Nuisance calls

[cookie_monster]

Evening all, I'm wondering if anyone else has had a similar issue to me. I've recently started getting calls on my mobile from an unknown number. I've never really had a problem with this number even though I've had the number for 11 years ( I get it on my landline even though TPS registered). I haven't actually answered any of the calls and they haven't left a message so I assume it's just a sales/charity etc call. I decided to google the number as it actually appears on the display and there's quite a few people moaning about it.

 

The interesting part though is one person was saying that these calls started after signing up to Sky TV, I've recently signed up to Sky and now I get these calls. Has anyone else had a similar issue?

 

 

The number is 02076197597

[MordyT]

Depending on your phone you can probably just send it to voicemail without ringing the phone even.

[cookie_monster]

Yeh I'm going to do that I'm just trying to work out if Sky have immediately sold on my details as I'll be really unhappy if they have.

[elsiegee40]

This suggests it's people "calling for charity" 02076197597 Read this if had calls from 02076197597

 

Report the number to the TPS

[Rawns]

Who Called Me? is your friend.

 

Pop in a number and in most cases, other people have put it up there with details who the call was from.

 

For your specific number: http://whocallsme.com/Phone-Number.aspx/02076197597 - A lot of people on here say it started happening when they started giving to charity, oir people who donated via text to the 7**** numbers.

Edited February 11, 2013 by Rawns

[Geoff]

Tons of activity on WhoCallsMe for this number. Looks like a call centre working on behalf of charities ringing their existing donators and asking for an increase in the donation.

 

http://whocallsme.com/Phone-Number.aspx/02076197597

 

As more general advice, I'd suggest not using your landline at all Or if you 'need' it then use a TrueCall box (requires unknown/international/non-whitelist callers to press a key to prove they are human before they get put through to you)..

 

http://www.amazon.co.uk/TrueCall-The-Nuisance-Call-Blocker/dp/B002GP7HQM

 

If you want to be slightly more evil, sign up for a profit sharing number with a redirect service. Most call centres will screen out these number ranges automatically (because they cost so much to call) and you'll make a nice tidy sum from those that don't)

Edited February 11, 2013 by Geoff

[Rawns]

As more general advice, I'd suggest not using your landline at all Or if you 'need' it then use a TrueCall box (requires unknown/international/non-whitelist callers to press a key to prove they are human before they get put through to you)..

 

http://www.amazon.co.uk/TrueCall-The-Nuisance-Call-Blocker/dp/B002GP7HQM

 

For £95 quid, I'd rather just pick up and hang up!!!

Edited February 11, 2013 by Rawns

[Sdrawkcab]

This suggests it's people "calling for charity" 02076197597 Read this if had calls from 02076197597

 

Report the number to the TPS

 

You can't stop charity phone grifters from calling you with TPS unfortunately At some point or another you've probably made a donation to charity and haven't ticked the "please don't call me again ever" box, which gives them enough of an invitation that they can ignore TPS and continue merrily harrasing you forever. They'll keep asking you for more and more money until you answer the call and literally say to the agent "Don't ever call me again, remove me from your database." The worst thing is that they're paying people to make these calls - maybe if the charities didn't have paid staff doing this they wouldn't need to harrass people for donations so much?

[Geoff]

Like I said, it depends if you need your land line phone connected. I certainly don't. So the cost of calling a mobile is a sufficient barrier to stop a lot of nusience phone calls.

[pcstru]

Why pay out £95 when you could rake it in instead! saynotocoldcalls.com Home Page.

[elsiegee40]

Why pay out £95 when you could rake it in instead! saynotocoldcalls.com Home Page.

I actually did that with a double glazing company many years ago. I didn't take it as far as the small claims court as the invoice was sufficient to stop the calls.

[AMLinington]

I actually did that with a double glazing company many years ago. I didn't take it as far as the small claims court as the invoice was sufficient to stop the calls.

 

May parents had HUGE problems with 'Bowater Zenith' a few years back - it go so bad we ended up sending them a solicitors letter although I think the idea about informing them they will be invoiced for your time is GENIUS, the only problem is proving it...

[Geoff]

Well as I said, a profit sharing number is sufficient to make this work.

[HaleStorm]

May parents had HUGE problems with 'Bowater Zenith' a few years back - it go so bad we ended up sending them a solicitors letter although I think the idea about informing them they will be invoiced for your time is GENIUS, the only problem is proving it...

 

Thats where recording the call comes in, if you record the call when you tell them any further calls will be £10 an hour for your time and they tell you the company name, they then call you again and its recorded and they say the same company name again that is sufficient evidence, well as far as I can fathom it anyway

[pcstru]

Thats where recording the call comes in, if you record the call when you tell them any further calls will be £10 an hour for your time and they tell you the company name, they then call you again and its recorded and they say the same company name again that is sufficient evidence, well as far as I can fathom it anyway

 

It's £10 a minute, £600 per hour! While recording the call will be good evidence (and if you can do it, you should), it is not strictly speaking necessary. At a minimum keep a note of the time, date, duration and a short note of the content of the call. Logs from phone companies can be pulled by a court order if necessary and the bill for doing that can be added to the costs. The threat should be enough to a) get them to desist with the calls (which is the main aim) and b) actually get them to cough up (there is now precedent so they would be ill advised to go to court (court orders against companies have a very bad effect on credit ratings etc)).

[Miscbrah]

The worst thing is that they're paying people to make these calls - maybe if the charities didn't have paid staff doing this they wouldn't need to harrass people for donations so much?

 

Well, truth is even worse - they (if not nowadays, definitely used to) 'rent' telecanvassers from other companies who would have callcentres for hire. It costs SO MUCH they'd not even really break even until about the third campaign-ish of about a month each.

 

I used to work for one in ICT dept. Dark days.

[SpuffMonkey]

Yeh I'm going to do that I'm just trying to work out if Sky have immediately sold on my details as I'll be really unhappy if they have.

 

Funny you should say this - I've started getting nuisance calls on my mobile - I kept the number just for family only for years - but just before Xmas I had to give it out to Sky support when I was fixing a problem that my Dad had with his router and phone - since then I have had loads of cold calls (double glazing, roof insulation & PPI reclaims mainly) - I'm pretty sure Sky have sold on my number and I certainly didn't give them the OK - not happy!

[Sdrawkcab]

Well, truth is even worse - they (if not nowadays, definitely used to) 'rent' telecanvassers from other companies who would have callcentres for hire. It costs SO MUCH they'd not even really break even until about the third campaign-ish of about a month each.

 

I used to work for one in ICT dept. Dark days.

 

Haha, I was one of the poor sods who had to make the phonecall! I didn't really know what I would be doing until I turned up as they weren't amazingly specific in the interview. When I found out I would be harassing old ladies on behalf of Christian Aid, I left the job sharpish! Absolutely disgusting behaviour and it's made me wary of giving any money to charity now, since pretty much all of the major ones use tactics like this.

 

Was it P&B that you worked for or another group?

[Miscbrah]

Different one. Small, aggressive, unpleasant, independent local one.