Cold Callers

The Telephone Preference Service is pretty good for UK based callers, but unfortunately can do little about the ones that come in from "International" sources. Very frustrating! Will gladly take any advice on those.

Regards

Nic

Make sure you're ex-directory, it helps a bit, but some will still get through. If it is a salesman calling then I ask them to hold the line and play them some Napalm Death while I do something for 20 minutes or so - they are usually gone by the time I get back.

I used to tell them that 'I would love to talk to you about kitchens/bathrooms/double glazing/car insurance just let me have your home number and I will call you when you get home after a hard days work at the office'. They hang up pretty quickly after that.

I'll try and remember that response if I ever receive another cold call. Far less aggressive than my usual effort.

Tony

I've been tempted, a few times, to trot out once more the reply I gave to one, when the phone rang just as we were on the point of going out, namely:

'You'll have to excuse me -- I'm just heading off to my mother's funeral.'

That did shut them up pretty fast. Happened to be true, of course.

quote:

Originally posted by nicnaim:
The Telephone Preference Service is pretty good for UK based callers, but unfortunately can do little about the ones that come in from "International" sources. Very frustrating! Will gladly take any advice on those.

Regards

Nic

Around Leeds the local companies ignore it. Do they have any teeth to back up their list. Can they fine companies?

I have just been told by my partner that if you just leave the phone off the line they can not end the call, they are still paying for it, and they probably can not make other calls using that line. I suspect on multiple lines they can still call out, but will still have one line down.

I must check up on this.

If you leave your phone off and they clear down as they control the call, it will clear the call leaving your phone "off the hook".

All that happens then is your phone line is out of use and eventually will be timed out and a howler applied to your line to make you replace your handset.

If you make a call and leave it up after the called party clears a similar process happens.

Unless they have changed things that much in the last 6 years or so.

Some countries incl USA I think, have first party clear, which is self explanatory.

I try not to be too abusive to the poor sod actually doing the ringing - after all, it's just a job (although he may be on commission of course). My usual approach is just to hang up, but the temptation to lash out is very strong after you receive the 3rd such call in the day - usually when you're in the "reading room".

Our new Samsung chordless phone system flags up on the display when it's an international call and as Mr Obama tends to E-mail me for advice these days I'm pretty confident it's a cold call so I don't answer it.

Probably because I was a company director I receive lots of calls from the USA, usually around lunchtime, asking for "Anthhhhony" (no one calls me Anthony)and wanting me to invest in a cast-iron business opportunity...

In my case, the castiron proof of nuisance call is when they ask for "Mr John".

Just had a call from Santander Bank (Abbey as was) asking if I would participate in a telephone customer survey which would "only take 3-4 minutes"

"Of course", I replied, but I warned the caller that my experience with Santander would not reflect well on them. The caller immediately put the phone down.

Jamie,

Yes, the the TPS are pretty good at following these things up, if you report them. Double glazing companies are the worst, but do not enjoy having their collars felt.

Regards

Nic

quote:

Originally posted by JamieL_v2:

quote:

Originally posted by nicnaim:
The Telephone Preference Service is pretty good for UK based callers, but unfortunately can do little about the ones that come in from "International" sources. Very frustrating! Will gladly take any advice on those.

Regards

Nic

Around Leeds the local companies ignore it. Do they have any teeth to back up their list. Can they fine companies?

I have just been told by my partner that if you just leave the phone off the line they can not end the call, they are still paying for it, and they probably can not make other calls using that line. I suspect on multiple lines they can still call out, but will still have one line down.

I must check up on this.

Our phone flags up all numbers so we chose what to answer calls wise and this way we very seldom ever get caught out.

I once received a cold call from my UK bank (Barclays). She started by enquiring as to whether I would mind answering a few "security questions" to establish my identity. I of course responded by pointing out that it was she who called me, and that if anyone should be concerned about counter-party identity it should be me! I said I was NOT prepared to give up personal details to an unsolicited caller (her). She replied that the thing she had to tell me wasn't that sensitive anyway.

FYI, she wanted to advise me that they would collecting tax on the interest they were paying on my savings account. As the interest only amounted to about 5p per year anyway, I encouraged her to "tax away"!

Dungassin,

I was plagued by these 'people' along with silent calls. I know use a call handling gizmo from TrueCall (google it but buy from Amazon)

I think it's brilliant.

quote:

If it is a salesman calling then I ask them to hold the line and play them some Napalm Death while I do something for 20 minutes or so - they are usually gone by the time I get back.

NICE!!!!!!!!! i've done the same but without the music. But I like to check back in every five minutes or so
"I cant find my wallet, just a sec while I run out to my car"
5 minutes later... "Just a sec, I think its in my other car"
5 minutes later... "What are you selling again...? Oh auto windshield replacement??? Sorry, I dont have one...."

Old Napalm Death is money btw......

Winky I got that once too. A cold call from my bank asking me to verify confidential info and I politely refused. Totally ludicrous.

However as someone who had to do some of of this crap in an effort to earn a living after being made redundant many years ago I'd ask that you be polite but firm. No more than that. The caller is almost certainly feeling much shittier about calling you than you are as he or she is only trying to earn a crust. My usual answer is, "No thank you", "We have one already", or something similar, followed by, "But good luck anyway". No need to be rude as you have control of the call and can simply hang up if there's any argument.

quote:

Originally posted by TomK:

However as someone who had to do some of of this crap in an effort to earn a living after being made redundant many years ago I'd ask that you be polite but firm. No more than that. The caller is almost certainly feeling much shittier about calling you than you are as he or she is only trying to earn a crust. My usual answer is, "No thank you", "We have one already", or something similar, followed by, "But good luck anyway". No need to be rude as you have control of the call and can simply hang up if there's any argument.

Yes. I feel for the people who have the job. Presumably not a preferred career for most.

Agreed, it's a lousy job and I really can't see any point in being rude. Anyway, for those who think they've come up with some really clever coutermeasure, chances are these folks have heard it and are anyway pretty immune to whatever you happen to throw at them.

Ah the joys of living in a foreign country that speaks an almost unpronouncable language ( which I understand butcannot really speak at all well.)

They call, they start the spiel, I say do you speak english, there is a long pause followed most often by hang up...

Some brave souls do switch to english which I must say I admire them for....but sometimes its pointless. I had a very nice sounding young lady trying to sell me a subscription to a local daily newspaper, talking up a storm in excellent english. I had to stop her with the question ...'do you think someone who doesn't speak dutch would want a subscription to a dutch paper?'... embarassed laugh at the other end of the line followed by 'sorry, good evening' and hang up.

Geoff

If you have kids---and what kid can resist picking up a phone?---train them to screen calls as part of their phone privileges. An intelligent six-year-old can spot a solicitation. Learning how to say "No thank you" to adults is valuable stuff.

http://www.xs4all.nl/~egbg/counterscript.html

Don't know if we are allowed to add links now - but I ilke this defence approach if you have time for some sport.

Why on earth bother? Does anybody here seriously think any of this so called smart stuff is going to have the slightest effect on the people calling you apart from reminding them of the appalling depths to which their lives have sunk? They've heard all the smart arse replies before and have been trained to counter the arguments. If they don't persist, and most don't, they'll be disciplined, and quickly lose their job. A polite "No thank you" is all that's required.

God forbid any of the folk on this board should have to do something like this to support their families.

Totally disagree with the bleeding heart liberals on here. Any cold calling scumbag that phones me gets both barrels as profane as I can be. I don't care about them or their crappy job. They trespass on me and my time and they get short shrift.