fly boy3 Posted March 20, 2018 Share Posted March 20, 2018 Had a strange automated call with American accent from talk talk which is my broad band provider. It asked to press 1 to accept and 2 to decline the call. I did neither and put the phone down. Would this be an attempted scam ? Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony F Posted March 20, 2018 Share Posted March 20, 2018 100 percent scam.https://help2.talktalk.co.uk/scam-phone-calls Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon H Posted March 20, 2018 Share Posted March 20, 2018 yea its pretty likely. if i get calls claiming to be from XYZ company i never answer any of their questions and tell whoever it is on the phone that i will contact the company myself as i do not give out personal details over received calls. If you are feeling naughty you could also ask them to prove their identity. That usually gets rid of them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Former Member Posted March 20, 2018 Share Posted March 20, 2018 [This posting has been removed] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Gray Posted March 20, 2018 Share Posted March 20, 2018 We very rarely get such calls but when my wife receives them she has various approaches to them: 1. Asks them to wait for a bit while she sorts out the children, she then leaves the phone and gets on with her life, returning some 20 minutes or so later by which time they're hung up. (Children left home many years ago!) 2. Asks them to wait whilst she connects the auto recording and tracing software, calls usually end at that point. 3. Tells them that there is a very bad line and promptly puts the 'phone in a metal bin and bangs it for several minutes, calls have ended by the time she stops. 4. Starts asking them questions about themselves and their families, and doesn't give them chance to ask any questions, after about 5 minutes they usually make an excuse and hang up. 5. Says that she's just got to put them on hold whilst she answers another call then places the 'phone next to the radio, calls end very quickly. My wife does like a challenge! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cuban8 Posted March 20, 2018 Share Posted March 20, 2018 A so called 'green energy company' have been making a pest of themselves on my land line recently. I Am TPS registered but it seems to not bother them one jot. They use a foreign call centre that withholds its number, and invites you to make contact for further details from a local company. Declining their offer doesn't remove you from their calling list as promised, but you get a repeat call within a week. This went on for half a dozen times. I eventually asked for one of their operatives to contact me and feigning interest, asked for the full contact details of their firm. I thanked them politely and said that I would now be reporting them to the relevant regulating authority, as I was TPS registered and they were breaking the law by cold calling me and that their foreign call centre calls were now harassing me. She claimed that the TPS was no longer in operation and then rang off. No further calls as yet. They're wasting their time anyway, as I make it a rule never ever to do business over the phone or on the doorstep. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Manuel Posted March 20, 2018 Share Posted March 20, 2018 c8 - just tell them that you are going to fetch the home owner to speak to them, then go make a cuppa or something. Keep checking every now and again - eventually your line will become free and you can hang up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuart C Posted March 20, 2018 Share Posted March 20, 2018 Very persistent, aren't they? I once responded in French and they rang off. An hour later I received the same call from a French lady! Now, I just scream "Jenny jowl" - I don't know what it means, but its an expression that my driver used towards traffic light beggars in Delhi, with good effect. . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Burton Posted March 20, 2018 Share Posted March 20, 2018 Posted by Percy Verance on 20/03/2018 15:21:03: I know these callers cannot be UK based, as I'm registered with the TPS. This prevents UK based companies from cold calling you. Edited By Percy Verance on 20/03/2018 15:25:28 Being registered with the TPS, which I am, does not prevent calls from UK based companies. Over the years I have had several sales/marketing calls and when questioned the caller says that they are working from a list of non TPS registered numbers that they have bought, so cannot be held responsible if it is wrong. Usually the number is withheld of is faked which makes reporting them to the TPS difficult.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Miller Posted March 20, 2018 Share Posted March 20, 2018 I know these callers cannot be UK based, as I'm registered with the TPS. This prevents UK based companies from cold calling you. You must be joking. TPS does not stop UK callers. I usually ask them if they have heard of the TPS and then they hang up. When the callers. say that they are from Talk Talk I tell them I am on Sky. Thezy either try to put me through to the "Sky" department or the next caller says they are from Sky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eagle 899 Posted March 20, 2018 Share Posted March 20, 2018 In the words of Mrs Brown, after she'd had elocution lessons, I just say 'That's nice' and hang up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fly boy3 Posted March 20, 2018 Author Share Posted March 20, 2018 Thanks folks for your concern and helpful advice. Hope I can be as vigilant in the future. Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PatMc Posted March 20, 2018 Share Posted March 20, 2018 I just say "What computer ? I don't have one". I'm not bothered whether or not I waste their time but I'm not going to waste any of mine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Dorricott 1 Posted March 21, 2018 Share Posted March 21, 2018 You know when that gust of wind landing spoilt your day , then that Berk in the Audi carved you up on the way home and you banged the tail out of alignment getting the plane out of the car ? Let it all out on the phone to the scammers and get a list of Hindi swearwords from Google or local newsagent , enjoy yourself ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick Tee Posted March 21, 2018 Share Posted March 21, 2018 As far as I can tell TPS does nothing, they can only take action against a company that calls via a UK exchange, when the call is confirmed to be sales and is cold calling. Companies simply say it was a canvassing call to circumvent TPS. I'd be surprised if TPS ever fined anyone. When calls here started to peak at 20 a day I bought a call guardian phone and it all stopped. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Hargreaves - Moderator Posted March 21, 2018 Share Posted March 21, 2018 +1 for the call guardian phone.....works brilliantly. Since we got one we have had zero nuisance calls.....not one. Buy one & be happy..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Broken Prop Posted March 21, 2018 Share Posted March 21, 2018 Thumbs up for Call Guardian. Mine has got 52 lines blocked so far and the frequency of cold calls has dropped off dramatically. It works for a while and then you get sold on to another list and it all starts again. Never mind, the Call Guardian is nowhere near full up! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Fry Posted March 21, 2018 Share Posted March 21, 2018 Wots a Call Guardian? I swaear I will commit murder on the person who did predictive spell checkers, with an alibi. Edited By Don Fry on 21/03/2018 20:50:41 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fly boy3 Posted March 21, 2018 Author Share Posted March 21, 2018 How does a call guardian phone work, do you have to log all the numbers that you know are ok ? Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Privett Posted March 21, 2018 Share Posted March 21, 2018 Posted by Stuart Coyle on 20/03/2018 18:24:37: Very persistent, aren't they? I once responded in French and they rang off. . Some time back I used to regularly get a call with a recorded announcement about winning a free holiday to Florida and to press 2 to get details. I generally hung-up at that point. Now as I recall the scam was that the holiday (accomodation) was "free", you just had to pay them for your flight to get there - and of course the flights were extortionately priced... So one time I decided to play along to see what happened. I pressed 2 and after a burst of American-style ring-tone a lady with an American accent answered. She asked me a couple of questions and I answered each one in French. She seemed a bit confused by this but carried on anyway and asked another couple of questions. Finally she apologised and explained that she didn't understand Spanish. I resisted the temptation to shout, "It's French, you idiot!" at her, instead politely saying, "Quel dommage" (What a shame) and ending the call. I never received another call from them after that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onetenor Posted March 22, 2018 Share Posted March 22, 2018 I get calls from people claiming th tI use their call blocking services . I've never heard of them and they are the only nuisance calls I get .They hang up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick Tee Posted March 22, 2018 Share Posted March 22, 2018 Posted by fly boy3 on 21/03/2018 21:12:47: How does a call guardian phone work, do you have to log all the numbers that you know are ok ? Cheers Default settings may vary for different call guardian phones. Mine automatically blocked all calls from non UK exchanges, if you expect to receive overseas calls you will need to add then to the allow list. Any other nuisance calls you can add to the block list or block all calls and add ppl you know to the allow list. All new callers will be asked to give their name before your phone will ring, most seem to quit at that point. When you answer a new caller you will be given their name and asked if you want to; add the caller to your allow list, allow this caller once only or add the caller to your block list. Only catch is you have to have caller ID which here costs approx £3 a month. Just blocking overseas exchanges stopped over 90% of nuisance calls for me. One other thing I forgot, mine has a built in phone book anyone added to the phone book will be automatically allowed and not have their call intercepted by call guardian. Edited By Rick Tee on 22/03/2018 08:25:04 Edited By Rick Tee on 22/03/2018 08:51:50 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denis Watkins Posted March 22, 2018 Share Posted March 22, 2018 Posted by onetenor on 22/03/2018 04:14:44: I get calls from people claiming th tI use their call blocking services . I've never heard of them and they are the only nuisance calls I get .They hang up This is a Scam, and has been reported in the national press They keep trying until someone more vulnerable continues with the call, and take a credit card payment For non existent services Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Miller Posted March 22, 2018 Share Posted March 22, 2018 When I was young we lived in the Argentine for several years. ( that is where I started modelling) On the way home in 1953 my parents thought about settling in Malaga. We were walking along a road having been to look at a house when this girl started begging.. My father told her to go away in not very good Spanish which had no effect. He then told me to make her go away which I did in very good Spanish. Again no effect So my father insisted that I make her go away so I did in very fluent Spanish swearing. THis had the desired effect though she did throw half a brick at us but missed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Burton Posted March 22, 2018 Share Posted March 22, 2018 How does the call Guardian deal with numbers reported as "Private" such as those from hospitals and GP surgeries ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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