Unwanted phone calls Options

[VH2]

I think a lot of us find it difficult to just hang up, but after the first couple of times it gets easier. I would like to waste the time of these people, but I have better things to do with my own time.

Just letting all calls go through to your answer phone (I mean a local one, not an answer-phone service provided by the phone company) is a practical solution. If you recognize a friend's voice, or a company that you really want to talk to you can pick up right away.

[Floss]

I was getting a lot of nuisance calls on my mobile a couple of months ago - possibly 10 a day! I ignored them most of the time, but the one time I did actually answer I was very nearly scammed out of a considerable amount of money before I realised the caller couldn't be my bank (stupid, I know...). (IMG:style_emoticons/default/mad.gif)

I registered my mobile number with TPS and have had considerably fewer calls. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[Tortellini]

I have registered with the Italian version of TPS but most of the calls come through anyway. One phone company calls everyday to ask if we want to switch to their service. I have even told them that we would never switch because they are so annoying and ignore our requests not to be called - they call anyway. What really annoys me, and perhaps this is an Italian thing, is people phoning to say they have heard our house is on the market (it isn't). Sometimes they even ring the doorbell or stop me in the street to ask this! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/mad.gif)

Do you also get those automatic advertisements that start as soon as you answer the phone? They are particularly annoying as they go on for ages and even if you put the phone down you can't cut them off - really frustrating if you want to make an outgoing call.

[Swell Box]

My previous flat's phone number was one digit off the local takeaway. I used to just not bother to answer, after a while, as anyone who really needed me used my mobile and the landline was only for internet.

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.

Now; what would the tax man say if I dialled the wrong number when filling in my tax return? Or indeed, what would PC Plod say if I accidently dialled the wrong number into my Cruise Control? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif)

(Oops. Sorry officer. I must have put an extra '1' in by mistake. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) )

SB

[Hedgehog]

My previous flat's phone number was one digit off the local takeaway. I used to just not bother to answer, after a while, as anyone who really needed me used my mobile and the landline was only for internet.

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.

Now; what would the tax man say if I dialled the wrong number when filling in my tax return? Or indeed, what would PC Plod say if I accidently dialled the wrong number into my Cruise Control? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif)

(Oops. Sorry officer. I must have put an extra '1' in by mistake. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) )

SB

A well known local department store has the same number bar one digit as the local hospital. We used to get quite a few calls for the hospital when I worked in the store - when the switchboard couldn't work out which department the caller wanted they used to put them through to "Personnel" which is where I worked.

However, now I find it quite useful (having an aged parent prone to needing to go to hospital), because I know the hospital number automatically and don't need to look it up!!

[BadStrad]

I only answer the Number unavailable calls as a couple of friends use skype to call (they live abroad). I think I'll be asking them to text first or some thing in future as I had a really nasty one of these calls yesterday. When the caller asked for me I asked "Who's calling?" After several rounds of this where I asked the same question (politely) he told me "It's the guy who's gonna xxxx you, "female dog."

I was really shaken, as you can imagine. Still feeling a little upset.

[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.

[Tortellini]

I only answer the Number unavailable calls as a couple of friends use skype to call (they live abroad). I think I'll be asking them to text first or some thing in future as I had a really nasty one of these calls yesterday. When the caller asked for me I asked "Who's calling?" After several rounds of this where I asked the same question (politely) he told me "It's the guy who's gonna xxxx you, "female dog."

I was really shaken, as you can imagine. Still feeling a little upset.

Badstrad (IMG:style_emoticons/default/grouphug.gif)

What a pathetic individual! Just think what an idiot he was for having the "courage" to try and frighten someone over the safety of a telephone line. I have also had calls like that in the past so I can really sympathise but remember it's not personal - he's just an idiot. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/mad.gif)

[Crotchetymum]

I only answer the Number unavailable calls as a couple of friends use skype to call (they live abroad). I think I'll be asking them to text first or some thing in future as I had a really nasty one of these calls yesterday. When the caller asked for me I asked "Who's calling?" After several rounds of this where I asked the same question (politely) he told me "It's the guy who's gonna xxxx you, "female dog."

