Nuisance calls

brambles

Registered User
Sep 22, 2014
257
0
NW England
My poor mum is becoming very distressed by nuisance phone calls .
I can remember reading on a previous thread about a phone which played a message to the caller.
It said something like "this phone only accepts calls from friends and family if you wish to continue press 3 otherwise hang up"

I can't find the thread.

Can anyone help me find the thread or know the product?

All the other systems seem too complicated.

Many thanks
Brambles
 

Witzend

Registered User
Aug 29, 2007
4,283
0
SW London
There is TrueCall - sorry, I can never remember how to do links on iPad but Google will find it.

A neighbour's daughter has recently installed one, since her mother was spending a fortune on a lottery scam which was all done by phone.
 

stanleypj

Registered User
Dec 8, 2011
10,712
0
North West
Of course, vulnerable people are not the only ones to be bothered by nuisance calls. It surprises me that a government that wishes to appear so pro-active and a PM who seems constantly to echo Edward VII's 'Something must be done' haven't found a way of tackling this. Instead it's left to the victims to shell-out for the necessary technology to block them, possibly along with other calls that are probably 'innocent', maybe important.

It's pathetic!
 

brambles

Registered User
Sep 22, 2014
257
0
NW England
Thanks fizzie and Lindy. I will have a look at all your suggestions.
Stanley I agree, time for something to be done by the government, but in the meantime, we have to deal with the problem ourselves.
If the call blocker is good I will get one for us as well as mum.
 

Lindy50

Registered User
Dec 11, 2013
5,242
0
Cotswolds
Of course, vulnerable people are not the only ones to be bothered by nuisance calls. It surprises me that a government that wishes to appear so pro-active and a PM who seems constantly to echo Edward VII's 'Something must be done' haven't found a way of tackling this. Instead it's left to the victims to shell-out for the necessary technology to block them, possibly along with other calls that are probably 'innocent', maybe important.

It's pathetic!

I agree Stanley, and am only too aware of the responsibility I take in identifying mum's 'allowed callers' when I programme the phone. What if I don't know the number of a long lost friend (or relative of said friend) who tries to get in touch? But it's the best I can do in the circumstances.....:) x
 

Saffie

Registered User
Mar 26, 2011
22,513
0
Near Southampton
I've just signed up for Talk Talk's blocking service as I'm fed up with rushing to answer the phone to hear recorded message or silence. They're not even spending money on real people now though I sometimes do get someone who of course "isn't selling something"!
Apparently all I do is tap in a 5 letter code and the last number is blocked. I can also block specific numbers and also sign up for any anonymous numbers to be blocked too if I choose to but I'm hoping the last number block will suffice. It's a free service.

Now I'm just waiting to block the next call but it's been a bit quiet over the weekend. Wouldn't you know it!
 

nitram

Registered User
Apr 6, 2011
30,081
0
Bury
"...possibly along with other calls that are probably 'innocent', maybe important."

This can be a major problem when 'withheld' calls are blocked, you can't selectively block 'withheld' as they do not present a unique caller ID.

Most of the NHS, LA, Gov,.... present as 'withheld'. Some blocking systems ask the caller to release the CLID by using the 1470 prefix, some ask the caller to release the CLID leaving it up to the caller to decide how to do it, others just say 'sorry this person does not accept anonymous calls', in the last case you rely entirely on the caller having been trained what to do.
 

Witzend

Registered User
Aug 29, 2007
4,283
0
SW London
Of course, vulnerable people are not the only ones to be bothered by nuisance calls. It surprises me that a government that wishes to appear so pro-active and a PM who seems constantly to echo Edward VII's 'Something must be done' haven't found a way of tackling this. Instead it's left to the victims to shell-out for the necessary technology to block them, possibly along with other calls that are probably 'innocent', maybe important.

It's pathetic!

What would you suggest? I think the whole business is very difficult, as I found out with my neighbour, who had already shelled out many thousands on the lottery scam. Although there was no dementia she was very naive and firmly believed that this million pounds would be forthcoming if she just paid another £4k for 'tax'. Even the police were powerless - I did consult them - but she would not make a complaint and was horrified at the mere thought of involving them, such was the relationship these b*st*rds had built with her over the phone.

One thing I gathered was that a lot of these scamsters' or nuisance callers' 'leads' come from databases created when people phone in to enter 'competitions' for Wordsearch, or similar - all your details very conveniently provided at God knows how much per minute. My neighbour had been addicted to these, and consequently her details had presumably been put on what they quaintly call a 'suckers' list' and sold on. So that is something to bear in mind, for anyone with a relative who likes doing these, or who has in the past.

