Cold Callers

Posted by: Char Wallah on 25 June 2014

F###! How many do you receive during the day? We lose count here. What are they trying to sell you? It's new boilers with us, over and over again; and for some variation we get a numpty asking us to answer survey questions.

Just had one, picked up the phone, recorded message, pressed two to speak to someone, and asked if they would please stop phoning. She assured me that we would be taken off their system.... two minutes later.... btw we are on the Telephone Preference System. BT do do something for nuisance calls, but involves extra on your bill. W##k.

Posted on: 25 June 2014 by Dungassin

SWMBO bought a thingy called a Call Blocker from BT. Cost £40 IIRC. Basically after you've connected it up (read the little photocopied sheet, rather than the manual, which gets the installation instructions wrong!), when someone calls, the phone gives one ring, then the call goes to the Blocker, which tells the caller to press 5 if they really want to get through. If they do this, then only the phone connected to the Blocker rings (none of your extension phones will ring, alas)

It's mode of operation can be a little annoying, but I haven't answered any nuisance cold callers since I installed it. Just remember not to pick up your phone on the first ring!

Telephone Preference service doesn't work very well, IMO, as most cold callers are either from abroad, or just plain ignore their recommendations.

Posted on: 25 June 2014 by Paper Plane

Just let it go to the answerphone first and then decide if they're worth talking to?

steve

Posted on: 26 June 2014 by elkman70

When you get a call say you are registered with TPS, and the cold caller will knock you off their list.

If they don't and you get another call, report them to TPS through the website.

We found we had to do this about 4 or 5 times and now we don't get any cold calls.

Regards,

Nick

Posted on: 30 June 2014 by TomK

TPS isn't infallible. Some appear to ignore it or claim that they're not actually selling anything. Firm but polite is my approach.

Posted on: 01 July 2014 by trickydickie

I appear to be interested and ask them to tell me all about it. I then quietly put the phone down but off the hook and return to what I was doing. They then talk on, very pleased that they have an interested customer. Then 5 mins later I return and hang up.

Saves getting stressed over it and always makes me smile!

TPS is pretty effective though but there are still some runts that try it on.

Richard

Posted on: 01 July 2014 by Derek Wright

I like playing along with the people from Microsoft Technical Support telling me that my computer is faulty.

After a while they disconnect when they realise I am not using the software they want me to run.

However recently they have started to want me to download a multi platform desktop sharing tool, so one has to be careful to know when yto ignore their requests.

Posted on: 01 July 2014 by J.N.

A friend of mine politely says "Can you hold on a minute please; I have to switch off the cooker and I'll be right back".

Then leaves the call connected and walks away, leaving their phone line bunged-up. They soon get pissed off and disconnect.

John.