I was really shaken, as you can imagine. Still feeling a little upset.

Badstrad (IMG:style_emoticons/default/grouphug.gif)

What a pathetic individual! Just think what an idiot he was for having the "courage" to try and frighten someone over the safety of a telephone line. I have also had calls like that in the past so I can really sympathise but remember it's not personal - he's just an idiot. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/mad.gif)

Hear, hear (IMG:style_emoticons/default/mad.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/mad.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/mad.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/grouphug.gif)

[VH2]

I only answer the Number unavailable calls as a couple of friends use skype to call (they live abroad). I think I'll be asking them to text first or some thing in future as I had a really nasty one of these calls yesterday. When the caller asked for me I asked "Who's calling?" After several rounds of this where I asked the same question (politely) he told me "It's the guy who's gonna xxxx you, "female dog."

I was really shaken, as you can imagine. Still feeling a little upset.

Badstrad (IMG:style_emoticons/default/grouphug.gif)

What a pathetic individual! Just think what an idiot he was for having the "courage" to try and frighten someone over the safety of a telephone line. I have also had calls like that in the past so I can really sympathise but remember it's not personal - he's just an idiot. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/mad.gif)

I think I might have arranged a meeting with him, then sent my very big, muscular, brother, and a few of his friends, in my place.

[bassoonista]

Apparently, when the calls come from abroad, they usually call by computer a few times first. If you answer the phone, they then know when you are available, and a person will call back at the same time on another day. The computer calls are the ones which you answer to silence, followed by the dial tone. I was told that if you get that, press the hash key several times, which will throw your number out of the dialling computers memory. I don't know how true that is, but I always do it, and I no longer get as many of those calls.

[owainsutton]

Apparently, when the calls come from abroad, they usually call by computer a few times first. If you answer the phone, they then know when you are available, and a person will call back at the same time on another day. The computer calls are the ones which you answer to silence, followed by the dial tone. I was told that if you get that, press the hash key several times, which will throw your number out of the dialling computers memory. I don't know how true that is, but I always do it, and I no longer get as many of those calls.

That's not the cause of the silent calls - it's the computer failing to connect you to a free operator (it's a waste of time, i.e. money, for operators to sit listening to ringing tones hundreds of times a day). http://consumers.ofcom.org.uk/2010/03/sile...-million-fines/

[Deborah]

However, if I do receive one, I usually say something like "Welcome to Swell Box Limited; your call is important to us. For sales press one; for technical service press two, etc". They usually hang up before I get to "for Accounts press five". (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

In a previous incarnation I recorded the automated scripts for my then employer. When I phoned through to other departments hearing myself apologise to me for being held in a queue was one weird experience!

we had a visit from the Jehovah's Witnesses one Sunday lunchtime shortly after we had come home from church.

Their opening line was "when did you last read your Bible?" I looked at may watch, and said "oh, about an hour ago; I'm on the Reader's rota". For once they couldn't think of anything to say (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/rofl.gif) Well done, SB!

Also the ones about the government grants available for loft and cavity wall insulation.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/mad.gif) I get plenty of those, usually for solar panels - including one whilst I was reading this thread! Usual response to this is "My in-laws had solar panels fitted recently, and have calculated that it'll take 25 years for them to recover the costs, so no, I am most definitely not interested".

I get calls about claiming for my recent accident (which I didn't have).

jo.clarinet, barry-clari, CJB - last Carousel rehearsal? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rofl.gif)

[Tenor Viol]

I only answer the Number unavailable calls as a couple of friends use skype to call (they live abroad). I think I'll be asking them to text first or some thing in future as I had a really nasty one of these calls yesterday. When the caller asked for me I asked "Who's calling?" After several rounds of this where I asked the same question (politely) he told me "It's the guy who's gonna xxxx you, "female dog."

I was really shaken, as you can imagine. Still feeling a little upset.

Unacceptable - report it. Harrassment is a criminal offence whereas unwanted phone calls per se are not.

[CJB]

jo.clarinet, barry-clari, CJB - last Carousel rehearsal? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rofl.gif)

The memory still reduces me to giggles!