I don't know about anybody else, but since we registered with the telephone preference service we get far fewer nuisance calls, though for many years I have been very careful not to dish out my phone number to anybody who might conceivably misuse it. I am positive that charities pass details on to each other. I support a few, and often get by post begging letters from charities I have certainly never given my details to.

I quite agree that nobody should be obliged to shell out for TrueCall or any other such system, but until there are measure in place - what? - it does stop all but 'trusted' callers, certainly for those with dementia who will never remember not to give out details or pay anything over the phone.

The trouble is that anyone who is up to no good will take no notice of rules or laws, and a lot of these dodgy organisations are in any case based overseas, where UK law cannot touch them.
 

fizzie

Registered User
Jul 20, 2011
2,725
0
I know 3 people who have used a call blocker and all of them have said it is a great system. Any system will have its down side but the positives in these cases have been found to be greater
 

RedLou

Registered User
Jul 30, 2014
1,161
0
I don't know about anybody else, but since we registered with the telephone preference service we get far fewer nuisance calls
Us, too. & if any get through I ask for full details so I may report them to the Ombudsman. Despite protestations of not selling anything blah-de-blah, they get off the line and don't call back.
 

Countryboy

Registered User
Mar 17, 2005
1,680
0
South West
If you use caller display and you don't recognise the number you don't have to answer also with caller display if the numbers is saved on your phone under the persons name the name comes up so only answer what you want hence no nuisance calls
 

fizzie

Registered User
Jul 20, 2011
2,725
0
That would have been too complex for my Mum Tony - although it makes absolute sense it does require some processing :)
 

Lindy50

Registered User
Dec 11, 2013
5,242
0
Cotswolds
If you use caller display and you don't recognise the number you don't have to answer also with caller display if the numbers is saved on your phone under the persons name the name comes up so only answer what you want hence no nuisance calls

That's true, Tony, and it's what I generally do. The problem for mum was that she didn't remember this, and answered all calls as if they were for her as an individual. Hence the CallGuardian phone.......:)
 

Saffie

Registered User
Mar 26, 2011
22,513
0
Near Southampton
I don't know about anybody else, but since we registered with the telephone preference service we get far fewer nuisance calls

Us, too. & if any get through I ask for full details so I may report them to the Ombudsman. Despite protestations of not selling anything blah-de-blah, they get off the line and don't call back.

I did too but it does work less well as time goes by as I'm exeriencing now.
Oddly enough, after posting my earlier post, I've had a call from TT saying that my router is being continually attacked by malicious something or other. He told me to turn on my computer. When I said it was already on, he said it wasn't and when I repeated that it was, said they couldn't see that it was.

I put the phone down and copied the last number, rang the TT number I had on my paperwork and asked if they had indeed called me. This man checked on their database and returned to say that it was a scam call. So I said I'd feared as much so I would now block it and he said to definitely do this. So I've made my first block.

Worrying how they knew I was with Talktalk though.
 
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Countryboy

Registered User
Mar 17, 2005
1,680
0
South West
if the person is unable to answer calls you can divert it to another number when there on their own

To divert your calls, follow these instructions on the telephone line you want to divert from:
• To divert all calls dial: *21*(phone number you want to divert to)#
• To divert any calls you don't manage to answer within 15 seconds dial: *61*(phone number you want to divert to)#
• To divert calls when your phone is engaged dial: *67*(phone number you want to divert to)#
An announcement will tell you that you've set it up successfully.
 

Saffie

Registered User
Mar 26, 2011
22,513
0
Near Southampton
We had one of those calls purporting to be from our internet/phone provider saying the same thing about the router being attacked. Luckily Oh had heard about the scam beforehand, so he just told them he knew they weren't who they said they were. They rang off pdq!

Thank you for that. It has reassured me that I did the right thing. I'm so wary of any call that I did think I might have jumped to the wrong conclusion although the chap at TT agreed.

p.s. You don't think it mattered that the computer was on, do you!
 
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nitram

Registered User
Apr 6, 2011
30,081
0
Bury
He would have proceeded to get you to download something so he could fix your system, he would then have control of your system. He could have gone looking for sensitive info but a more common thing is to install ransomware encrypting all your data (documents and images) and then offering to decrypt it for a fee. You've no guarantee that he will and even if he does he could well have left a trojan for future use.
Another good reason for backups.