Automated phone calls

Dorsetmike

Member
For tha last 4 weeks or more I get calls daily from a finance company asking for my step daughter who has not lived here for over 10 years

They start with "This is an important message for ..............." and follow with the usual "press *** if this, press yyy if that". They even call early morning and wake me up some days.

She recently left her husband and moved to Manchester, I have no details of her current phone number or email address.

I traced the company originating the calls and have phoned them 4 times and also emailed, best result has been 2 days with no calls but they have since restarted.

My phone service provider will not block the number unless it is from a "number with held" caller; the Government "Consumer direct" service can not help as "the number has been given to the company as a contact"

Suggestions I have had include using the Telephone Preference service, they only work for unsolicited marketing calls, changing my phone number, not an option in my view, changing phone service provider, why should I have to pay out (installation charges) for something which ought to be controllable (or banned), buying a box which intercepts calls, again cost, as for changing service provider, (or more).
 

teddy

Duckmeister
If they are anything to do with finance a complaint to their compliance department should do the trick, as it has to be investigated. Failure to do so could lead to action by the FSA. Any company which offers any sort of credit agreement, and that includes mobile phone companies, must take action if any sort of complaint is lodged. Or get a human on the line and blow a very loud whistle , repeatedly.
Best of luck with the ******

teddy
 

wljmrbill

Member
You might try this: when they call answer it, do not talk but rapidly press the "#" key over and over until it goes to busy or dial tone... This tends to confuse the computer... many times after a number of times of this it..kicks itself off the auto call aspect.....I have used it and it worked for me..
 

Krummhorn

Administrator
Staff member
ADMINISTRATOR
Those pesky calls ... anytime of the day or night ... and it's always a machine calling. I answer, and the voice says "please hold for the next available operator." I say to myself wait a minute, you called me and now I have to be put on hold waiting for you?

I've used the # key trick Bill mentions a few times :rolleyes:.

We have "Caller ID" on our landline and can monitor who is calling ... we can also block any number ourselves by entering #78 followed by the 10 digit phone number (area code+exchange+number). This, of course, we pay extra for each month so our phone bill is about $35/£22.14.

At times, we will get a call from 000-000-0000 ... somehow the caller is able to block the number they are calling from - in those cases, the 'number' cannot be blocked as it is all zero's. For those I do hit # key repeatedly which knocks that caller machine offline causing it to reboot.

I've often thought of just dumping the landline completely as 98% of the calls received are telemarketers and scams. We each have out own mobile line and with our respective airtime limits could easily go that route. Supposedly, telemarketers cannot call mobile lines here in the US, but I've had a few on mine - I just don't answer a number I don't recognize. If it is important enough, they'll call back or leave a voicemail, which I can respond to during my "free airtime", nights and weekends.
 

marval

New member
I hate those sort of calls, if I get anyone else offering me home insulation, I shall take desperate measures.

People don't like having a whistle blown down the phone at them.


Margaret
 

Chi_townPhilly

Sr. Regulator
Sr. Regulator
The USA actually has a "Do Not Call" registry. It exists as a result of a Federal Law. One can register numbers there and (for the most part) be free from the solicitations. There are (at least) two loopholes to the law:

1) Politicians exempted themselves from their own law. Plus (unlike telemarketers), political 'robo-calls' have no qualms about leaving their (soil) on your answering machine.

2) Businesses with whom you already have a relationship can shade the edges of the law by placing a "courtesy call" [now THERE'S a misnomer for you] and say they're following up- asking you how you like their product, service, etc... and oh, by the way, did you know we offfered this, that, and the other thing, which we think could improve your experience even more?

So, the "answering-machine-as-call-screener" concept hasn't been rendered obsolete just yet.
 

Dorsetmike

Member
Bill, the # key trick only results in "that is an invalid response, please try again"

The automated calls seem to have stopped now, after about 5 weeks but I still get calls from real persons (WOW) 2 or 3 times a week, they just don't seem to get the message, "she don't live here and I don't have a contact number or address"
 

teddy

Duckmeister
We have the Telephone Preference Service over here which you can register with. This is meant to stop cold calls, and generally if you are called and informer them that you are registered they will desist. It does not affect calls from overseas and as a lot of the canvassers seem to be in India is of limited use in such cases. Companies that have been given your number by a member of your family are exempt. One of the best things to do is contact the credit reference companies and lodge a letter with them informing them that the person they are chasing does not reside there. That will show up on any searches. This can be of some help. It is not uncommon when taking on a new residence (particulerly rentals) to find that the previous residents ows money and this can helpin such cases.

teddy
 

GoneBaroque

New member
The USA actually has a "Do Not Call" registry. It exists as a result of a Federal Law. One can register numbers there and (for the most part) be free from the solicitations. There are (at least) two loopholes to the law:

1) Politicians exempted themselves from their own law. Plus (unlike telemarketers), political 'robo-calls' have no qualms about leaving their (soil) on your answering machine.

2) Businesses with whom you already have a relationship can shade the edges of the law by placing a "courtesy call" [now THERE'S a misnomer for you] and say they're following up- asking you how you like their product, service, etc... and oh, by the way, did you know we offfered this, that, and the other thing, which we think could improve your experience even more?

So, the "answering-machine-as-call-screener" concept hasn't been rendered obsolete just yet.

Then, there are those companies which blatantly ignore the do not call law. Of course they use a private caller id or never call twice from the same state.
 

teddy

Duckmeister
How about the service we have here which refuses to connect a call if the number is witheld

teddy
 

Dorsetmike

Member
I think they may finally have got the message, I had 3 calls last week from actual persons, I explained in words of one syllable that they had a problem, sounds like I may have got my point across at last, had nothing since, last one was a woman who eventually hung up on me after numerous reiterations of why step daughter cdould not and would not be able to answer the phone here.

Fingers still crossed though.
 

Mat

Sr. Regulator
Staff member
Sr. Regulator
Regulator
I wouldn't be surprised if you turned out to be one of the most "asterisksed" members here. :lol: What's this long one even mean?
 
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