Telephone landline spammers suck!
June 27, 2012 10:12 AM Subscribe
UK: We have just had a telephone landline connected a few weeks ago and immediately started getting calls from these auto dialing message spammers / scammers about legal settlements and super funds or banks etc... There are 2-3 calls a day. Is there anything I can do about this to make them stop?
The calls started the very day the telephone line was active. (we also get calls for the previous owner of the number).
They usually say something like "....press 5 for more information or press 9 to be removed from our database". Is it safe to actually press 9 though?
I"m concerned that any interaction with machine could allow them to bill something to the line, is that possible in the UK?
The calls started the very day the telephone line was active. (we also get calls for the previous owner of the number).
They usually say something like "....press 5 for more information or press 9 to be removed from our database". Is it safe to actually press 9 though?
I"m concerned that any interaction with machine could allow them to bill something to the line, is that possible in the UK?
trueCall is expensive and annoying for legitimate callers, but it definitely works!
posted by katrielalex at 10:30 AM on June 27, 2012
posted by katrielalex at 10:30 AM on June 27, 2012
Telephone Preference Service (you may wish to get yourself added to the equivalent for mail while you are there)
The Direct Marketing Commission has a helpful page of who to complain to.
And no, you can't be billed just by someone calling you on a UK landline. I am trying to find evidence online somewhere to back me up... but I have never lived anywhere in which you can be billed in such a situation.
As a simpler option to what katriealex suggested, you could always have your answering machine set on to answer all calls immediately and with a message like "we currently screen all calls, please state your business after the tone". That's what we did for my elderly grandmother.
posted by Talkie Toaster at 10:33 AM on June 27, 2012
The Direct Marketing Commission has a helpful page of who to complain to.
And no, you can't be billed just by someone calling you on a UK landline. I am trying to find evidence online somewhere to back me up... but I have never lived anywhere in which you can be billed in such a situation.
As a simpler option to what katriealex suggested, you could always have your answering machine set on to answer all calls immediately and with a message like "we currently screen all calls, please state your business after the tone". That's what we did for my elderly grandmother.
posted by Talkie Toaster at 10:33 AM on June 27, 2012
Response by poster: I did add myself to the Telephone Preference Service but I was wondering if there was anything else one can do.
So would you say that pressing 9 is unlikely to actually remove me from their database or not?
posted by mary8nne at 11:11 AM on June 27, 2012
So would you say that pressing 9 is unlikely to actually remove me from their database or not?
posted by mary8nne at 11:11 AM on June 27, 2012
Difficult to say. You could try it; after all by your picking up they know that the phone gets answered so you're probably already on their list as a worthy target.
I'm rather surprised you're having these issues, I never received a call along those lines when I lived in the UK. Are you with BT? Are you ex-directory?
If it persists and is troublesome, BT (or your other telephone provider) will help you, often by providing you with a new phone number if the calls are a serious nuisance (occur overnight, for example, and do not cease after you register for TPS and go ex-directory).
and sorry, katrielalex, for misspelling your name
posted by Talkie Toaster at 11:33 AM on June 27, 2012
I'm rather surprised you're having these issues, I never received a call along those lines when I lived in the UK. Are you with BT? Are you ex-directory?
If it persists and is troublesome, BT (or your other telephone provider) will help you, often by providing you with a new phone number if the calls are a serious nuisance (occur overnight, for example, and do not cease after you register for TPS and go ex-directory).
and sorry, katrielalex, for misspelling your name
posted by Talkie Toaster at 11:33 AM on June 27, 2012
Since you just had this done, I'd demand a new number now while it's still easy to change. You don't want to go down this road in a few months once you've given your number out to dozens of people.
posted by zachlipton at 11:49 AM on June 27, 2012
posted by zachlipton at 11:49 AM on June 27, 2012
Pressing 9 will probably just add you to a database of people who respond when their phone rings. It's kind of like replying to spam.
If I recall correctly, the TPS can't do anything about international incoming calls.
