Unwanted phone calls Options

[Barry Toner]

My usual response is to sound really angry and say: "Are you calling from outside the UK? If not, you have just committed a criminal offense - goodbye!". My family now know the anger is faked, the sons used to get upset it sounded so good!

[maggiemay]

I don't find that quoting MPS, or number being ex-directory cuts any ice. Some claim that the numbers are computer- generated, which means they can't do anything about it / aren't breaking any law etc etc. I don't believe that exempts them, but obviously they don't recognise these things or they wouldn't be calling you / me.

What I've found much more effective is pretending I think they've called up to book a music lesson. It also amuses the rest of the household. Telling them they've come through to a business number has gained an apology a couple of times recently. Worth a try.

Another nuisance I 've experienced this year was getting conference calls in error - one afternoon from 5 or 6 different people in quick succession. Clearly my number had been given to someone by mistake - but that went on for several weeks.

[Barry Toner]

I don't find that quoting MPS, or number being ex-directory cuts any ice. Some claim that the numbers are computer- generated, which means they can't do anything about it / aren't breaking any law etc etc. I don't believe that exempts them, but obviously they don't recognise these things or they wouldn't be calling you / me.

Not true at all. UK based call centres have to check numbers against TPS and will get fined for offences. Son#1 had a gap year job in an insurance company that cold called people in the UK to try to get them to buy health insurance. He worked in IT, which had the responsibility for ensuring that their systems were adequate and used up-to-date data.

[Swell Box]

Our office fax number is the same as the fax number of our local GP surgery, with only a '2' and '5' transposed.

We are forever receiving faxes from various hospitals with confidential medical reports about people we may know, and even post mortem reports. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)

I usually take the faxes into the surgery and hand them over to the Practice Manager, but there seems to be little they can do.

I have complained to the hospitals concerned, but the response is usually along the lines of 'so what; somebody dialled a wrong number; anybody can do that; what do you want us to do about it?' They really don't seem to care.

Next time, post them to the Information Commissioner's Office insead. And maybe a copy a newspaper into it, too.

Thank you. I shall try that. However, I'm not sure whether I would be acting unlawfully by passing the faxes on to another party?

What worries me more is that I am after away for several days at a time, so if a medial report is urgent, it could be sitting on my fax machine for a week or more whilst an anxious patient is waiting for it.

SB

[owainsutton]

Our office fax number is the same as the fax number of our local GP surgery, with only a '2' and '5' transposed.

We are forever receiving faxes from various hospitals with confidential medical reports about people we may know, and even post mortem reports. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)

I usually take the faxes into the surgery and hand them over to the Practice Manager, but there seems to be little they can do.

I have complained to the hospitals concerned, but the response is usually along the lines of 'so what; somebody dialled a wrong number; anybody can do that; what do you want us to do about it?' They really don't seem to care.

Next time, post them to the Information Commissioner's Office insead. And maybe a copy a newspaper into it, too.

Thank you. I shall try that. However, I'm not sure whether I would be acting unlawfully by passing the faxes on to another party?

I can't see how this could be the case - you have no legal duty to protect this personal information, but the sender certainly does.

[soccermom]

Our office fax number is the same as the fax number of our local GP surgery, with only a '2' and '5' transposed.

We are forever receiving faxes from various hospitals with confidential medical reports about people we may know, and even post mortem reports. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)

I usually take the faxes into the surgery and hand them over to the Practice Manager, but there seems to be little they can do.

I have complained to the hospitals concerned, but the response is usually along the lines of 'so what; somebody dialled a wrong number; anybody can do that; what do you want us to do about it?' They really don't seem to care.

Next time, post them to the Information Commissioner's Office insead. And maybe a copy a newspaper into it, too.

Thank you. I shall try that. However, I'm not sure whether I would be acting unlawfully by passing the faxes on to another party?

I can't see how this could be the case - you have no legal duty to protect this personal information, but the sender certainly does.

Whether SB has a legal duty to protect the personal info or not, I'd say he had a moral duty. If it was my personal info being sent to a newspaper, I would be very cross with both the hospital for sending it to the wrong person in the first place and with that person for passing it to someone else. The hospital clearly does have a duty to protect the info and whilst clearly mistakes can happen, they ought to take their responsibilities more seriously.

On a lighter note, my husband had a "I'm phoning about your recent accident" call a while ago. When he said "I haven't had an accident", he was asked "Oh. Do you know anyone who has?"

[wendywoo]

On a lighter note, my husband had a "I'm phoning about your recent accident" call a while ago. When he said "I haven't had an accident", he was asked "Oh. Do you know anyone who has?"

Answer "You, if you call me again" (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

[owainsutton]

Whether SB has a legal duty to protect the personal info or not, I'd say he had a moral duty. If it was my personal info being sent to a newspaper, I would be very cross with both the hospital for sending it to the wrong person in the first place and with that person for passing it to someone else. The hospital clearly does have a duty to protect the info and whilst clearly mistakes can happen, they ought to take their responsibilities more seriously.

Note that I said copy it to the newspaper - the ICO has the responsibilty for enforcing the Data Protection Act, which had been breached, but publicity of the breach could easily get more people to be aware of their duties. Responsible newspapers wouldn't reveal any personal information if not relevant to the story - look at how the Guardian redacted the Wikileaks diplomatic cables.

[sbhoa]

And there was another one of those 'Please turn on your computer and let me have remote access so that I can steal your personal information' calls.

[JulieMarie]

The main offenders that we receive seem to be people trying to get us to take out loft insulation (of which we have lots), to claim compensation for accidents we haven't had and to get refunds on mis-sold ppi insurance which we never bought in the first place. Some of these come on an automated voice that is impossible to cut off until it has run its course and if you put the phone down and pick it up again to make another call you can't until the voice has stopped. Infuriating!

[corenfa]

The main offenders that we receive seem to be people trying to get us to take out loft insulation (of which we have lots), to claim compensation for accidents we haven't had and to get refunds on mis-sold ppi insurance which we never bought in the first place. Some of these come on an automated voice that is impossible to cut off until it has run its course and if you put the phone down and pick it up again to make another call you can't until the voice has stopped. Infuriating!

The way I got around those was to unplug the phone at the wall and plug it in again. annoying but it worked.