I'm ex directory and on Telephone Preference Service and still get sales calls!

[Mr Allen]

How in the hell is this legal in the UK? Like yesterday afternoon I got a call from a survey company asking for my views on a potential second referendum regarding Brexit, and I told them that in the unlikely event there was one, I'd vote remain again like I did the first time, purely because unlike a lot of the so called "Brexiteers" IMO, I don't waste my time moaning about immigrants and/or immigration issues.

Is there anything I can do to stop these unwanted sales and survey calls on my landline? I purposely don't advertise my landline or mobile number online because I know the likes of Facebook get "Spidered" for details.

 

[AGXStarseed]

This might be useful: Ex directory and still nuisance calls - MoneySavingExpert.com Forums

 

[Judge]

It's no different than people in the US who rely on being on the "Federal No-Call List". Where people assume they are protected from telemarketers and criminal scammers who are utterly in different to any laws that cannot be enforced given the logistics of the problem. Even my cousin's unlisted number has been somehow harvested as data and published on the Internet. It's all just plain disgusting.

Where criminals flood the phone lines at least five days a week and law enforcement agencies are powerless to stop them. Most of such criminals are calling elsewhere across the globe anyways...and for all intents and purposes cannot be caught even if their actual number is traced. And they all know it.

I figure I average about three such calls five days a week. Most of them as robocalls get filtered out though after the phone rings twice because of using "Nomorobo". But as far as I know, it's not a service that is available in other countries. Though it might be worth looking into to see if Britain now has some kind of equivalent. I mean, this sort of problem is only going to get worse there.

For someone living in self-imposed isolation, I get an obscene amount of phone calls, usually 99% of them criminal in nature. One endless scam after another. Sometimes I get the impression that government has given up on the problem, somehow expecting the telecommunications industry to come up with their own solutions.

 

[Streetwise]

It's no different than people in the US who rely on being on the "Federal No-Call List". Where people assume they are protected from telemarketers and criminal scammers who are utterly in different to any laws that cannot be enforced given the logistics of the problem. Even my cousin's unlisted number has been somehow harvested as data and published on the Internet. It's all just plain disgusting.

Where criminals flood the phone lines at least five days a week and law enforcement agencies are powerless to stop them. Most of such criminals are calling elsewhere across the globe anyways...and for all intents and purposes cannot be caught even if their actual number is traced. And they all know it.

I figure I average about three such calls five days a week. Most of them as robocalls get filtered out though after the phone rings twice because of using "Nomorobo". But as far as I know, it's not a service that is available in other countries. Though it might be worth looking into to see if Britain now has some kind of equivalent. I mean, this sort of problem is only going to get worse there.

For someone living in self-imposed isolation, I get an obscene amount of phone calls, usually 99% of them criminal in nature. One endless scam after another. Sometimes I get the impression that government has given up on the problem, somehow expecting the telecommunications industry to come up with their own solutions.

The only way it worked for me was to just not answer the phone !it might seem extreme but it works for me!

 

[Judge]

The only way it worked for me was to just not answer the phone !it might seem extreme but it works for me!

Exactly. They continue to develop new strategies to get through. But they can't do anything for those like us who simply use common sense and refrain from answering at all.

Simple rule of thumb: Hang up over the rationale of who it isn't, as opposed to who it claims to be. If you don't know who is calling in the first place, don't bother! Conditional logic.

I just got another one of the "neighborhood scam" calls about 15 minutes ago. A number with only the city name, and the first six digits of my own phone number. As if I'm magically supposed to pick up the call on the premise that it's local. LOL. Not a chance. "CLICK"

I'm an autistic person. The odds of me getting a legitimate phone call from much of anyone I actually know are quite remote.

 

[Streetwise]

Exactly. They continue to develop new strategies to get through. But they can't do anything for those like us who simply use common sense and refrain from answering at all.

Simple rule of thumb: Hang up over the rationale of who it isn't, as opposed to who it claims to be.

I just got another one of the "neighborhood scam" calls about 15 minutes ago. A number with only the city name, and the first six digits of my own phone number. As if I'm magically supposed to pick up the call. LOL. Not a chance. "CLICK"

I'm an autistic person. The odds of me getting a legitimate phone call from much of anyone I actually know are quite remote.

it's a pity we couldn't cut off the phone lines from Nigeria as all the calls come from there!

