Unsolicited Phone Calls

[clylbw]

Hi,

Recently I have been receiving unsolicited phone calls in my home number on a frequent basis. Most of the calls either inform me I have won something or are from some sales persons. It is getting increasingly annoying to have my phone ringing at all hours with such calls, especially during a trading session.

I wonder how all those people have managed to obtain my home number as it is not listed in the phone directory. More importantly, is there anything I can to do stop such calls? I really wish to avoid being distracted by such calls while trading.

Advice will be much appreciated. Many thanks indeed.

 

[Rognvald]

Sign up here - it takes a few weeks to stop them but since I did so I have won no new kitchens,bathrooms, bedrooms, luxury holidays etc etc
You can silence mail and fax marketing at the same time
Its free and the silence is deafening LOL


http://www.tpsonline.org.uk/tps/

 

[clylbw]

Hi Rognvald,

Many thanks. Will have a try.

 

[oatman]

I had 2 calls in 2 days from T-Mobile, who is my mobile provider, on my home number. One was definitely "Indian".
I asked why he was asking whether I had a mobile etc when I already had a contract with his company. He apologised saying that they don't know who they are contacting as they phone "every other number in the road". I emailed T-mobile to complain and they told me there were a few setups in India cold calling their customers and that they were attempting to track them down. They also said that they didn't think there was any chance of shutting them down.

 

[Mr. Charts]

Hi Lynn,
I never answer the phone or door whilst trading. They can always leave a message. Trading takes priority.
Best wishes,
Richard

(C. graduated LLB last week ;-)))

 

[TheBramble]

It is getting increasingly annoying to have my phone ringing at all hours with such calls, especially during a trading session..

Not much you can do about it. Apart from ALWAYS give false information...

Anything outside 08:00-21:00 can be classed as a nuisance call. However, BT take forever to pick up on it and unless you can give them the specifics on the call - they can't do much. Especially if it's international.

 

[oatman]

A lot of these calls are auto-dialled. My phone is right next to me. I pick it up the instant it rings and, invariably, it's too quick for them and there's nobody there. Also had the recorded "holiday" calls. If I'm busy I take it off the hook. If anyone "serious" wants me, they ring the mobile. If it's a sales call, I try and sell them something. If it's a conservatory, show you're interested and then tell them you live on 15th floor of a block of flats :cheesy:
Good luck

 

[schoe]

If the calls from a call centre in India tell them you are in the middle of your tea and ask them to phone back later. Confuses the hell out of them!

 

[Hughmac]

many of these call centre's use automated dialing where the software will dial say 20 numbers at the same time and when you answer the phone there is no response. Of course they withhold there number so there is no way of checking or complaining. Anonymous calls can be barred within Europe but BT and cable operators in UK have not implemented the necessary controls although there have been some limited trials taking place.

 

[blackcab]

There's a simple solution as Rognvald said - TPS (Telephone Preference Service). I had junk calls every day, signed up with TPS 7 years ago, and have had precisely ONE since. Do it and forget about it.

 

[Kilnside]

Certainly on Telewest you can bar/unbar callers who withhold their number very easily. As a courteous person I usually hear the caller out at some length before declining. Last week an Indian gentleman said " Oh dear, You have wasted my time " - mission accomplished

 

[Hughmac]

There's a simple solution as Rognvald said - TPS (Telephone Preference Service). I had junk calls every day, signed up with TPS 7 years ago, and have had precisely ONE since. Do it and forget about it.

Have been signed up with TPS for over 4 years now, dosnt hinder international calls apparently!!

Interesting that you can bar these type of calls with Telewest, i got "this service not available" when i tried with NTL!

 

[clylbw]

Many thanks to all of you indeed.

Have signed up with TPS as advised. Will wait and see what is going to happen.

Hi Richard,

Congratulations!!!!!!!!!!

Please send my best wishes to her. I had mine last week :cheesy: .

 

[Mr. Charts]

Hi Lynn,
Many congrats - you will go far!
Richard ;-)))

 

[minx]

A lot of these calls are auto-dialled. My phone is right next to me. I pick it up the instant it rings and, invariably, it's too quick for them and there's nobody there. Also had the recorded "holiday" calls. If I'm busy I take it off the hook. If anyone "serious" wants me, they ring the mobile. If it's a sales call, I try and sell them something. If it's a conservatory, show you're interested and then tell them you live on 15th floor of a block of flats :cheesy:
Good luck

Haha, I always try to p*ss them off too, I usually just place the phone on the table and let them talk until they realise I'm not listening to them and they hangup. MBNA are terrible for mailing out constant 'offers' or low interest loans, I've told them a million times to quit it but they dont. Is there any way to ban junk mail just like the telephone blocking legislation?

 

[oatman]

There's a mail preference list which should filter a lot of cr@p out. Not sure where you get it. It comes through the post every now and again. I have all the junk so I can enter Which and Reader's digest contests

 

[AlexAndrews]

Mailing Preference Service

Haha, I always try to p*ss them off too, I usually just place the phone on the table and let them talk until they realise I'm not listening to them and they hangup. MBNA are terrible for mailing out constant 'offers' or low interest loans, I've told them a million times to quit it but they dont. Is there any way to ban junk mail just like the telephone blocking legislation?

Minx, there's an MPS link on the TPS web-site (left-hand side), which seems to be the Mailing Preference Service.

Alex

 

[robber]

TPS has worked very well for me over the last few years but I do get the occasional cold call (and calls for work in the evening that I dont want to answer;-) ). For the last 6 months I've paid a few £ a month to BT for caller display and picked up a display unit on ebay for about £5. Now I know whos calling before I answer. If I'm busy and the number is one I dont recognise or is withheld I just ignore it.

 

[RunRyder]

If you want to **** them off put them on a sound board. They got some inappropriate stuff on the soundboard like "i want you to live as a gay woman" (courtesy of dr phil).

http://www.ebaumsworld.com/soundboards.shtml

 

[chump]

I signed up to the BT database and it 's worked very well,but I think you have to renew after 12 months and just bear in mind it normally takes about a month to process so renew after 11 months to be sure of getting continuity on the service.... I do of course miss the calls a bit as an outlet for mischief...I used to quite enjoy saying I'll be back in a minute and leave them hanging until the 'penny' dropped...or entertain yourself with the reverse sell..it's fun seeing what happens when you take them off the script they are reading... yes , I know this is 'cruel' in a sense ,but you've got to get your entertainment where you can when you work from home on your own ...

If you ask BT you can get a specific tele number that get's the service prioritised and up in a few days..sorry can't remember the number...

Alex,thanks for that info,that's the other 'pain' the constant stream of junk mail through the box.



Cheers