Rouge Calls

[arfur mo]

hi guys,

i have my lines registered with TPS, which did cut dramatically the amount of unwanted salesannoying sales calls after a month.

recently though, we have been regularly called by one particular caller, the phone rings which gets the answerephone, but they leave no messge.

i get home, see the missed calls upto 10 a day, phone it back (we have CLI) and get "homeserve called you today, and will call you again" but you can't leave any message

we have a routine for incomming calls, if i'm not home whoever is if they don't recognise the number then it go's to answerphone. that way the wrong number don't get taken down ans so on or message not passed etc..

my youngest son lives with us and works as private hire cab driver on nights, and was getting disturbed by this repeat annoying calls waking him up, so now i go into Mr Angry from essex mode and phone BT (who my line is with) , i'm aked am i registered with TPS which we are,

something i did not know might help others, you can set up a service where known incomming nuisance numbers are barred, takes 24 hours to activate but you sort it your self, real result as no more calls from this sales desk.

if you google homserve you will se many complainnts about them using these tactics, TPS takes no action against them .

regs

alan

[luggsey]

hi guys,

i have my lines registered with TPS, which did cut dramatically the amount of unwanted salesannoying sales calls after a month.

recently though, we have been regularly called by one particular caller, the phone rings which gets the answerephone, but they leave no messge.

i get home, see the missed calls upto 10 a day, phone it back (we have CLI) and get "homeserve called you today, and will call you again" but you can't leave any message

we have a routine for incomming calls, if i'm not home whoever is if they don't recognise the number then it go's to answerphone. that way the wrong number don't get taken down ans so on or message not passed etc..

my youngest son lives with us and works as private hire cab driver on nights, and was getting disturbed by this repeat annoying calls waking him up, so now i go into Mr Angry from essex mode and phone BT (who my line is with) , i'm aked am i registered with TPS which we are,

something i did not know might help others, you can set up a service where known incomming nuisance numbers are barred, takes 24 hours to activate but you sort it your self, real result as no more calls from this sales desk.

if you google homserve you will se many complainnts about them using these tactics, TPS takes no action against them .

regs

alan

I'm on TPS and FPS (FAX) but I still got calls from a direct kitchen sales firm, I tackled them about their calls and they told me you have to register every 12 months, that turned out to be bollox. I reported them to the relevant authority that take details on-line (was it the OFT?) and they are supposed to take action against them. Hmmmm.

I also tackled BT about faxes once, I told BT it was illegal for them to allow unsolicited faxes to my number (Is it?? ) and they acted by warning the company involved it was illegal to send unsolicited faxes to a private number.

I never get sales calls or fax calls any more, however never never enter your fax number on one of the on-line forms that most companies seem to use now. Your details get flogged off and you get spam calls/fax from abroad!!!

[Chorlton]

It is unlawful luggsey if your fax no is residential

I've not had any for 3 years.

The phone is different as even though both the landline and 0845 cover number are lited I still get several calls a week from firms that (IMO) just phone anyway.

Don't get 4am enquiries though thank goodness!

C.

[arfur mo]

I'm on TPS and FPS (FAX) but I still got calls from a direct kitchen sales firm, I tackled them about their calls and they told me you have to register every 12 months, that turned out to be bollox. I reported them to the relevant authority that take details on-line (was it the OFT?) and they are supposed to take action against them. Hmmmm.

I also tackled BT about faxes once, I told BT it was illegal for them to allow unsolicited faxes to my number (Is it?? ) and they acted by warning the company involved it was illegal to send unsolicited faxes to a private number.

I never get sales calls or fax calls any more, however never never enter your fax number on one of the on-line forms that most companies seem to use now. Your details get flogged off and you get spam calls/fax from abroad!!!

agreed about don't give away the info to those who don't need it.

where i do have to for opening accounts, i also add no mail shots no junk mail on the forms. most respect it i have found.

my wifes last firm did 'fax shots' which at least had an un-subscribe number on them, and they did keep a data base of those not wishing to be contacted, and they bought the CD which comes out i think every quarter.

what got me though was how many times i've told Yell NO, they still printed my details. it's been removed so the idiot calls should eventually fad out - unless they print it again

a while back i had separate house line and a business line, at the time both my wife's and my elderly perants were alive so it was mainly for them to get through if there were any problems, as busnes clls can go on and on.

the house phone number was ED and withheld, the amount of times BT decided to remove the CLI block and also publish the number - i just lost count, and of the livid phone calls i made when i discovered it had happened again. eventually i switched to cable when it arrived in the town.

regs

alan

[hpotter]

something i did not know might help others, you can set up a service where known incomming nuisance numbers are barred, takes 24 hours to activate but you sort it your self, real result as no more calls from this sales desk.

Also withheld numbers.

Page 5 below (I think)

bt_calling_features_userguide.pdf

[arfur mo]

Also withheld numbers.

