Unwanted Phone Calls

[melv16]

My partner's 92yr old mother keeps receiving unwanted phone calls. Most of them are silent. She's registered with TPS, and somehow the unwanted callers are by passing it. Can anything else be done?

[woofgang]

I have dealt with it by getting caller number display. If the number is withheld or one I don't recognise then I don't pick up. It makes it easier if you have the kind of phone that you can tag numbers with names.

[murraymints]

if it is causing fear and alarm your calls can be intercepted by your provider and caller is asked to identify themself before being connected..I had this done by BT some time ago due to a stalker..I did have to pay a small fee but it stopped the calls after a bit

[ukbod2015]

have a look at the BT 8500 phone - only allows through the calls you add to your address book - anything else can be ignored or declined - would that be to complicated for her.

[melv16]

Thank you for your answers. She is getting confused these days and finds modern technology baffling. The BT 8500 looks like a goer and it could be set up by someone else. I'll look into it.

[TWR]

Hi Melv,
As UK has said, I was getting calls after calls from my Uncle I Africa that has a Gold Mine & has got one million waiting for me " If you know what I mean?
I bought one of these phones, never had a phone call since, very easy to set up, it can be done in 5 mins, yes, 5 mins.

[woofgang]

Just a warning, BT's own forum suggests that its not all plain sailing...
https://community.bt.com/t5/Phones/Problems-with-call-guardian-on-BT8500/td-p/1360921

[VHG]

>>She's registered with TPS, and somehow the unwanted callers are by passing it.

I believe the TPS can only restrict calls from UK companies not from outside the UK.

Also some UK companies take no notice of it anyway and hope they don't get reported.

And thirdly companies ARE allowed to phone you up for "market research" but of course I bet a market research call can easily turn into a "sales" call if you show any interest in their product.

[TWR]

With respect Woof, That's all it took when I received a replacement set, & well worth the money.

[mikey4444]

The TPS is effectively useless. It is a paper tiger. British based firms routinely ignore it and foreign firms completely ignore it. If you complain, very little or nothing will be done.

I have been plagued to such an extent this last 2 years, that my phone is now permanently "off the hook" If I need to make a call, I remember to take it back off the hook again afterwards. People I know call or text me on my Mobile, although I am now starting to have unwanted calls on that as well !

Taking the phone off the hook may not be ideal for the 93 year old lady, but it may be the only solution. Investigate a simple Mobile phone that she can use and pass its number on to everyone that needs to know it, and nobody else.

Caller display may be a solution but it won't stop the ruddy phone ring late in the evening, or on a Sunday afternoon. So the disturbance will still happen.

This is a modern plague and I can't see any end in sight.

[woofgang]

I don't disbelieve you TWR and its good that your experience was so positive, I just think its important to know both sides before buying.

[TWR]

Best £70 worth Woof, no Lucky lucky call, PPI calls, nothing.