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Help please: Companies randomly phoning up with automated messages

Started by Replies From View, February 16, 2012, 03:01:47 PM

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Replies From View

Hi all.  My apologies if this question has been asked before, but I'm unable to get the forum search to work.

Basically, my parents are being hassled at the moment by random companies phoning them.  The phone rings, they pick it up, and a robotic voice kindly tells them that they are not being charged for the automatic message(!), which variously describes the benefits of a certain insurance company or whatever.  They get this several times a day, and it being a landline it's a disruption, unlike a mobile phone which you can turn to silent when these things get too much.  It's been going on now for several months if not years and we've twigged it's not going to be stopping of its own accord.

My question is obviously whether there's a way to stop this.  It seems absolutely disgusting that it's allowed, to be honest.  Any leads would be greatly appreciated.  Thanks!

MojoJojo

The telephone preference service might help, although it takes awhile to kick in. Only alternative is to try and the phone company and see if they can do anything.

BlodwynPig

The worst thing about them is that shouting "Fucking cunt" down the line does not elicit a response.

NoSleep

Sign up to the TPS, definitely. http://www.tpsonline.org.uk/ctps/number_type.html

Also register on this site: http://www.silentgard.com/register.aspx as this is specifically for the companies that are using the automated systems.

Also, take a look at the last thread on this subject: http://www.cookdandbombd.co.uk/forums/index.php?topic=30203.0

Cerys

There's a chance that if they get an option to be put through to an operator they can ask to be removed from the list.  You never know - it might even work.

Shoulders?-Stomach!

You have to be careful with TPS- if you give away your details to anyone subsequent to signing up you're pretty much exposed to any new phone traffic. I know because I had to explain this in my last job to exasperated and unhappy recipients of my cold calls.

Replies From View

Quote from: BlodwynPig on February 16, 2012, 03:23:24 PM
The worst thing about them is that shouting "Fucking cunt" down the line does not elicit a response.

I do sometimes wonder if the people who cold call sometimes put numbers on a special "cunt" list if they take a dislike to the way you talk to them.  My Dad, more than me, has a tendency to bark at call centre staff rather than appreciate they probably aren't the ones in charge.  He often advises me to get angry with them for some reason, but I tell him they probably have methods of payback that are akin to cafe staff spitting in your coffee.  Like, y'know, putting your number on a list so you end up bombarded with cold calls.

The silentguard thing looks the ticket, thanks a lot for your help everyone.

Replies From View

Quote from: NoSleep on February 16, 2012, 03:29:08 PM
Also, take a look at the last thread on this subject: http://www.cookdandbombd.co.uk/forums/index.php?topic=30203.0

Thanks for this.  Does anybody else here have problems with forum search?  I've never got it to work, and have always got this message:

QuoteAn Error Has Occurred!
You are not allowed to search for posts in this forum.

Not allowed?

MojoJojo

It's turned off because it uses loads of server resources. It's "Not allowed" as that is the quick and easy way of disabling it.

google site:cookdandbombd.co.uk <search> sometimes helps.

Replies From View

Quote from: MojoJojo on February 16, 2012, 04:06:47 PM
It's turned off because it uses loads of server resources. It's "Not allowed" as that is the quick and easy way of disabling it.

google site:cookdandbombd.co.uk <search> sometimes helps.

Thanks for explaining.

BlodwynPig

I was off sick one day and received close to 10 cold calls in one hour - incredible. Mostly automated, but one was from the bogus Indian Microsoft fuckers. "Excuse me, I wonder why you are asking me about my computer as I don't own a computer, i find it strange that you are calling me about an imaginary computer. How did you get this number - I am going to hunt you and your family down and slaughter you. YOU FUCKING FUCKING CUNT! CUNT!!. Goodbye".

georgetaylor

Just buy some insurance. Everybody needs insurance, and probably their microsoft windows fixing by microsoft.
Also double glazing.
And if somebody knocks on the door and is 'in the area', just buy whatever they are selling, you are sure to need it.
Buying stuff improves the economy, whatever that is.

El Unicornio, mang

You would think that, with all the technology we have these days, there'd be a way to block calls that aren't coming from the UK or wherever you want to receive calls from. I wouldn't have a landline phone now, I need to be able to screen my calls and I never pick up if I don't recognise the number. Although I have started receiving spam text messages, which would be fine to ignore except that in the US you get charged for incoming texts (and calls) so I'm having to pay for the privilege.

Replies From View

Does anybody have any more information about silentgard?  We can't find any websites that review or recommend it, and my Dad isn't sure that he wants to register his phone number on a site that he can't verify.

Thanks again, and sorry to prolong this.

Replies From View

Quote from: El Unicornio, mang on February 16, 2012, 08:37:52 PM
I have started receiving spam text messages, which would be fine to ignore except that in the US you get charged for incoming texts (and calls) so I'm having to pay for the privilege.

