Unsolicited phone calls

Darren

Darren

Well-Known Forumite
Hi i thought i would post this up as a warning, over the last two weeks i have had calls from supposedly Microsoft claiming my pc is broken and at risk of viruses, this is a common scam so anyone getting these calls please don't act on what they are telling you, i have also had two calls today alone from someone saying they are from BT and telling me i have an internet problem, they then want me to open Run on my pc it is at this point i tell them to feck off, again don't listen to it and don't trust it, if you really are having problems with Bt it is best to ask them to give you a case number and to then ring BT using the official fault number certainly don't run anything on your pc that they might tell you to run.
You can add your home phone and mobile number to the Telephone Preference agency it is free, it will take about a month before such calls decline but it isn't a 100% deterrent, the link is below
http://www.tpsonline.org.uk/tps/index.html

I rang Virgin and i have had unknown numbers blocked on my phone and caller ID added top my phone package but if you do this you will need to remember to change numbers to maybe your mobile with your doctors and places like that if they use unknown numbers, I bet lots of people on here have more cases like this.
 
jacs

jacs

Well-Known Forumite
My FIL had one the other day. The only reason he didn't give them all his details and passwords is because he couldn't understand the person he was talking to.

There's also a lot of calls claiming they're from an insurance company and that you've been in a car accident.
 
Darren

Darren

Well-Known Forumite
Hi Jacs i live by the rule that if i need PPI or accident lawyers, broken internet fixing and so, on ill ring them so by that rule anyone who rings me i tell to feck .
off.
 
Studio Tan

Studio Tan

Well-Known Forumite
I suppose donning a pair of ear defenders and delivering an acoustic shock down the phone with an air horn would be considered unsporting (?)

Something I've noticed gaining in popularity is (typically) a double glazing scam along the lines of "Do you need any new windows / doors if so you could qualify for a grant" This seems to imply that it's a government / local authority backed scheme - except it isn't. The salesman will visit and give you a price for the job of say £7,000 and then add, "But with the 'grant' that comes down to just £4,000" (the actual price the job is worth).
 
kyoto49

kyoto49

Well-Known Forumite
Getting rid of my landline solved this problem for me! Add that to only answering my mobile if the person is known to me and I'm not harrassed by unsolicited callers any more. Anyone who I don't know but who needs to speak to me will leave a voicemail is how I figure it. Recommend this two pronged approach for a nice quiet life!!
 
Jonah

Jonah

Spouting nonsense since the day I learned to talk
TPS is a waste of time. I still get spam calls on my landline despite it being registered with them.
 
Gramaisc

Gramaisc

Forum O. G.
Jonah said:
TPS is a waste of time. I still get spam calls on my landline despite it being registered with them.
Click to expand...
I had a spate years ago - registered with them and got very few after. This year, so far, I have had one. The bloke* claimed that "we operate outside the TPS". When I reported it to them, they agreed with my assessment that this was not the case. It can be useful to string the callers along a little bit, so that you can get the necessary details to make a complaint.

*The mob he was working for, confirmed by the number and the information I got from him, were already subject to action from the Information Commisioner's Office.

Registering will do no harm and it will reduce the number of calls - legitimate callers, who may well phone you if you are unregistered, will not. Any unsolicited calls will be from dodgy or incompetent people, by definition.
 
Noah

Noah

Well-Known Forumite
John Marwood said:
I love the fake busy office background noise that home callers switch on. So convincing :rofl:
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There is a genuine Barclays Bank line which frequently gives you busy office noises if you answer it. Occasionally you get someone with a Glaswegian accent who immediately asks you account security questions such as the last four digits of your account number and the last two letters of your mothers maiden name. The very few people who have gone past this point are then offered advice about their account and offered additional bank services. Clearly Barclays are in considerable need of advice themselves. If you wish to join the considerable part of the population who have blocked the number it is 0800 085 2652.
 
John Marwood

John Marwood

I ♥ cryptic crosswords
Noah said:
There is a genuine Barclays Bank line which frequently gives you busy office noises if you answer it. Occasionally you get someone with a Glaswegian accent who immediately asks you account security questions such as the last four digits of your account number and the last two letters of your mothers maiden name. The very few people who have gone past this point are then offered advice about their account and offered additional bank services. Clearly Barclays are in considerable need of advice themselves. If you wish to join the considerable part of the population who have blocked the number it is 0800 085 2652.
Click to expand...


There are many people in jobs who simply cannot do them
 
Withnail

Withnail

Well-Known Forumite
I've been registered with the TPS for years, i am still the recipient of many calls of this nature - i suppose the question would be 'how many more' would i be if i weren't?

TBF, depending on my mood, i have had, and still have, many ridiculously enjoyable moments whilst taking these calls, but nowadays i usually knock them on the head by a simple expedient -

Spammer: Is that Mr.Withnail?
Withnail: You must have the wrong number, there's no one of that name here...
Spammer: ... *hangs up*

Darren said:
... i have also had two calls today alone from someone saying they are from BT and telling me i have an internet problem...
Click to expand...

I had one the other day that i thought i'd field for the shitz 'n' gigglez, and it turned out to be a new one - claiming to be from BT they told me my broadband was going to be disconnected. Sadly they gave up on me before i could properly get into a 'flow', so
i don't quite know what they were going to recommend i do about it.

If you have the time, it is worth playing the game of 'who will hang up first' with them - if you hold out long enough they will break character and start hurling abuse at you.

You score 1 pt for a hang up, 2 pts for abuse.
 
John Marwood

John Marwood

I ♥ cryptic crosswords
Withnail said:
I've been registered with the TPS for years, i am still the recipient of many calls of this nature - i suppose the question would be 'how many more' would i be if i weren't?

TBF, depending on my mood, i have had, and still have, many ridiculously enjoyable moments whilst taking these calls, but nowadays i usually knock them on the head by a simple expedient -

Spammer: Is that Mr.Withnail?
Withnail: You must have the wrong number, there's no one of that name here...
Spammer: ... *hangs up*



I had one the other day that i thought i'd field for the shitz 'n' gigglez, and it turned out to be a new one - claiming to be from BT they told me my broadband was going to be disconnected. Sadly they gave up on me before i could properly get into a 'flow', so
i don't quite know what they were going to recommend i do about it.

If you have the time, it is worth playing the game of 'who will hang up first' with them - if you hold out long enough they will break character and start hurling abuse at you.

You score 1 pt for a hang up, 2 pts for abuse.
Click to expand...

If you turn your expensive watch upside down you almost get the time in India
 
Trumpet

Trumpet

Well-Known Forumite
Withnail said:
If you have the time, it is worth playing the game of 'who will hang up first' with them - if you hold out long enough they will break character and start hurling abuse at you.
Click to expand...

When I worked oop north I once kept an insurance salesperson on the line all the way from Salford to round about Stoke-ish. Having convinced him that I had no dependants or family whatsoever he enquired as to what provisions I had made for my dog in the event of my demise.
Made a change from the radio.
 
E

EasMid

Well-Known Forumite
My mum was great with callers. She'd chat all day long with them. Her favourite was double glazing/home improvement companies, she made loads of appointments for reps to call. She lived in a British Legion warden controlled flat :dance: She was great at playing the clueless old biddy when they turned up.
 
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