 

[Judge]

it's a pity we couldn't cut off the phone lines from Nigeria as all the calls come from there!

Nigeria and India. Fraud/scam capitals of the world. Have been for decades.

 

[xudo]

You can tell the Telephone Preference Service about unwanted calls through their website. I believe they ask for the number that called you and the name of the business (if you have it - obviously many sales people won't say). If they receive enough complaints about one number, they can investigate and fine the business.

 

[Judge]

You can tell the Telephone Preference Service about unwanted calls through their website. I believe they ask for the number that called you and the name of the business (if you have it - obviously many sales people won't say). If they receive enough complaints about one number, they can investigate and fine the business.

Sounds quite familiar. That's how our federal no-call list was supposed to be enforced at least in theory. One can only hope that Britain's logistics in such matters are not anything compared to the US. Where the problem being out of control on a scale of one to ten would be about a thirty-nine.

But why would predatory telemarketers and criminal scammers care any more about British laws than US ones? Especially if they are spoofing caller ids and calling from beyond the reach of British law. And there are any number of criminal scams that may only sound like innocent telemarketing pitches that for whatever reason didn't get screened out. Buyer beware. Such people will do everything they can just to make contact with you.

I suppose if there really is an answer out there, it lies with the telecommunications industry rather than politicians and government bureaucrats.

 

[xudo]

Sounds quite familiar. That's how our federal no-call list was supposed to be enforced at least in theory. One can only hope that Britain's logistics in such matters are not anything compared to the US. Where the problem being out of control on a scale of one to ten would be about a thirty-nine.

But why would predatory telemarketers and criminal scammers care any more about British laws than US ones? Especially if they are spoofing caller ids and calling from beyond the reach of British law. And there are any number of criminal scams that may only sound like innocent telemarketing pitches that for whatever reason didn't get screened out. Buyer beware. Such people will do everything they can just to make contact with you.

I suppose if there really is an answer out there, it lies with the telecommunications industry rather than politicians and government bureaucrats.

Ah yes, this won't really affect actual scammers. It's intended to help against companies who employ harsh cold calling tactics as they know they shouldn't be calling anyone registered with the TPS. In the case of scammers, you can buy devices that will block a number if you tell it to. My in-laws have one and they simply press a button on it after such a call.

 

[Judge]

Ah yes, this won't really affect actual scammers. It's intended to help against companies who employ harsh cold calling tactics as they know they shouldn't be calling anyone registered with the TPS. In the case of scammers, you can buy devices that will block a number if you tell it to. My in-laws have one and they simply press a button on it after such a call.

In my country even some of the legitimate telemarketers have begun breaking the laws simply because they know they can't be enforced by the FTC. It's all a matter of failed logistics. But given the sheer number of criminal scammers, they are calling in such obscene numbers that it makes considerations of telemarketers a moot point. It sucks just to even have a phone connected these days.

Even when I block one number, they just come back with others. Leaving me only to choose never to answer. An easy solution, but it's still invasive to hear them call and have to react unless my Nomorobo system does it for me. Even then, it will still ring twice before going elsewhere into oblivion.

I can only assume that such conditions will eventually overwhelm Britain as well. Sadly there are gullible people all over the world ready to be scammed or sold something they really don't want or need.

Another consideration is one's age. The older you are, the more likely you will be continuously targeted.

 

[pjcnet]

I have a cordless answer phone that can auto reject numbers and they just get a message instead without my phone even ringing, I can set it to only accept numbers I know in the phone book, or I can just bar any numbers that hassle me so they don't get through again at the touch of a button on caller display, I can also bar withheld numbers. It's powered by "TrueCall", please click here for more, but don't buy the TrueCall blocker on it's own at £100, instead buy a cordless answer phone with it built in because it's cheaper. I have the BT8500, but I believe there are much cheaper call blocker phones available from about £30, if it's not powered by TrueCall ensure you check out their features however.

Alternatively most phone companies have call blocking options available to stop nuisance calls on request, but there is usually a small additional monthly charge for the service.