Christ, that's rotten.

Cerys

Just had a new one - apparently he was calling about a prize we won after entering an online competition 'in the last six months'.  I asked him how we could have done that when we don't have internet access.  He went away then.  Didn't even say 'goodbye'.  I can't think why.

Dark Sky

Hang on...how can you be posting on here if you don't have Internet access...?!  I think you DO have Internet access!  And you threw away your prize!  You fool!

Cerys


Hank Venture

Hmm, weird. Someone called me about a prize as well - might have been yours, 'cause I don't remember entering a competition. He just needed my bank details, ID numbers and some other stuff, and I'll receive my brand spanking new Volvo stationwagon in the post! Over the moon!

Needless to say Cerys, I'll have the last laugh!

Cerys


NoSleep

Quote from: Replies From View on February 16, 2012, 04:01:24 PM
I do sometimes wonder if the people who cold call sometimes put numbers on a special "cunt" list if they take a dislike to the way you talk to them.  My Dad, more than me, has a tendency to bark at call centre staff rather than appreciate they probably aren't the ones in charge.  He often advises me to get angry with them for some reason, but I tell him they probably have methods of payback that are akin to cafe staff spitting in your coffee.  Like, y'know, putting your number on a list so you end up bombarded with cold calls.

The silentguard thing looks the ticket, thanks a lot for your help everyone.

Since signing up for silentgard (and I was already a member of TPS) these calls have again reduced down to zero (fingers crossed) in the last month.

Quote from: BlodwynPig on February 16, 2012, 05:21:51 PM
I was off sick one day and received close to 10 cold calls in one hour - incredible. Mostly automated, but one was from the bogus Indian Microsoft fuckers. "Excuse me, I wonder why you are asking me about my computer as I don't own a computer, i find it strange that you are calling me about an imaginary computer. How did you get this number - I am going to hunt you and your family down and slaughter you. YOU FUCKING FUCKING CUNT! CUNT!!. Goodbye".

These computer calls are a scam to get you sitting down in front of your computer whilst the caller sends you to a website that "proves" there's something wrong with your computer, then gets you to enter your credit/debit card details to fix the problem. Something smells of phish.

BlodwynPig

Quote from: NoSleep on March 03, 2012, 11:28:44 AM
These computer calls are a scam to get you sitting down in front of your computer whilst the caller sends you to a website that "proves" there's something wrong with your computer, then gets you to enter your credit/debit card details to fix the problem. Something smells of phish.

Yes, they pulled that scam on my mother about a year ago, so I am wise to it. Although the last one I got was an Indian woman called Fiona who wanted to talk about Mr. Tiffin's phone. She kept on calling me Mr. Tiffin after I had told her I wasn't and I just kept repeating "I know you are a scam" - no, sir, we are not a scam, we are sub contracted from BT.

I accept the terms of the

I was getting 10 unsolicited calls per day and as many texts recently (amazing how your number can escape to a bad list through just one source), so I just changed my number (£10 on 3, although I had to flash a custom ROM to my phone to give it the ability to change the number stored on the SIM, grr). The upside is that my number (minus operator/area code) is now 877811, which is great.

NoSleep

I initially phoned the telephone company about the calls I was getting as I was suspicious that, having moved to them from BT because they provided a cheaper, better service, they had given my number out. They assured me that this was not the case and it was from them that I found out about silentgard. However, they also told me that I had automatically had my number made ex-directory by signing up with them (a couple of years beforehand) and that this helps prevent cold calls.
Coincidentally a BT telephone directory turned up the day after, so I checked to see that I was not in there, only to find my number still there. Phoned the telephone company about it and they were "surprised" but ensured me it wouldn't happen again, so now I have another full year to wait to be ex-directory. Not that keen on changing my telephone number as I get calls out of the blue from people I've not spoken to for years wanting to work with me again.
Anyway, silentgard seems to have done the trick well enough that I don't have to screen all my calls anymore.

Utter Shit

Re. the first post, if it's anything like the ones that I was getting for a while maybe once a week, it turned out to be a company related to my bank (Halifax) offering a legitimate insurance deal. So on the one hand it was good that I wasn't being targeted with anything dodgy, but on the other hand it seems that this means it isn't covered by any ex-directory setup or what have you...they are allowed to call you.

I can't complain too much though, as Halifax caught someone who had hacked my account and tried to set up a direct debit and had the whole thing sorted before I knew anything about it, the first I knew of it was when I couldn't get into my online banking briefly - called them up, they advised me of what had happened, talked me through a couple of security details and then reinstated my online access. Although they did shit me up a bit by advising me to ring a number which is not listed on the Halifax site - I had a panic halfway through the call that I was giving out my number to some dodgy bastard, and ended up ringing the stated Halifax number in a tizz to confirm that I hadn't fucked myself.