Pesky phone calls

[OldTrilobite]

We get a few phone calls that begin: "I am from Xyz; we are not trying to sell you anything - we are conducting a survey in your area and would like  your opinions if you can spare a minute or two."

 

I got one of these calls today and immediately asked: "How much do you pay?"

 

The poor guy was flummoxed and didn't quite know how to react, but eventually: "It's just a survey of  your opinions; we don't pay anything."

 

I pointed out that he was surveying with the aim of getting some financially helpful information from people's opinions, and  that he should expect to pay for such information. I told him that my professional fees were £200 per hour and if he cared to send me a cheque for £50 with his phone number on the back, I would give him fifteen minutes of my opinions. At that point he hung up

 

I recommend this approach. It is fun and relieves one irritation. Has anyone else an unusual, effective or amusing way of dealing with unwanted phone calls?

 

[MickA]

I set the missus on them, she doesn't hold back, especially if she's in a bad mood.

 

To be fair we don't get that many but after watching a TV programme recently it seems the "we are doing a survey" spiel might suggest they are gleaning info from you slowly for a fraud later down the line. One such set of scammers got info from folk over a period of time and made thousands of pounds out of it, getting such things as your age, if you're married, how long you have lived in the property etc, etc bulds up a profile of you for later fraudelent use, beware.

[VWD]

I've got a simpler solution. It's my BT DECOR 2600 PHONE. It's got an inbuilt answerphone or call announcer system. Set on announcer mode, if it gets a call where the number is not in the phone book, or conforms to certain parameters, it answers call, then asks caller who they are. At this stage most cold callers hang up, but if they decide to chance it, phone rings to announce the call and they get announced, with the option to us of answer or block. Once blocked the number is added to the blocked list. Different number, no problem ,I just add the area code to the blocked list. What might be of interest to folks is that Indian codes follow the UK pattern without the leading "1 ( as in 01234- they would use 0234), and SOME caller display do not show this as INTERNATIONAL. But BT and Plusnet offer a call protect scheme ( most likely other providers are adding this as part of their package.

Swimbo hates this sort of call and loves the "BLOCK" BUTTON.

One trick I found worked on cold callers was to ask them if they knew how the TPS service worked. Some of them would believe that TPS would pursue the agent for not checking up on whether the number they called was on TPS list. For those that were more savvy, I found that mention of ICO prosecuting firms and agents for cold calls worked well. But these days, I find that the DECOR keeps junk down. Now ,if only I could do that to the volume of Virgin Media Junk mail, then I'd be happy. i'd even happily pay the postage on the jungle of trees they cut down to make this lot to send it to Sir **** to show him what it's like to be on VM mailing list.

[Skodaboy1983]

My wife gets a few from the likes of injury lawyers for you.

 

Have you had a accident in the last few months?

 

Yes

 

Then they just hang up!

 

Davy

[rhino1401]

I ask them which police officer they require and explain they have rung a private Police Station number.

soon gets them off the phone

[Skodaboy1983]

My wife's grandfather used to answer the phone Reading Morgue how can I help you!

 

Davy

[KenONeill]

"This is an MOD private line. By remaining on this line you are in breach of the Official Secrets Act. Please remain on the line to enable Special Branch to trace your call."

[Ttaskmaster]

Jeez, where to start...

 

I've argued that my house doesn't have any windows, so I cannot purchase any double glazing today.

When answering on my mobile, about my mobile, I tell them that it's a Landline number. Nope, definitely a landline. It's got a cord connecting it to the wall, and everything.

When told that their records inform them I've been in car accident in the last three years, I ask which one. That seems to stump them. 

If it's a personal accident claim, then yes I've had one. I died, in fact..... I got better, though.

Quite often I get as far in to buying whatever it is they're selling, before informing them (in the poshest accent I can muster) that I don't speak English.

 

My current favourite is PPI.

Do I have any?

Why yes, I'm wearing it right now. Bright yellow jacket with shiny stripes, big clompy boots, white hard hat, dust mask, goggles, gloves.... Got it all.

 

 

 

 

 

[VWD]

On 2/12/2018 at 11:16, KenONeill said:

"This is an MOD private line. By remaining on this line you are in breach of the Official Secrets Act. Please remain on the line to enable Special Branch to trace your call."

Don't forget Ken, that when asked ( after a lot of lengthy answers) , that you should tell them that you can't find the "windows "  button, and does the "apple" symbol mean anything.

[KenONeill]

On 2/14/2018 at 23:11, VWD said:

Don't forget Ken, that when asked ( after a lot of lengthy answers) , that you should tell them that you can't find the "windows "  button, and does the "apple" symbol mean anything.

Been there, done that, except that I was using SunOS 3 and actually described my prompt as:-

1. {ken} $cursor

 

After which they still kept talking about Windoze!

[VWD]

Ken- grossly OT, but since I notice you use XP, have you installed KB4012598 ?

[AGFalco]

Last place I worked at I got many calls trying to sell me something.

