Nuisance Calls Claiming to be BT

Mike-B , I used to get the same claiming that they were from Microsoft and I had a fault with my computer that they needed to connect into to sort ?? a right pain just use to leave the phone and let them talk away.

When I changed from BT to EE a couple of years ago I asked for a new landline number since then I've probably had three nuisance calls in over two years might not be the answer for you but it certainly worked for me.

I had the same issue Mike-B last week. Like you I added them to BT's blacklist. The majority were from Egypt and Pakistan. It seems to have subsided for now. At times I have strung these deadbeats along for a wind up, but getting five calls a day is tedious. I dont think there is an easy way to stop this but, BT do seem to at least be addressing it now where before all they did was advise you to opt out with the telephone preference service. Since these worms are all located overseas they don't give a stuff about such niceties.

They seem to come in spasms, some from "BT", some from "Windows" et al. Today I got a call from "Jim Morrison" from a generic Online Support Desk. 

Imagine how thrilled and privileged I felt!

Mike - increasingly with international SIP based telephony - this sort of spam is getting harder to block - as said above telephone preference services are not observed by these outlaws. BT does offer a DECT phone that intercepts calls coming in from withheld and unrecognised numbers not meeting your requirements and invites the caller to leave a message and a return number without ringing your phone  - so you can call them back if it is genuine and worthy. I understand these are incredibly effective as most outlaws don't leave a message or have a valid return number (i.e. they spoof presentation number on SIP call). Just want something similar on my mobile now... thats where I get most of my spam calls now and that is intrusive...

S

When we moved house, BT couldn't connect us for three weeks. Long story cut short, we now have an internet phone, not from BT, with a non-geographical number. Hey presto, no nuisance calls at all since we moved here at the beginning of October. 

Drastic, but effective.  

Simon,  I'm aware of the availability of call withhold feature, a relative has one.   I've thought about it,  but my three existing phones are only 2 years old & not due for replacement yet.  But if this problem persists I might be re-tempted. 

Tony - I am afraid spam calls are nothing to do with geographic numbers or non geographic numbers - if that number is written down somewhere - sooner or later it will end up on a list. I definitely see spam on 033 non geographic SIP phones as well... and they are hard to trace in the network unless you see a traffic spike in the core from an unusual origination...  and depending on who offers the services inappropriate use can be even easier to undertake and harder to trace than using traditional telephony

Mike my DECT phones are due for replacement - and I will be getting these... - just wish there was an app on AppStore that would do the same on my iPhone........ if anyone knows of one please shout.... I'd even pay good money for it...

I do one of three things:

Blow a whistle (Acme Thunderer) into the earpiece as loud and as long as I can.

Tell them that my wife deals with all these matters and ask if they want to speak to her (they always say yes), then leave the phone in a drawer or if the TV is on next to the speaker for 15 minutes or so before hanging up.

If I have time and I have nothing better to do with myself I make out that I am a complete and utter moron when it comes to IT and computers and ask that they are patient with me as I try to locate the various keys on the keyboard.  When it comes round to the banking details I tell them that I lost my cheque book but it is in the house somewhere which has all my details written in the inside cover and I also have the power of attorney for my Father in Law who has accounts in the Cayman Islands and Switzerland.  I ask them to be really patient with me if I give them the wrong details and they end up with my Father in Law's bank details.  Sad, I know.

If in my dealings with BT tech support or Microsoft Tech support I do not get threatened with losing my internet connection then I have failed in wasting the spammer's time.  I usually play then along to find out what tool they want to use to get access.

An accurate answer to what is on the key cap at the bottom left side of my keyboard is given - again this causes puzzlement to to the MS centric time waster.