# Spam Calls and Messages



## 4515 (Jan 30, 2013)

Is it just me thats feeling a touch grumpy or is there anyone else who is sick of spam phone calls / text messages for loan consolidation, accident claims, ppi etc ?

I have no loans so nothing to consolidate, havent had an accident for over 10 years (tempting fate there !) and was never sold ppi

The latest is a pre recorded message telling me that its important information, at which time I tell them to go away (something like that anyway) and hang up

Phones are registered with TPA and CTPA but I am still spammed to death

Ive now started to register every nuisance call with ofcom, if only to cause the spammer a little inconvenience

Time to tighten up on these parasites


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## froggystyle (Oct 30, 2013)

Ditched our house phone, mobile is pay as you go, never get any spam calls anymore!


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## garydyke1 (Mar 9, 2011)

Best to answer these calls and act really really bizarrely for your friends and families amusement.

I like to put on a fake accent and launch into a surreal conversation much to the surprise of the cold caller.


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## urbanbumpkin (Jan 30, 2013)

Register with this is should reduce the amount of Spam calls within a month or so.

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

You can also take a service called anonymous call reject with you line provider, this blocks calls where people with hold their number.

it wont stop it 100% but reduces it greatly


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## 4515 (Jan 30, 2013)

an uncle used to talk to the double glazing salesmen when they were calling

would ask if they could do all his windows and doors, then ask if they did conservatories. got them all keyed up, kept them on the phone as long as possible and then asked one final question ....

"do you do red upvc ? because I want them in red"

usually ended up with the phone hanging up


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## Blackstone (Aug 5, 2012)

been having quite a few this week.

luckily they call the house phone when at work and i block them on my mobile so it will go through a phase of new numbers, then block so peace and quite


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## urbanbumpkin (Jan 30, 2013)

working dog said:


> Is it just me thats feeling a touch grumpy or is there anyone else who is sick of spam phone calls / text messages for loan consolidation, accident claims, ppi etc ?
> 
> I have no loans so nothing to consolidate, havent had an accident for over 10 years (tempting fate there !) and was never sold ppi
> 
> ...


If you change suppliers, services or names the account is in this can remove TPS registration too


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## Eyedee (Sep 13, 2010)

I have this speech printed out by my phone and just explain to them

"Unsolicited telephone calls are covered by the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations 2003 which are enforced by the Information Commissioners Office.

The law states that UK organisations should not make unsolicited direct marketing calls to individuals who haver registered with the Telephone Preference Service"

This works for me.

Ian


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## 4515 (Jan 30, 2013)

Some have stopped when we asked for the company name and then explained that future calls will be answered and we will invoice for out time. Minimum invoice value will be applied which is £200 + vat

That stopped a few

Will print out the TPS quote


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

Best thing is to simply answer, then put the phone down "don't hang up" then go make a coffee. When you come back they have usually gone. if not, tell them to politely go $%$%^ themselves and hang up.


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## DavidBondy (Aug 17, 2010)

DavecUK said:


> Best thing is to simply answer, then put the phone down "don't hang up" then go make a coffee. When you come back they have usually gone. if not, tell them to politely go $%$%^ themselves and hang up.


Exactly what I do Dave. I ask them politely to hold the line, put the phone down without hanging up and just let them wait and wait and wait!

My elderly mother (she is 92) once had a string of such calls so when another one came she just shouted b******s and put the phone down. It rang again a few minutes later and it was her family doctor who had, in fact, made that last call. Mum told the GP that she was now suffering from "late onset Tourettes!"

David


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## 4515 (Jan 30, 2013)

Have done that one as well. They ask for me and I tell them that I'll go and get him - then leave the phone at the side of me until they get bored and hang up

The other one that annoys me is the one where you answer and they remain silent at the other end. I now do the same and wait for the 'hello ?' 'hello ?'


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## MWJB (Feb 28, 2012)

I'm ex-directory & registered with TPS (Telephone Preference Service)...the calls kept coming, I contacted TPS who said, wait for it, "Have you tried asking the nuisance callers not to call you any more?" Genius! :-l

I work in face-to-face (not telephone) market research (gathering anonymous opinions, we're not allowed to pass on ID/contact details unless specific permission is granted & only in the context of a specific survey, not recruitment to panels or for marketeers), the ones that really annoy me are the ones claiming to be "lifestyle surveys", their sole purpose is tick boxes and pass your number on to outside agencies as sales/marketing contacts for insurance cover etc...(which you're not allowed to do in market research), they make my life hell at home (with the nuisance factor) & at work (turns off the public regarding bona fide research).

I've really begun to feel that my phone has become a conduit for scammers & spongers to try & fleece me in my own home, rather than a useful means of communication with friends & family.


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## Heligan (Aug 24, 2013)

Definitely recommend Truecall - http://www.truecall.co.uk/home.aspx Costs about £100 but worth it.