Who is supplying the line? BT have some options if your line is with them.
posted by Solomon at 11:53 AM on June 27, 2012
If I recall correctly, the TPS can't do anything about international incoming calls.
Who is supplying the line? BT have some options if your line is with them.
posted by Solomon at 11:53 AM on June 27, 2012
In my experience going ex-directory and signing up for the TPS made no difference. The people who send these calls don't care about the law, they rely on some small percentage of people dialling 1471 and calling them back on what will be a premium rate line.
They often call twice in quick succession, the first call leaves a message, then the second call (from a premium line) is silent.
Not having an answer machine at all seems to make them call more often, but one thing that does seems to help is having a very long outgoing message.
posted by Lanark at 12:32 PM on June 27, 2012
They often call twice in quick succession, the first call leaves a message, then the second call (from a premium line) is silent.
Not having an answer machine at all seems to make them call more often, but one thing that does seems to help is having a very long outgoing message.
posted by Lanark at 12:32 PM on June 27, 2012
I doubt getting a new number would help because you'll just be assigned another recycled number which invariably sits in a bunch of databases before it is ever given to you. Can't you just let it go to voicemail and call back anybody you actually want to talk to? This is what I generally did when I was living in the UK and it worked well for me because I was never home anyway.
posted by koahiatamadl at 12:44 PM on June 27, 2012
posted by koahiatamadl at 12:44 PM on June 27, 2012
Response by poster: The telephone line is with Plusnet. I will have a look at their support
I presume the telcos in the UK regularly give out recycled numbers these days due to limits on the "number space". So i'm not sure requesting a new number would help.
I am working from home at the moment for clients abroad so prefer to answer when they call me rather than call them back overseas and have it on my bill. So I do answer the phone during the day in case its clients. but 80% of the time it hasn't been. Its always these damn spammers.
posted by mary8nne at 1:11 PM on June 27, 2012
I presume the telcos in the UK regularly give out recycled numbers these days due to limits on the "number space". So i'm not sure requesting a new number would help.
I am working from home at the moment for clients abroad so prefer to answer when they call me rather than call them back overseas and have it on my bill. So I do answer the phone during the day in case its clients. but 80% of the time it hasn't been. Its always these damn spammers.
posted by mary8nne at 1:11 PM on June 27, 2012
FWIW, mary8nne, I also have a landline from Plusnet (since last August) and we've had no problems. I'd ask for a different number.
posted by Emperor SnooKloze at 1:33 PM on June 27, 2012
posted by Emperor SnooKloze at 1:33 PM on June 27, 2012
This moneysavingsexpert thread may help a little. The particular link that might be worth checking out is SilentCall Guard. I cannot speak for the effectiveness of the Callblocker product that these people are selling - but it might be worth checking out.
If you decide to use an answering machine to screen all calls then one option would be to ask people to who have an urgent call to call back immediately. This can serve as a sort of phone-based CAPTCHA and it corresponds to what people actually do when that have an urgent call. We can see this behavious it being added as part of the "do not disturb" functionality in iOS6.
FWIW: I have a PlusNet line and HAVE had these sorts of problems. But my guess is this is more to do with the luck of the draw of whatever number one gets assigned rather than the operator.
posted by rongorongo at 2:32 AM on June 28, 2012
If you decide to use an answering machine to screen all calls then one option would be to ask people to who have an urgent call to call back immediately. This can serve as a sort of phone-based CAPTCHA and it corresponds to what people actually do when that have an urgent call. We can see this behavious it being added as part of the "do not disturb" functionality in iOS6.
FWIW: I have a PlusNet line and HAVE had these sorts of problems. But my guess is this is more to do with the luck of the draw of whatever number one gets assigned rather than the operator.
posted by rongorongo at 2:32 AM on June 28, 2012
This thread is closed to new comments.
Unfortunately the majority of these spam calls now originate from outside the UK so there isn't much you can do legally.
posted by MuffinMan at 10:21 AM on June 27, 2012