call centres

[charles47]

If they do it again, ask immediately to speak to their supervisor to whom you point out that they are now committing the offence of harassing you, and that any further telephone calls will be reported immediately to the police.

BT - any phone provider - can provide the number to the police. And they have to.

[Pete the Paint]

I always vet my calls through my answer machine. I can hear who it is and pick up if I want to.
Most call centres just ring off as soon as they hear ''You have reached.....''
Mine cuts in after four rings, which isn't long enough if your waiting for a call from the GP etc, but I cant seem to make it ring any longer than that?

What I object to with 1471 is that it costs 17.5p every time you check it. Actually I think it's gone up now to 18.?p which dont half add up. I once had over ten pound extra on my bill because of 1471 calls I'd made.
I expect BT Answer 1571 costs to collect messages as well? Must check that one out.
Lately I have been getting a lot of recorded messages about PPI's and another insurance scam. These just get recorded on my answer machine and I wipe them asap.

[Struggling Hill]

I have great fun with the ones who's opening lines are "congratulations you have won a kitchen/double glazing/conservatory etc
I scream with delight "Oh my god, we've won a kitchen, kids come here quickly, we've won a kitchen, oh my god I'm so excited, this new kitchen will make such a difference to us. we've won a kitchen, we've won a kitchen, I can't beleive it, I'm so happy, yippee"
By the time they realise that they now have to tell this excited woman that she hasn't won a kitchen they cant do it and put the phone down. I dont get calls so much now

[Violet]

I keep saying hello? hello? every time they start talking I say hello? - sorry caller bad line I cannot hear you, hello? Hello? They hang up and don't usually call again.

[AussieEasyBiker]

You can sign up with the Telephone Preference Service. This will stop the calls for a certain amount of time (usually around 12 months) Unfortunately it is only regulated for the UK, although the international calls will slow down for a while they will start up again afterwards. If you tell the caller that you are with the TPS and they should not be contacting this number and to remove you from the datatbase then they should apologise and finish the call (Again this is not for international companies, but some do finish the call). If they persist tell them you will be making a complaint to the TPS.

If you get as much information as possible about the company (mainly tel no. and or company name) you can make a complaint via the TPS website with someone like OFCOM (cant remember who). They will then proceed to contact the company after so many complaints and inform them of their conduct, if they continue they can fine them through some sort of international code of conduct (dont ask me too much about it). I have complained a few times and have reduced the calls slightly.

Another option is BT (im sure others do too) provide a free caller ID service to show the callers number on digital phones. This obviously doesnt show ex-directory numbers. And there are a few phones that you can get which you can bar specific calls. We have one from BT but unfortuantely we have relative that live overseas so cannot block international calls.

Another option - that I have used on occasions is to be sarcastic with them. I have used the following a few times:
"Can I speak to Mr...." "No hes not available" Can I speak to Mrs....." No shes not here either" "Who am I speaking too?" "Why do you want to know?" "Are you a member of the family?" "No!" "So who are you?" "Im burgling the house..." They usually put the phone down then (Luckily no police have been round yet!!!) The other one is when they continue to state that they can save you loads of money, just state that you dont need to save any money as your a multi millionnaire, or if its a questionnaire that you live in a 16 bedroom home... They usually shut up then!!!

[silverday]

Struggling / Aussie

I signed up for TPS ages ago, but we still get loads of cold calls. I did try and get BT to stop them at one point, but trying to speak to a human at BT, let alone someone on the same continent, just seems to be impossible. Our phone doesn't display numbers, and I don't want to block anonymous calls as that would mean blocking health professionals and sometimes it is difficult enough to get them to call back!

I wish the government would do something about it as strange people calling is not exactly helpful to my mum's paranoia

[bowlingbun]

If they are selling something like double glazing, you can say you are the tenant and not interested, or the house is about to be repossessed! I'm enrolled with the TPS. If someone starts to try to sell me something, I'll ask why are you ringing ME? After they've tried a bit of waffle I say "Haven't you heard of the Telephone Preference Service then?" Usually that shuts them up, but if they persist, then so do I. Another thing is to say, wait a minute the husband/wife deals with that sort of thing, you'll go and get him/her, then lay the phone down and don't go back to it for half an hour! That was always our favourite when they rang at teatime.

[Pete the Paint]

Yes that last tip is a favorite, though I've never done it.

Aussie - That burgalar one happened to a chap we had working for us decorating.
The phone rang and he picked up, (something I never did as you get involved in messages) The idiot told the caller, the customers daughter that he was the burgalar!
The police were round like a shot and very nearly arrested him for wasting police time.
Boy was his face red.

[crocus]

Ive got caller display and if its a cold caller ( I know the sort of numbers you get) I pick up the phone and dont say anything. The number of calls has decreased since Ive started doing that.

I read in the paper recently about a chap who has a premium rate phone number that he gives as his contact number (not friends and rellies - he has a mobile for them and doesnt give out that number), so when he gets cold callers he is being credited for the call I like his style

[Duncaring]

I didnt know that there was a charge for 1471!

I get a lot of sales and ppi calls, also get window scrappage and eco fuels.

At the flat I have an answer machine that says No Sales Calls are accepted on this telephone number. I was getting 8 calls a day from a certain window company. Penny Cook (not the right spelling but for those in the know). They have filled the answer machine and the BT answer service with their stupid calls.

I f I want something I will contact the appropriate companies.

Duncaring