I would reply that the person you want to speak to is:-

Elizebeth Denham and I would be helpful and give them the phone number as well.

Don't think anybody ever managed to speak to her but the ICO are the people to contact.

Especially if they don't understand the DPA.

 

Thanks AG Falco

 

 

[VWD]

The problem now is that cold callers are getting clever and not trying to sell ( this is not a sales call, but a survey) , as surveys are exempt from TPO rules. HOWEVER as said it's a matter for the ICO, who seem to be waking up to the problem.

[AGFalco]

But not exempt from the DPA let alone the GDPR which comes in on 25th May 2018.

 

Thanks AG Falco

[Jim H]

I have a serious question. I get phone calls about PPI claims, if I answer them, I explain I have never had a mortgage, loan, store card,  finance, premium bank account,  etc. I do however have a credit card with my main bank. I rarely use it, but when I do I always pay it back in FULL at required time. Will I have been charged PPI on it?

[KenONeill]

On 2/16/2018 at 21:34, VWD said:

Ken- grossly OT, but since I notice you use XP, have you installed KB4012598 ?

What makes you think that my signature is accurate, rather than a snark at people who felt it necessary to tell us that they used Tapatalk?

[Ttaskmaster]

1 hour ago, KenONeill said:

What makes you think that my signature is accurate, rather than a snark at people who felt it necessary to tell us that they used Tapatalk?

What makes you think people using Tapatalk or iPhones actually chose those signatures? They're like that by default.

[Jim H]

On 17/02/2018 at 20:24, Jim H said:

I have a serious question. I get phone calls about PPI claims, if I answer them, I explain I have never had a mortgage, loan, store card,  finance, premium bank account,  etc. I do however have a credit card with my main bank. I rarely use it, but when I do I always pay it back in FULL at required time. Will I have been charged PPI on it?

 

To answer my question. I have never seen anything on my Staements about PPI or been charged anything extra. I've been looking though my documents and found a letter that on my application that stated, it was unclear if I wanted PPI, they did not want to sell me a product I didn't want so PPI and 'Sentinal' is NOT going to be added. I have even found the envelope for my first Credit card and it states if PPI was taken, the Certificate would be enclosed, of course nothing found.

Edited 21 February, 2018 by Jim H

[MickA]

I had a new type of call yesterday, industrial hearing loss. She went on to tell me I registered for an hearing check up but have noticed I haven't had one recently....I never did register. She said I did because I work indoors in a noisy environment, I said I didn't register and I work outdoors (I'm retired really) She then went on to ask me if I required a free hearing test and can she have a few more details off me for her records. I'm not buying that trick I told her, she said what's that, gleaning info off me for future use, goodbye.

 

What made me smile, her volume was that high she nearly deafened me, I had to hold the phone around six inches from my ear, very piercing, my missus across the room said do she thinks you're deaf?

Edited 21 February, 2018 by MickA

[Ttaskmaster]

My new favourite is Sheila Hunt.

Someone has 'made up' my number thinking it's a non-existent version of their own, and given it to a load of marketing companies. So I regularly get calls asking for Mrs Sheila Hunt, but it's just the usual PPI and financial guff.

I always explain that I'm her husband Mike and that we can't talk right now, but if they'd like to call me back in just a few minutes we'll have all the time in the world.

 

Recently, people have actually started bothering to call me back and I always put it on speaker.... in the office...  Heh heh heh!!!

"Yes, I'd like to speak to Mike Hunt, please....."

 

Childish, I know, but it brightens everyone up!!

[Breezy_Pete]

Should've gone with Isaac...

[Aspman]

I'm getting annoyed at them now.

 

they're so touchy these phone scammer it's getting really hard to keep them on the phone to get a laugh. How do they con anyone if they will keep hanging up?

 

I've got some really good ideas now but they won't stay to talk

[VWD]

Aspman- time for a new tactic- "Do you realise that under a new law, the caller is responsible for ensuring that the called number is not on the TPS "do not call " list, and that any breach will render the  caller personally responsible for committing a crime, punishable by a fine of up to £5k under the data protection act, unless the caller acts to remove the called number from any and all databases the company might use".  Works a treat.

[Aspman]

They'd have hung up before I got that out.

 

Maybe I shouldn't start the conversation "hang on my thong is caught in the dogs collar".

[MickA]

Don't be too hasty in having a go, I nearly did and it could have cost me, well not getting a good deal.

Admiral insurance rang me, I'd done the compare sites for prices but I always put do not contact me by phone, letter etc etc as a default. Why Admiral had got through I don't know, although I had been in contact with them around 18 months previously, maybe they some sort of record of that??

Anyways it went that they wanted to "quote me happy" (yes I know wrong company) but I let them ring me back at a more convenient time the following day but told them it had better be worth my time. Sure enough they gave me a deal I couldn't turn down for both cars insured and home cover, saving nearly £170 on my then up and coming renewal prices.