Page 5 below (I think)

bt_calling_features_userguide.pdf

that has been very tempting - just to stop the tax man phoning

seriously though, if you bar witheld numbers as a small trader it might be more counter productive than the anoyance. many of my clients who use alternative LCR services to BT which don't allow CLI, so also won't get through.

not sure if SKYPE to landline calls would be affected in this way but think it wouuld, shows a 'international' on my home office phone. i'm finding a lot of my clients are increasing their use it, having far flung businesses and families.

i don't personally use skpe near all my freinds and family are in the UK except one who recently moved to Spain, if we need to talk we simply ring and hang up, then just use messenger.

regs

alan

[Smart Electrics]

Record the number and report it to the police and obtain a crime reference number. Once you have this, contact BT and report nuisance calling, They have a special unit to deal with this. Once this is all done The Company will be instructed to leave you alone!!!

Good Luck

[SUBS]

I placed an advert in a directory last year, after all these years I should have had more sense, but yknow how it is, my brother in law had used it the year before ( not in security though ) and had some success.

I drove a bit of a deal, 1/2 page ad, they do the artwork free, plus free seperate lineagelineage ads for Door entry, CCTV, Access etc.

Their 'Artwork' was a copy of the front page of my old, now unused website ( dunno where they got the address )

The 1/2 page ad went into the wrong, completely unrelated section. The worst part was that the lineage ads had my fax No. and my personal mobile phone No. on them, even though they were told that these were not for publication.

For some reason they cant understand why I wont pay them, and keep ringing to ask why ! claiming that they can add interest till I do.

Anyone know if they can ?

Challenge them to take me to court, hear nothing for a few months, then it all starts again, they try and discuss it with just anyone who answers the phone, presumably in the hope that it will embarrass me - It wont !

I dont get many, but my usual way of getting rid of unsolicited sales calls at home, is to ask them to hang on a for a minute, then put them on hold...If theyr still there after 10 minutes or so - quite a few are - I just hang up. Silly I know, but it gives me some pleasure.

L

[arfur mo]

I placed an advert in a directory last year, after all these years I should have had more sense, but yknow how it is, my brother in law had used it the year before ( not in security though ) and had some success.

I drove a bit of a deal, 1/2 page ad, they do the artwork free, plus free seperate lineagelineage ads for Door entry, CCTV, Access etc.

Their 'Artwork' was a copy of the front page of my old, now unused website ( dunno where they got the address )

The 1/2 page ad went into the wrong, completely unrelated section. The worst part was that the lineage ads had my fax No. and my personal mobile phone No. on them, even though they were told that these were not for publication.

For some reason they cant understand why I wont pay them, and keep ringing to ask why ! claiming that they can add interest till I do.

Anyone know if they can ?

Challenge them to take me to court, hear nothing for a few months, then it all starts again, they try and discuss it with just anyone who answers the phone, presumably in the hope that it will embarrass me - It wont !

I dont get many, but my usual way of getting rid of unsolicited sales calls at home, is to ask them to hang on a for a minute, then put them on hold...If theyr still there after 10 minutes or so - quite a few are - I just hang up. Silly I know, but it gives me some pleasure.

L

hi subs,

1st off, i've no legal training (so its fortunate i have several QC's on my books i can ask a question of for free), but imo i don't think they have a leg to stand on in court. you might even have a case for illigal harrasement, and contavention of protected data under the DPA, but a solicitor would confirm.

if i owed you money, even fair and square, as i undestand it you can't emblazen on the demmand envelope "debt collection demmand enclosed" or other references which could embarass, cause worry or intimidate, whats inside can though but to a reasonable degree.

i think you need to get on to OfTel (the telco ombudsman) and complain about their bad behaviour, they as any provider, has to supply a service fit for purpose and as contracted.

while including your numbers is a simple (if annoying) human mistake, it still contravenes the 'as contracted' bit, so imo don't totally release them from the responsibilty of providing as directed or to put it right.

until they do you can withold payment or a negotiated part of it in preportion to show your own willngness to be fair, can be a good tactical move, but sseek advice 1st.

regs

alan

[SUBS]

hi subs,

1st off, i've no legal training (so its fortunate i have several QC's on my books i can ask a question of for free), but imo i don't think they have a leg to stand on in court. you might even have a case for illigal harrasement, and contavention of protected data under the DPA, but a solicitor would confirm.

if i owed you money, even fair and square, as i undestand it you can't emblazen on the demmand envelope "debt collection demmand enclosed" or other references which could embarass, cause worry or intimidate, whats inside can though but to a reasonable degree.

i think you need to get on to OfTel (the telco ombudsman) and complain about their bad behaviour, they as any provider, has to supply a service fit for purpose and as contracted.

while including your numbers is a simple (if annoying) human mistake, it still contravenes the 'as contracted' bit, so imo don't totally release them from the responsibilty of providing as directed or to put it right.

until they do you can withold payment or a negotiated part of it in preportion to show your own willngness to be fair, can be a good tactical move, but sseek advice 1st.

regs

alan

Thanks Arf,

Seems to me that if they reall thought they had a leg to stand on, they would have taken me to court by now.

What concerns me is that they may be waiting for the ammount, with interest to get high enough for it to be worthwhile.

I dont advertise at all, but hve done extensively in the past when I was in a different trade, had a few take me to court over similar things - but they all lost and had to towards, but not all of my expenses. But I have never come across the added interest scam before.

Used to get rid of the timewasters by always charging for a call out, which included the first 1/2 hr labour, and charge a good heafty standard fee for insurance quotes.