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'Grrrr... Spam called by an Indian company with AOL’s data?'

245

Comments

  • I got a (similar) call from someone (again an indian call centre) selling telecoms, so I told him I didn't have a telephone and hung up.

    They didn't ring back.
  • Olliebeak
    Olliebeak Posts: 3,167 Forumite
    I've had my landline number for 18mths now, and I'm STILL getting calls for the previous subscriber. I am signed up to TPS - but as we all know they cannot prevent call centres from getting your number via purchased databases.

    I've tried all the polite responses like insisting 'Thank you very much but I'm not interested'; 'Please remove my number from your records and don't call me again'; 'Can I speak to your supervisor?' and all to no avail.

    Then I started to resort to stronger tactics - I've grabbed a whistle and blown it loudly down the phone; I've screamed; I've sworn; I've blasted music down the phone.

    Now I'm at the stage where I just say sweetly 'Please hold a moment and I'll get her for you' whilst putting the phone under a cushion for as long as it takes them to realise that it's getting them nowhere!

    All I can say is, 'Thank the Lord that I don't have to pay their phone bills!'
  • mikki-b
    mikki-b Posts: 61 Forumite
    We are registered with TPS, which cuts out most. We were plagued by autodialling for some time, and becuase I was ill at the time and slow, I never got to the phone in time to actually speak to someone (it was really annoying because I was usually asleep) 1471 always gave the same number. I tried to complain to OFCOM, but becuase I hadn't actually recieved a marketing call they are powerless. Eventually got I got to speak to a real person when they rang, and after confirming it was the same company (by asking what they area code) was I asked to speak to their manager. I asked for a guartantee that I would not be phoned again and told her I was registered with TPS and shouldn't get these calls, she said they used TPS database so we should check. I just repeated 'can you guarantee that you won't call us again' to what ever she said until eventually she caved in and said our name would be removed. It also meant I could then justifyable complain to OFCOM. So its worth asking to talk to their line manager, and using the same tactic, becuase a year later we haven't had any calls from them and it used to be every couple of months.
    On a separate note I think automated dialling should be banned. I've heard some people can get very upset and worried that its something more sinister, when they get silent calls.
    AT the moment we are getting harassed by British Gas, after we switched from them earlier in the year. They have even been to the door. They are next on the list to get stroppy with if I pick up the phone, Husbands too soft!!!
  • Cerenia
    Cerenia Posts: 1,857 Forumite
    My trick is to answer the phone to "Welcome to my phone. Just to inform you all calls will be recorded and unwelcome calls will be referred to the police" Doesn't work all the time, but has helped o.o
    ~*Cerenia*~

    2017 Goals
    Wedding Saving Pot - £1300/£2500

  • Premier_2
    Premier_2 Posts: 15,141 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    ...I rather suspect they think that most of the UK population has at one time or another used AOL, and are using this as an excuse for calling people.
    I think this is probably the truth. Previously these type of people used to say they got your number from BT, but with the various telecoms operators around nowadays and more people opting out of the telephone directory, they look for an alternative 'source' that they can get a good strike hit in quoting.

    The reality is, that they could have bought the information from almost anywhere the name & number were provided to in the past. If this was done unlawfully, it is wise of them not to reveal the true source, isn't it?
    "Now to trolling as a concept. .... Personally, I've always found it a little sad that people choose to spend such a large proportion of their lives in this way but they do, and we have to deal with it." - MSE Forum Manager 6th July 2010
  • -Alex-
    -Alex- Posts: 5 Forumite
    After reading this and suffering from foreign sales calls a few times this year, it's obvious that certain measures will need to be taken in the future to prevent our phones being spammed.

    In the past international phone calls have been rather expensive, but with ever decreasing call costs and things like VoIP, it's getting cheaper and cheaper for people to call you - including telemarketers. We've got the protection of the TPS in this country to prevent any businesses in the UK from cold calling if we sign up, however this is going to become increasingly useless with foreign companies who don't need to take any notice of the TPS.

    Personally I'd like to see the phone companies in this country offering an anti-spam number which you can dial after being called to report such calls, using the caller ID of the last number who called you. If enough complaints are received then the number can be blocked. Force the foreign networks to provide accurate caller ID information if they want their calls routed onto UK networks.

    I really don't want my phone line ending up like email - which is probably 90% spam, nor do I want to end up with an Americanised phone system which is far too friendly to telemarketers thanks to exclusions from their do not call list!
  • catmort
    catmort Posts: 80 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
    While I don't agree with the whole Indian callcentre thing, the company I work for (not a call centre) employees Indian colleagues and a few of them do have anglocised first and last names. When I asked how come, they said it was because they were Christian - so it could've been a valid explanation!

    Apparently they inherit their father's first name as their surname, so if their father had a Christian name, then they will have both a Christian first name and a Christian last name.
    Debt Free by Xmas 2012 member #281: £6,627.08/£7,735.45 (85.67%)
  • Paul_Herring
    Paul_Herring Posts: 7,481 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    catmort wrote: »
    then they will have both a Christian first name and a Christian last name.

    It's not that unusual, even for 'English' people. Sid James of carry-on fame?
    Conjugating the verb 'to be":
    -o I am humble -o You are attention seeking -o She is Nadine Dorries
  • Tirgar
    Tirgar Posts: 5 Forumite
    moggylover wrote: »
    The one thing I want more than anything is for cold-calling of any kind to be outlawed, and further to this I want Companies to have to provide a land-line number in this Country to its customers, not a premium or "national" one - or to face massive fines for not doing so.

    I wonder if we could set up premium rate numbers for our homes and tell our friends to ring us on our mobiles. Then get your number onto every cold caller list on the planet, set the phone to auto answer with a recorded voice that says "Hello, I am interested in hearing anything about what you want to sell me" and watch the money roll in. :rotfl:
  • lillemy
    lillemy Posts: 5 Forumite
    Just wanted to comment on the use of English/Christian names: There are Anglo-Indian communities in India (and elsewhere) - a result of the British rule in India, where in some cases the two communities started mixing. These people have completely English sounding (or Christian if you like) names, both first and last names, like David Brown, or Archie Walters.....although I'm not sure about this particular person... :rolleyes: Especially after calling himself Natasha! :D

    Personally I find it useful speaking to unwanted callers in my mother tongue - or you can just talk at them in some made up language... they always assume they've called someone who don't understand English, so hang up! :P
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