Junk Phone Calls......

Diminuendo

Diminuendo

At the Start
Joined
Jun 3, 2003
Messages
1,453
Location
The West Country
Over the last few months, the number of sales phone calls I received increased on a daily measure. At first I was polite and simply said' Sorry, not interested', and then put the phone down. That changed to ignoring all my daytime time calls, which didn't help at all, as they all started ringing back between 8-9pm.
One call I answered occured when I was out the front of the house cutting the lawn. I answered the phone, the caller wanted to sell a mobile phone, I said ' Excuse me , I have left the potatoes boiling, I need to turn them down and I'll be back'. I didn't return, I carried on cutting the grass!
Some of the recent callers have been arrogant and don't take no for an answer. I have the BT service, which stops all those numbers that are not left, getting through, but it doesn't work everytime.
So today I registered with the Telephone Preference Service, it takes 28 days to kick in, so I'll keep you posted to the effects.
If you are sick to death of these calls, especially those stupid automated holiday calls, just phone 0845 0700707. Its very easy and only takes a minute. They also have a website.

Rant over, I feel better now! :lol:
 
Dim,

At work we are part of the Telephone Preference Service. Every other phone call was a sales call up to about a year ago. We still get them, but now we just say, "is this a sales call?", if they say yes, or we can guess that it is, the staff just tell them that we are with the telephone preference service and please remove us from their database immediately. It seems to work.

What gets my back up is the way they find my name on the website, and then pretend it's a personal call just to get to speak to me - to then try and sell me something I don't want. :angy: I will not repeat how I handle those calls, but suffice to say, they never call back. :D
 
We had a discussion on this a few years back and that's when I registered not to receive any calls. You can still get the occasional (usually recorded) call to tell you that "you've won a fantastic prize so please phone this £1.50 a minute line immediately" but these come from offshore so can't be regulated. They are few and far between, though.
 
Most of the calls I have been getting, I don't like to say his, but I have found it difficult to understand the person calling, because of their accent. One caller was trying to get me to sign up to a new credit card. When I said no, I don't use credit cards at all, he said in quite a loud offish way, ' what kind of conscious person are you, how can you go out of your house without a credit card?

Result...... phone was put down. Grrrrrrrrrr
 
I find that the TPS is quite effective in stopping UK calls. As Brian says, though, some of the recorded messages (and some actual calls) originate from Canada and other countries, and are thus outside the jurisdiction.

They are a pain in the ass, and take up a lot of unnecessary time in my job too (Trading Standards).

Wish I could ban the lot of them!
 
Funnily enough, Dims, apart from checking we're still on the TPs (we are) I've just re-registered my ancient mater and self with the free Silent Call Guard Register, which blocks most of those computer-automated ring-rounds, which are based on calling numbers in an area. You can call them on 0870-4443969, and they'll register you free for a year. As you get near the anniversary date, call them up to re-register you.

However, they have a product which proved virtually 100% effective in the USA, called 'Call Blocker' which I've ordered for Mum. It costs £29.99 + p&p and I ordered it from them a few days ago. The TPS and Silent Call systems are pretty good, but the most persistent can still get through to you. The Call Blocker plugs into the end of your phone, and then into your phone socket. I've ordered it because Mum's so often very wobbly on her feet, that the idea of her trying to get to a call, having a fall, and then finding the call was either silent or yet another 'you've won a holiday' loadash1t would just do my head in, not to mention her.

I'd recommend these services for all our elderly and/or frail/less mobile family and friends.

You can check that you're still on the Telephone Preference Service by calling their number (0800 398893) and following the instruction to press a number to check. If you're not on it, then it's worth getting on, or back on, it.
 
I used to get a lot of calls usually when I was having the evening meal but was given a tip as follows:
When they ring, ask what their name is and to spell it.
Ask who they represent and then to spell it
Then tell them you are in need of a bowel movement and put the phone down.
 
Originally posted by Diminuendo@May 26 2005, 11:52 AM
I don't like to say his, but I have found it difficult to understand the person calling, because of their accent.
Click to expand...
I know what you mean Dim, bloomin Londoners :P
 
Had one today from BT. Having just finished my 4th packet of chewing gum (still trying to cut down on the smoking) I felt a fierce build up of wind, let rip into the mouthepiece and hung up.
icon_eek.gif
 
When Telemarketers Call...