 

[Judge]

I have blocking capabilities on both my phone and my phone provider. Though they are finite, so I have to be judicious in how I use them. Mostly for those who incessantly call with the same number. But the reality here is that they continue to overwhelm me using different numbers I can't continually block. And this latest strategy criminals use- the "neighborhood scam" involves just too many numbers for services like "Nomorobo" to eventually filter out.

I know that's a frustration with government here...pressing the need of telecommunications providers to figure out how to offer infinite blocking capabilities rather than limited ones.

However it's so out of control here it's just easier to methodically break the connection without ever actually answering the phone. The least amount of effort on my part. I just wish there was a technological way to end it all at the end of the scammer and telemarketer rather than the recipient of such calls.

Ironically I have always had a "nuclear option" to this dilemma. That my phone provider not only gives me a way to block specific numbers, but equally if I want I can restrict all incoming calls to only a set of predetermined numbers. Which on rare occasion just isn't practical when something out of the ordinary pops up.

 

[tlc]

I just let the answering machine get it. I always figure if it's actually that important, the'll leave a message. Then you can filter them out at your own will. You can tell your network of personal callers you are screening calls with the answering machine, so they don't get upset that you never answer. They might do the same thing, I thought it was pretty common.

 

[Judge]

I just let the answering machine get it. I always figure if it's actually that important, the'll leave a message.

Reminds me of the long message I found on my answering machine citing the IRS was coming to arrest me, citing a case file number and all. Sounded quite convincing, even including my full name. Even had a 202 area code (Washington DC) in the caller id information.

Lucky for me Momma didn't raise such a stupid kid. The IRS never makes any initial contact by phone, but rather certified mail. A step most con artists aren't willing to dare, given all the physical evidence created if they do. Not to mention I still do all my own taxes without incident.

 

[pjcnet]

I just let the answering machine get it. I always figure if it's actually that important, the'll leave a message. Then you can filter them out at your own will. You can tell your network of personal callers you are screening calls with the answering machine, so they don't get upset that you never answer. They might do the same thing, I thought it was pretty common.

True, but I've found that most people just hang up as soon as they hear the answering machine message and even if the call isn't vitally important, sometimes it could still be someone you would have liked to talk to. You can tell your friends, family members or anyone else you might want to talk to that they should start leaving a message, but I found that many hate talking to a answering machine and will still choose to hang up instead, plus I've had people moaning about it when I've tried this method in the past.

 

[Mary Anne]

It's no different than people in the US who rely on being on the "Federal No-Call List". Where people assume they are protected from telemarketers and criminal scammers who are utterly in different to any laws that cannot be enforced given the logistics of the problem. Even my cousin's unlisted number has been somehow harvested as data and published on the Internet. It's all just plain disgusting.

Where criminals flood the phone lines at least five days a week and law enforcement agencies are powerless to stop them. Most of such criminals are calling elsewhere across the globe anyways...and for all intents and purposes cannot be caught even if their actual number is traced. And they all know it.

I figure I average about three such calls five days a week. Most of them as robocalls get filtered out though after the phone rings twice because of using "Nomorobo". But as far as I know, it's not a service that is available in other countries. Though it might be worth looking into to see if Britain now has some kind of equivalent. I mean, this sort of problem is only going to get worse there.

For someone living in self-imposed isolation, I get an obscene amount of phone calls, usually 99% of them criminal in nature. One endless scam after another. Sometimes I get the impression that government has given up on the problem, somehow expecting the telecommunications industry to come up with their own solutions.

The "Federal No-Call List" only “protects a number for 5 years,” and then one must register all over again. Still, some know how to infiltrate it! Also, If you ever post an ad to sell something on Craig’s list, do NOT post your phone number either! I learned this the hard way.

 

[pjcnet]

The "Federal No-Call List" only “protects a number for 5 years,” and then one must register all over again. Still, some know how to infiltrate it! Also, If you ever post an ad to sell something on Craig’s list, do NOT post your phone number either! I learned this the hard way.

Even some companies that many people would have considered otherwise reputable have been known to sell off people's information and it's even possible that the phone provider themselves could do this, when you sign up to anything, always look for a box to tick that states you don't want them sharing your details with other "select" companies and only give your phone number out if you absolutely have to. Once your information is given to "select" companies, they could then sell your information on again and again, until they're far from select.

