[NewFolder]

We've been getting so many cold callers recently on the house phone that we have stopped answering my phone and just let the answering machine take over. The only problem is that the answering machine keeps getting filled up with recorded messages now. Both me and my mum are getting quite annoyed about this, so today I decided to do something about it.

I got one today about loft insulation. Now, we already have loft insulation, we had it done about 3 years ago. We certainly aren't eligible for a government grant as we've already used it. So I pressed 2 to speak to an adviser. I was placed on hold for a few seconds, and when someone spoke (sounded very chaotic in the back ground, not sure whether it was even a call centre), I just said "The homeowner wishes that you do not call us again". The person on the other end just put the phone down.

Two questions:
1. Would it be classed as harassment if they did phone us again now?
2. May I have been charged for speaking to the adviser?

[Norton1]

Should cut it down a bit.

http://www.tpsonline.org.uk/tps/index.html

[TheWorldEndsWithMe]

We get the really annoying 'hello, you are speaking to John from Microsoft, we see many bugs on your computer....'

Join the tps, and keep a whistle by the phone. Proceed to use said whistle if you get more of these spammy calls. Should get you put onto a 'do not call' list.

[pinkangelgirl]

I keep getting these texts and emails from PPI telling me about a load of money I can apparently claim.....yeh, right, I wish!

So I just reply with ridiculous answers, I don't care if anyone's reading them it just makes me feel better

[Tapner]

We get a fair few too. I tend to stand by the phone and wait for the message to see who it is unless I'm expecting a call. We signed up for a couple of agencies that are meant to prevent cold callers which helped for a number of months, but some have started getting through again now. There's not much you can do really, just ignore them or say you're not interested. My dad often asks them to remove us from their distribution list. I don't think it does much good though. The worst one is a call centre in India saying we've got a problem with our computers.

[cl_steele]

Answer and tell them youre someone famous, its great fun listening to the tiny little gears in their brain ticking over trying to figure out what to say

[advent2]

(Original post by NewFolder)
We've been getting so many cold callers recently on the house phone that we have stopped answering my phone and just let the answering machine take over. The only problem is that the answering machine keeps getting filled up with recorded messages now. Both me and my mum are getting quite annoyed about this, so today I decided to do something about it.

I got one today about loft insulation. Now, we already have loft insulation, we had it done about 3 years ago. We certainly aren't eligible for a government grant as we've already used it. So I pressed 2 to speak to an adviser. I was placed on hold for a few seconds, and when someone spoke (sounded very chaotic in the back ground, not sure whether it was even a call centre), I just said "The homeowner wishes that you do not call us again". The person on the other end just put the phone down.

Two questions:
1. Would it be classed as harassment if they did phone us again now?
2. May I have been charged for speaking to the adviser?

Find out the company who is calling and ask to speak to the manager. Find out how they got your number and request to never be called again. If it keeps happening or if they don't agree, make a formal complaint to the company. Threaten bad publicity by going to the newspapers. Tell them you're recording the conversation. (You don't actually have to be, just blag them.)

[canŵio]

Most of these companies don't buy your number, they get it from phone books or just randomly generate and call numbers on the computer. and most of the time there's no way of putting your number on a 'don't call' list because there isn't one!

the messages we get are mostly about PPI and stuff, we now don't answer the phone unless we know someone's going to call. the problem is, mostly it's a recorded message and if it's not, the person puts down the phone if you start saying you don't want your number on their records. why isn't anyone doing anything about this???

PS. tps only works if you haven't 'given' you number to anyone. if you accidentally marked a box to allow third parties, or didn't uncheck one you needed to, then tps won't work because you've technically given your permission.

[NewFolder]

(Original post by advent2)
Find out the company who is calling and ask to speak to the manager. Find out how they got your number and request to never be called again. If it keeps happening or if they don't agree, make a formal complaint to the company. Threaten bad publicity by going to the newspapers. Tell them you're recording the conversation. (You don't actually have to be, just blag them.)

I doubt they'd put me through to a manager, they just put the phone down without saying anything when I politely asked them not to call us again. That's if they have a manager and aren't just some sort of scam.

(Original post by pinkangelgirl)
I keep getting these texts and emails from PPI telling me about a load of money I can apparently claim.....yeh, right, I wish!

So I just reply with ridiculous answers, I don't care if anyone's reading them it just makes me feel better

That may be correct if you've had a loan or credit card before. You may want to read this if you have, you can easily claim it yourself without getting a third party involved: http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/rec...loan-insurance

[Secret.]

I got one the other day from someone who sounded like the call was coming from India and decided to play along, he said theres a virus on my computer and that i need to go on a website, then told me to log in with my email and my internet details, and I said I did it even though I didn't and he said "I can see you have tried to log in but your internet details seem to be incorrect" to which i replied "my computers not even on" and he turned off the phone!

When you get calls like these either use TPS, play along with them and say something like that you're a rich persons (name one) brother or something, just make up something on the spot and it can be fun sometimes. If they're annoying then ask for it to be removed or TPS

[Ham22]

We get 0 cold callers because we no longer have a working land-line. Problem solved.

[Manitude]

I've yet to have the pleasure of dealing with cold callers, but my father sometimes strings them along, pretending to be interested as he collects a load of information about the company then announces he's taking them to court. He never does, it just makes them brit shicks.

Or sometimes he'll casually announce that he's waiting to see how long it will take before they notice he's deliberately wasting their time.

And sometimes they'll ask for Mr ******* and he'll say "yes, I'll just go and get him." and then return to whatever he was doing before.

[like a boss]

Just politely tell them to take you off their list. That's all it takes.

[Augmented hippo]

My tactic with cold callers trying to sell you something or door to door salesman is try to sell something to them instead. If they say do you want to buy loft insulation ask them if they will buy your old bike.

[pinkangelgirl]

(Original post by NewFolder)
I doubt they'd put me through to a manager, they just put the phone down without saying anything when I politely asked them not to call us again. That's if they have a manager and aren't just some sort of scam.




That may be correct if you've had a loan or credit card before. You may want to read this if you have, you can easily claim it yourself without getting a third party involved: http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/rec...loan-insurance

Yes but its a spam company. And no ive never had a credit card or loan

[AdamHarriis]

When we get cold callers ringing our house phone I just see it as an opportunity to have a little fun with them. Last week someone rang trying to sell me roof insulation. I said I'd only consider it if we could sing our conversation down the phone to each other and they actually started to play along with me, it was awesome!