1. If they want to loan you money, tell them you just filed for bankruptcy and you could sure use some money.

2. If they start out with, "How are you today?" say, "I'm so glad you asked, because no one these days seems to care, and I have all these problems. My arthritis is acting up, my eyelashes are sore, my dog just died . . . "

3. If they say they're John Doe from XYZ Company, ask them to spell their name. Then ask them to spell the company name. Then ask them where it is located, how long it has been in business, how many people ork there, how they got into this line of work if they are married, how many kids they have, etc. Continue asking them personal questions or questions about their company for as long as necessary.

4. This works great if you are male. Telemarketer: "Hi, my name is Judy and I'm with XYZ Company. " You: Wait for a second and with a real husky voice ask, "What are you wearing?"

5. Cry out in surprise, "Judy? Is that you? Oh my God! Judy, how have you been?" Hopefully, this will give Judy a few brief moments of terror as she tries to figure out where she could know you from.

6. Say "No" over and over. Be sure to vary the sound of each one, and keep a rhythmic tempo, even as they are trying to speak. This is most fun if you can do it until they hang up.

7. If MCI calls trying to get you to sign up for the Family and Friends Plan, reply, in as sinister a voice as you can, "I don't have any friends, would you be my friend?"

8. If the company cleans rugs, respond: "Can you get out blood? Can you get out goat blood? How about human blood?"

9. After the Telemarketer gives his or her spiel, ask him or her to marry you. When they get all flustered, tell them that you can't just give your credit card number to a complete stranger.

10. Tell the Telemarketer that you work for the same company, and they can't sell to employees.

11. Answer the phone. As soon as you realize it is a Telemarketer, set the receiver down, scream, "Oh my God!" and then hang up.

12. Tell the Telemarketer you are busy at the moment and ask him/her if he/she will give you his/her home phone number so you can call him/her back. When the Telemarketer explains that telemarketers cannot give out their home numbers say, "I guess you don't want anyone bothering you at home, right?" The Telemarketer will agree and you say, "Me either!" Hang up.

13. Ask them to repeat everything they say, several times.

14. Tell them it is dinner time, but ask if they would please hold. Put them on your speaker phone while you continue to eat at your leisure. Smack your food loudly and continue with your dinner conversation.

15. Tell the Telemarketer you are on "home incarceration" and ask if they could bring you some beer.

16. Ask them to fax the information to you, and make up a number.

17. Tell the Telemarketer, "Okay, I'll listen to you. But I should probably tell you, I'm not wearing any clothes."

18. Insist that the caller is really your buddy Leon, playing a joke. "Come on, Leon, cut it out! Seriously, Leon, how's your momma?"

19. Tell them you are hard of hearing and that they need to speak up . . . louder . . . louder . . .

20. Tell them to talk very slowly, because you want to write every word down.
 
Very good, purr!! I used to find that telling them I was living in rented accomodation & living on my own used to do the trick - they couldn't hang up quick enough!

These calls drive my Mum crazy - she has caller ID on her phone, but when the foreign ones call it just comes up "overseas". She always answers though as it could be me, or her sister who lives in Australia. She hates it.
 
Love 7 and 8!

Also, how about putting on a high, child's voice and saying you can't get Mummy (or Daddy) wight now, 'cos they're doing naughty things on the kitchen table, and you mustn't interwupt them?

Or, very rapidly and enthusiastically: 'Oh, I'm so GLAD you called! I've been desperate to talk to someone all day. All week, really. I LOVE talking to nice people like you. No, no, don't interrupt. It's good for me to talk. I want to tell you ALL about my life. Right from when I was a baby. Maybe even before that. My psychiatrist says it's called 'the talking cure' and you sound like a wonderful, warm, caring person. I'm going to LOVE talking to you, I just know it! Please don't interrupt me again, that's not good for me..... hallo?'

Or, in a near whisper: "Abdullah? We're all waiting for you. The Big Man is here and it looks like we're on. Can't say more. Just get here."
 
:lol: :lol: @krizon.

Well here's the update,.......
I made the call to the TPS and here we are just a few days later and the calls have gone from 4-8 calls a day to nothing!.
Great!!!! B)
 
Originally posted by Diminuendo@Jun 2 2005, 12:54 PM
Well here's the update,.......
I made the call to the TPS and here we are just a few days later and the calls have gone from 4-8 calls a day to nothing!.
Click to expand...
But what about the heavy breathing calls?


Are you still making them?
 
:lol: Hmm I don't think I could ever make one of those without bursting into a fit of laughter.
Do you get any of those heavy breathing calls then Brian? :blink:
 
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