Even if you never give your phone number out, sometimes the previous owner of the number has done, I've had numerous calls for the previous owner even many years on, all marketing calls or scams, I can tell them it's the wrong number til I'm blue in the face and they still won't stop calling, sometimes I've even told them it's a wrong number and they've still gone on and said that maybe I'd be interested in their special offer then lol!

I've had so many scam calls too including various calls that pretend to be from Microsoft Support, well it's laughable because they usually say they're from "Microsoft operating system" and their English is normally very poor, they claim they've detected errors on your PC that of course they're happy to resolve for you for "free" out of the kindness of their heart lol. Once I called their bluff to see what they were really up to and they tried to get me to give them full remote control of my PC, obviously I didn't give it to them and I suspect they were trying to steal private information like banking details, it's crazy that people actually fall for this, but obviously the occasional person really must do or they wouldn't keep trying it and I've had the occasional call from different numbers for years. Once a few years ago I looked up one of the numbers and found it had come from Jamaica, I even actually reported it to the The Jamaica Constabulary Force (their police), but it's no surprise that they didn't bother to get back to me, I suspect they'd see this as low priority over there even though these scammers are committing very serious fraud and can make a lot of money from it.

Even recently I've had a fake call that claimed to be from Virgin Media (my ISP and phone provider) telling me that I've being offered something very special as a loyal customer, but what was worst is they knew my name and I confirmed later that it most definitely wasn't Virgin Media from other complaints on their official forums, but even when I told the women I knew it was a scam she still didn't give up and eventually I had to just hang up.

I've also apparently "won" prizes in various competitions, but if you've never entered you most definitely haven't and sometimes even if you enter something they call everyone saying they've won, once I did what was meant to be a market research survey in the street when everyone was entered into a prize draw and I apparently won the big prize holiday, but a friend also won and I found out that they were calling absolutely everyone. Of course I was very sceptical from the start and if you carefully read the small print you would find that the holiday wasn't actually free and the expenses you had to pay for would have cost more than the normal price of the holiday anyway, so it was a total scam, but a naff company like this has most probably still sold my information to numerous other dodgy companies making the cold calls even worse.

There's been numerous market research surveys too that are really only trying to sell you something, but they will all swear it's not a sales call until they try to hard sell you something later.

I had someone cold call only yesterday telling me about an incredible investment opportunity and again I had to hang up as they wouldn't give up no matter how many times I said I'm not interested and again they knew my name, it's another number now added to my block list. No reputable company you don't know would cold call you like this.

There's even times when a computer system will randomly dial random numbers until it rings and they get an answer, so it's impossible to prevent unwanted calls completely unless you block all numbers you don't know including withheld numbers.

 

[Judge]

The "Federal No-Call List" only “protects a number for 5 years,” and then one must register all over again. Still, some know how to infiltrate it! Also, If you ever post an ad to sell something on Craig’s list, do NOT post your phone number either! I learned this the hard way.

Yes, I've made sure to re-add my name to the list. But it means nothing to criminal scammers and some of the more aggressive telemarketers of small businesses. Sad when the state Attorney General outlines all the procedural aspects of the no-call list, but at the same time their representative confides to you that there's nothing that can actually be done given how federal, state and local law enforcement allocates their resources to other more pressing crimes.

I still recall when I once told an alleged telemarketer that I was on the no-call list, and his response was simply to play dumb about it. A roofing contractor. He was simply cold-calling my area. Worse was that he was blindly contacting renters rather than homeowners. I still get the occasional contractor call...which may or may not be for real. Illegal either way under the circumstances though. Not that it matters to them.

Craig's List? Yeah, it has become downright dangerous. Even for car sales or other "big-ticket items" you may be setting yourself up for a robbery. Especially if a "cash only" deal was negotiated.

 

[tlc]

Once I called their bluff to see what they were really up to and they tried to get me to give them full remote control of my PC, obviously I didn't give it to them and I suspect they were trying to steal private information like banking details, it's crazy that people actually fall for this, but obviously the occasional person really must do or they wouldn't keep trying it and I've had the occasional call from different numbers for years.

Once they did that to me, said my computer was currently causing issues and they wanted to run a check and see. None of those callers are worth my time, but it could have been fun to call their bluff. Considering I have dialup the only way I could be verbally talking to them would be to have my computer disconnected.