directory and never got bothered by companies they didn't know - and I had a similar experience until recently... not sure if the recent house move has anything to do with it, but I thought the number would still be ex-directory.

AFAIK you do not need to re-register with the TPS, but of course this might be different for business numbers.

bernardh_2

While I was at work last ight,the kids got a reverse-charge call which they accepted.All they got was someone blowing down the `phone.Then the `phone rang several times after that - which they ignored,but did 1471 later.The number was 08456 853000. I`ll `phone them from the payphone in the village later to try and find out who they are. Probably just a joke,but have asked the kids not to accept reverse-charge again unless they know who it is.

aeuerby

I believe (but could be wrong as this is my opinion! ) that companies are now showing 0870 numbers etc when they ring because some phones can block "number withheld" numbers (I suspect you have to pay BT for the privilage!:rolleyes:)

Over the last 8 weeks we have frequently been getting "silent calls". When an operator from an "out of area" call finally got through it was from Toucan Telephones wanting us to go back to them. They were told hell would freeze first and to take us off their list.

The other one that we have never managed to speak to yet is an 0845 number which I believe is Kitchens Direct.

We have been registered with the TPS for over 2 years, ex directory for over 6 years. I was told by one company that just being ex directory doesn't stop the cold calling. So it was then I registered with the TPS. Since then we've had even more "cold callers" and most of them say when questioned as to where they got our number "sequential dialling"

So it would appear at the moment no matter what we do we will still be bombarded with unwanted phone calls trying to sell us tat.

BFG_2

Not 100% sure, but I think Kitchens Direct are a company based in north Manchester run by a notorious scammer/con-man who has been inside; so wouldn't even bother talking to them.

Happy to be corrected if wrong!

aeuerby

Thanks BFG. I don't want to talk to them anyway but they seem awfully keen for me to speak to them

BFG_2

Apologies, I may have mixed them up with the Scammers company called "Discount Kitchens Direct". The scammer is based in North manchester, Kitchens Direct say there head office is in Old Trafford.

For more details on the scammer check out www.mymanchesteronline.co.uk (iirc).

As usual check out companies on the web before giving them any of your money (especially kitchen and holiday co's)!!

delluver

I had a stalker and silent talker... my ex. The calls were traced by BT, and Orange and he stopped.