You can configure it to intercept calls from numbers it doesn't recognise, withheld numbers, international and so on, whatever you choose, while letting through numbers you've told it are OK. Unrecognised callers are asked to press a key and/or say their name to continue, depending on how it's set up. Your phone doesn't ring until they've done that, then you hear a message saying "you have a call from xxxx". You can then choose to take the call, send it to answering machine, or to "zap" it. If you zap it Truecall tells them you're not interested in their call and hangs up. If they call in future they'll get the same message and your phone never even rings.

It gets rid of silent calls, recorded messages and so on and has done wonders for our blood pressure. We are also registered with the TPS, but a lot of companies don't respect it.


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

working dog said:


> Have done that one as well. They ask for me and I tell them that I'll go and get him - then leave the phone at the side of me until they get bored and hang up
> 
> The other one that annoys me is the one where you answer and they remain silent at the other end. I now do the same and wait for the 'hello ?' 'hello ?'


The reason this happens is the automated systems used by some companies based outside the UK. These systems (almost wardiallers), call number ranges and they then detect whether it's an answering machine, fax, automated call handling system or announcement system. If it is, they simply hang up, if a human says hello hello, or whatever, these systems detect it and pass the call onto a human call handler. Some are quite sophisticated and can selectively pass people to a man or woman depending on gender (if that is a requirement). The use of these systems for cold calling in the UK is, I believe, still illegal when performed from within the UK. most of the companies doing this are in India, USA etc.. where the laws are different.


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## 4515 (Jan 30, 2013)

Heligan said:


> Definitely recommend Truecall - http://www.truecall.co.uk/home.aspx Costs about £100 but worth it.
> 
> You can configure it to intercept calls from numbers it doesn't recognise, withheld numbers, international and so on, whatever you choose, while letting through numbers you've told it are OK. Unrecognised callers are asked to press a key and/or say their name to continue, depending on how it's set up. Your phone doesn't ring until they've done that, then you hear a message saying "you have a call from xxxx". You can then choose to take the call, send it to answering machine, or to "zap" it. If you zap it Truecall tells them you're not interested in their call and hangs up. If they call in future they'll get the same message and your phone never even rings.
> 
> It gets rid of silent calls, recorded messages and so on and has done wonders for our blood pressure. We are also registered with the TPS, but a lot of companies don't respect it.


Wouldnt it be good if the service providers added this technology to their systems rather than having to buy an add on unit ?

I realise that this wont happen as they would be stopping their other customers (the spammers) from calling us


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## Taylor The Latte Boy (Dec 9, 2013)

I sent a watch off for repair recently through Timpsons, left them my mobile number and out of the blue in the last couple weeks I have been inundated with spam text messages and phone calls. From job offers in Dubai to credit card/PPI/insurance and loans etc. even though I have no credit cards, no debt and no loans other than my current student loan.

Incredibly annoying. I even get the odd phone call where it rings two to three rings and stops before I can pick up! I think someone has given my number out.


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## MWJB (Feb 28, 2012)

Taylor The Latte Boy said:


> I sent a watch off for repair recently through Timpsons, left them my mobile number and out of the blue in the last couple weeks I have been inundated with spam text messages and phone calls. From job offers in Dubai to credit card/PPI/insurance and loans etc. even though I have no credit cards, no debt and no loans other than my current student loan.
> 
> Incredibly annoying. I even get the odd phone call where it rings two to three rings and stops before I can pick up! I think someone has given my number out.


That's the marvel of data protection at work! It seems your phone numbers & even your bank details can be passed on to anybody willy nilly. I love it when some cold caller asks for DOB & mother's maiden name "for data protection puroposes"...I'm bewildered as to how my data is better protected by giving it to all & sundry who ask for it, in the knowledge that they are going to sell it on to anyone who will pay for it?


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## Taylor The Latte Boy (Dec 9, 2013)

MWJB said:


> That's the marvel of data protection at work! It seems your phone numbers & even your bank details can be passed on to anybody willy nilly. I love it when some cold caller asks for DOB & mother's maiden name "for data protection puroposes"...I'm bewildered as to how my data is better protected by giving it to all & sundry who ask for it, in the knowledge that they are going to sell it on to anyone who will pay for it?


I just received another text there telling me I can take a £1000 loan today. They even have my name on this one!


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## frasermade (Feb 26, 2014)

I get calls daily. Its very frustrating as sometimes the number looks like a spammer, I kill it, then I get a Voicemail from an actual caller and I have to call them back. I don't think anything can stop it these days. I got this new number a few years ago now, but within A DAY of getting it I had spam callers. Brill.


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## Blackstone (Aug 5, 2012)

Taylor The Latte Boy said:


> I just received another text there telling me I can take a £1000 loan today. They even have my name on this one!


lucky you. what you gonna spent it on?


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