ChatterBank0 min ago
What to do with persistent caller?
All the time, his number is witheld.
Today alone, he's phoned around 15 times.
We phoned the police to see if they could do anything, they told us to phone our phone company (NTL). We phoned them, and they told us that they couldn't block this number, since it's witheld. They could block all anonymous calls to our home, but that's not an option because my dad's work (he's a doctor) is registered as anonymous because of confidentiality reasons, so he wouldn't be able to phone home, neither would his colleagues. They suggested that we could change our phone number, but that is SO much effort and trouble.
Does anyone have any suggestions as to what we can do?
Answers
No best answer has yet been selected by karansaraf. Once a best answer has been selected, it will be shown here.
For more on marking an answer as the "Best Answer", please visit our FAQ.I'm going to start talking very quietly, trying to make him press his ear against the phone as much as possible and concentrating, then I'll blow a whistle or something very high pitched and loud.
Hmmm...all I need to do now is find a whistle!
But can anyone offer any solutions?
"Whosthat ... oh, David, eh? Whosthatthen? Oh, friend is he? ... Whatsthatthen? Oh, mobile phone eh? ... Whatsthatthen? ..." and so on. You get the drift.
I tried it once. It works!
The answer machine we do have. But that would mean leaving all phone calls to go to the machine, and a lot of people don't leave a message - they just hang up and phone another time.
Can't pretend to be anyone else, because he's phoned us so many times (between 30-40 in the last few weeks) that he knows what we wound like.
A few years ago my friend was receiving persistent calls from a young woman, so I answered the phone and made idle chitter chatter as if she was a really good friend, I asked if she was having a good day, remarked on the weather etc etc...she made her apologies, hung up and never called back.
Alternatively, you could try picking up the phone and not saying a word. The silent treatment might be the best deterrent.
This might give you a laugh and some ideas as well:
http://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/People_and_Places/Question221993.html
The advice I got was to just remain silent. It seems to have worked. I had lots of them at one point, then I tried this tactic and it died off for over a year. Then I had one recently at xmas...realised straight away and kept silent again. They soon get bored when they realise they're not provoking a response.
I don't recommend reacting.
I swear my aunty used to have this evil high pitched whistle for freak callers. I know it's not ideal, but I think I would potentially think about keeping a log of the calls just in case...
Also, I know you mentioned you wouldn't want your unknown number calls barred as your dad is a Dr...but perhaps for a month or so could you get the calls barred and ask your dad to phone you on a mobile?
Other than that, I guess just to let your friends and family know that you're having this problem, and just let all the calls go to answerphone. This guy will soon get bored and start annoying someone else.
Is right - that your response from NTL to the Police and write down all the details as you have here.
The Whistle & silent treatment will work but won't stop persistent people.
'I don't recommend reacting.' this is easier said than done, but is good advice.
One thing I would try is the get a timer and work out how long they hang on for. Then next time they call put the handset under a cushion set the timer and then replace the hand set. trying all these methods consistently will work.
But the Police & phone company should DO something.