Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
Cold calling
Normally I get phone calls from people trying to sell me a product of some sort but lately I've been getting calls for surveys, at least two a day. They ask for me by name so it's a few seconds before I realise that I don't want to talk to them. Is anybody else getting these calls?
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by 2iqnqfihplb7h on
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You can use the Telephone Preference system to get your name and number removed from databases so you dont get these calls.
Here is their website http://www.tpsonline.org.uk/
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Permalink Reply by Clive Carter on
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No, it doesn't and overseas is from where many of these nuisance calls originate.
I have lost patience with these surveys, and especially those attempts to tell me there's something wrong with my computer.
If you habitually answer the phone with your name, consider either not doing so, or picking up very quickly. If you pick up quick enough, the "caller" normally does not hear it. This is because with many cold-calling centres, typically in India or the Philippines, databases of numbers are 'dialed' by a computer.
If anyone answers (you) the connection is then allocated on a rotation basis to the first available call centre operator. This explains the frequent delay in reply and sometimes 'silent call' when no one responds.
They then normally ask you to confirm your name. Your polite response should be:
"who is calling?"
Their response: "[largely irrelevant] ... is that Mr Blogs?"
Your suggested response, perfectly friendly, "Can you hold on a moment, I'll go and get Mr Blogs" and put the receiver down.
Then go and do the washing up, if you haven't already.
Replace receiver after 10 minutes.
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Permalink Reply by Alan Stanton on
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Has anyone tried a company called The Nuisance Call Registry (NCR) ? It's a commercial firm which charges a one-off "setting-up fee" of £35.52 and claims to block nuisance calls from abroad. I didn't sign-up with NCR as I'd have needed a credit card and don't have one. I was also sceptical of their claim to block 100% of nuisance calls. Do any HoL members use them? Does the service work?
We do use the Telephone Preference Service (TPS) - which is free. It stopped most of the previous nuisance calls.
Incidentally, the topic of cold calls crops up from time to time on HoL - so it's worth using the search box. (If only to save Clive Carter having to retype his earlier postings.)
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Alan I too would like to know if this service works.
A telecoms engineer friend of mine told me some time ago about caller ID. This works well within the UK and one can, for example, block callers who choose to withhold their ID (their phone number).
This does not work for international calls, because the ID does not travel all the way.
At some point, the ID of an incoming international call is shorn off, possibly as late as the local (UK) exchange. The information I had (several years ago) was that it is technically possible to have international caller ID, but the equipment necessary to do this is not installed at local exchanges (probably for reasons of economy).
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Permalink Reply by Laura on
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International caller ID does work. Well, it works on my phone anyway (Virgin). I am amazed when the phone number shows for South America, North America as well as Europe. There is no caller ID for out of the country nuisance calls as they have obviously chosen to hide it.
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I'm glad to hear that now, international caller ID does work, to some extent anyway.
I don't doubt that overseas nuisance-call centres are likely to withhold their number. I am on Virgin/blueyonder and I elected to block any call that chooses to hide their caller ID. But those international nuisance calls continue to come through.
I took a look at the Nuisance Call Registry (above). I'd be happy to be shown to be wrong, but it appears from the FAQ section that there is nothing especially clever or discriminating about it. It appears to operate a database of known-good numbers, a kind of white-list rather than a black-list.
It would be effective but crude. Any incoming number not already on this list will be blocked. I'm sure you could add numbers to the database on a case by case basis: but has anyone got time to do this?
This might seem fine and dandy but inevitably there will be someone you do want to hear from, who rings infrequently or has never rung before.
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Permalink Reply by pamish on
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Blocking all withheld-number calls means that most institutions can't call you. A reasonable strategy IMHO, as if you reply it would go to a switchboard which would have no idea of who there had called you. Now that may suit you, but it means that eg if LBH call to reply to a query, it would be blocked. Or if your Premium Bond comes up, it could take days to find out.
But yes I am ready to bomb Bangalore.
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Yes. One wanted confirmation of my address, so I asked how he had got that and he said that a very large retailer had supplied it. I told him that he had no right to call me and put the phone down.
Another which I have had several times says thathe is calling because my computer is not working properly. My computer is working fine and I am sure that this is some scam.
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Permalink Reply by Anette on
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We had a massive problem with nuisance calls, 4 - 5 calls a day, everything from people offering to help with my husband's gambling debt (what??? He does not even gamble!), to the old your Windows computer is not working properly (how do you know, you twonk?) to offering me a new house mortgage (say you're renting, that really confuses them, them give them a false address, they give up after that).
What really did it was when someone from an Indian call centre phoned up and said there was a bomb in our house and we needed to leave, and contact the nearest police station. Obviously a wind-up, but we reported it, and the police recommended going ex directory. We did, and the calls have pretty much stopped. The TPS is completely useless, I am registered with them too. Did not help one bit.
Our number seemed to be on lists that were sold and updated regularly. Now it's no longer on those lists, the calls have stopped. Ex directory is the answer. Not the TPS, not worth the time it takes registering with them even. Useless.
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I'm hoping that will work, I gave up and went ex-directory a few weeks ago. Still getting several calls a day, mostly ppi, but I guess it will take time to work through the lists they've been sold. They ask for me by name+address so seems prob from the phone book. If I'm in the mood I try to find out what company they are from and then report them, or I speak in tongues and enjoy hearing them struggling with my accent.
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