Silent Calls / Nuisance Calls.

[TWR]

After reading Which Mag today, I find that people are buying adapted phones to stop these calls, do you think that is right? I am a member of ????? Can not remember) to stop these but why should we have to? the figures out in Which Mag gives the details regards these,

PPI 62%

Silent 51%

accident claims, 48%.

Comp selling NON Financial Services. 39%

Market Research, 36%

Switch services, 36%

Financial Services, 35%,

It has caused a lot of the very senior to become worried / unwell, will not answer their phones, I think it's about time the Government stepped in with this.

[hc4361]

The government can't stop calls from overseas. I suggest that everyone register with Telephone Preference Service (free) and if you are the nervous/wary/anxious type use voice mail and call back if you know the caller, instead of answering the phone.

You can usually pick the phone up to answer a call whilst voicemail is operating if you want to.

[TWR]

I am a member of that site Hc, I could not remember the name, but I think something should be done legally to stop these.

[hc4361]

A lot IS being done already but what can anyone do about calls that originate from overseas, as many of them do?

[factor-fiction]

The practice will continue for as long as sufficient people keep responding to the calls. If everyone hung up straight away the callers would eventually decide it's not worth calling.

[DaisyNonna]

I never answer anything flagged as out of area. Signed up to telephone preference service but it seems this needs updating every few months.
Still get cold calls.

[nungate]

I have caller ID and if I don't recognise a number I don't answer it - the machine can take a message, though nine times out of ten it's one of the callers listed above, anyone who really wants me can leave a message and I will call them back otherwise I ignore the rubbish

[kylesmum]

TPS is redundant now...not literally but no-one pays heed to it.

Best bet is to have an answering machine to take your calls.

If it's urgent the caller will leave a message.I'm sick to death of tripping over the cat in case it's a family emergency only to be met by the usual.

I've also almost given my Mum a blast but thankfully she spoke first...could have been a bit embarrassing cos of course her daughter doesn't use bad language.....

[bednobs]

i don't get how those figures can be correct

[Alston]

My wife will always answer the telephone; I refuse to and, when it has stopped ringing, I dial 1471 to establish the number of the caller. If it is one I am unable to identify, then I take no further action.

Al.

[ladybirder]

I have been getting a call daily that I didn't recognise for quite a while now. I typed the number into google and it immediately came up as a very very well known children's charity which I had donated to via these 700** numbers that come up on your TV screen. I know this isn't via landline but it's still annoying. They are the losers because I shan't give again and neither will the annoyed people who were ranting about them on google. It's self defeating.

[EvianBaby]

What exactly are those figures of? The first two wipe out and exceed the maximum possibility without the additional ones below if that meant to be the percentage of type of calls received...

[sunny-dave]

The problem will only ever be solved if the useless Ofcom (motto - "Proud to be as effective as a chocolate fireguard") gets tough with the telecom companies and requires them to stop transmitting this garbage.

Stopping spam calls and texts from being delivered isn't easy - but is possible. A BT insider tells me that they could stop 95% of incoming spam from overseas within a week "if the law required us to" - but they will never act until then ... why not I hear you cry?

The snag is that the telecom companies (BT in particular, but also Vodafone and the mobile networks) make money by transmitting this junk. So they will just wring their hands and do nothing until it hurts them in the pocket.

Implement huge fines for delivering junk texts, spam calls - end of problem as (magically) the 'too difficult' problems get sorted.

[Alston]

I hadn't studied the figures. If 51% are Silent, then only 49% can be identified for division between all other Nuisance Calls.

Al.

[mikey4444]

There is very little that anyone can do about these calls. You can register with the TPS if you like but it will make a small amount of difference, if any at all. The company that featured in that rather stupid program on BBC 3, The Call Centre, was recently fined for ignoring the TPS. Foreign companies bypass the TPS with complete indifference.

You can try changing your phone to one with a answering machine built in, and then use it to filter out this nuisance calls. But it won't stop the phone from ringing, when you are sitting down to your dinner, or just got into the bath, so limited value really.

What I have done is to take the phone off the hook completely, and only use it for out-going calls. I have let everybody know my Mobile number, at least the ones I trust. Friends and relatives know that its best to text me before ringing, if its urgent.

It isn't an ideal solution by any means but its the only way that you can stop these blo*dy completely.

[EvianBaby]

You could always do what I do and just not bother having a landline phone.

(Actually I do, but it doesn't ring much if it isn't plugged in)

[TWR]

The figures listed are from the Which mag, July issue 2013.

[EcclesCake]

I've just read the article myself and after much head scratching realise that the percentages reflect that of the 1,827 people's surveyed 62% had received a PPI call, 51% had had a silent call etc....

[EvianBaby]

Ooohhh so 51% received silent calls and 49% didn't, etc. now it makes sense.