Nuisance Phone Calls

[Scarlett]

Every day I get around 4 phone calls from numbers that often start 0123. When I google them nothing comes up- no prior searches or businesses, just random pages containing numbers. I tried phoning them back and get a “you have reached an incorrect number”. What is sending out these calls and what can I do to stop them? I have blocked them but there’s always more.

[fiction-factory]

I just block any such numbers. They usually try again from a similar number and I block again. Takes a while but eventually they stop trying

[Bobbisox1]

That’s the worst thing you can do is to ‘phone them back’ very often these cold callers are from far flung places like the Seychelles Scarlett and the numbers are extortionate, use a call blocker, most phones have them or register your number with the Call Preference Service

[hc4361]

The Call Preference Service is totally useless for calls that come from abroad.
Far better to buy a call blocking phone or gadget if you don't have one.

[gingejbee]

Presumably you have seen this about 0123 numbers?

https://fakenumber.org/phone/0123

[THECORBYLOON]

The Callers ID can be amended to any number wanted. It can be done so that you call back on a free, 0800 number rather than the real number used.

That means, of course, it could appear to be from anyone or any business the callers want you to believe.

If I don't recognise a number, I ignore it and check it on the internet if need be. If they really want to speak to me they will leave a message.

There are various dialling codes that cost a fortune to call so the last thing to do is call a strange-looking number before checking the rates.

[alavahalf]

You need to get more to do in your life. Googling these numbers and then trying to call them back, the mind boggles. You are obviously well aware of these numbers and the end result, because as you say it happens'every day'. Surely the phrase 'once bitten twice shy' should spring to mind ?
Get one of these .. https://tinyurl.com/y29hav6q .. and it will reduce the time you waste faffing about after these useless calls.

[Barsel]

I get Last Caller Barring in with my package from TalkTalk. It's a number you put into your phone when you receive an unwanted call. Perhaps you could check with your provider if they offer this service?

[bhg481]

Barsel - we have that but, since they use a different number each time they call, it's a waste of time.

[ubasses]

If you are with BT, use BT Protect, you can bar all spam calls, but by being on the system, they will also stop you getting calls that have been reported by others. What you report will also be used to help others, when a number comes up a few times they use it to put on the BT blacklist. It is free, and our calls are the odd one now and again
https://home.bt.com/tech-gadgets/phones-tablets/bt-call-protect-why-bts-free-service-can-help-you-banish-nuisance-calls-11364136279611

[Barsel]

bhg481, I see what you mean, but perhaps eventually they will run out of numbers to use. I would love to know why some people seem to get a lot of unwanted numbers while some get hardly any.

[Jackdaw33]

Thanks for the tip about 0123...
I'll be on the look-out for that in future.

[johnk]

I used to get a lot of these calls but now I rarely get one, once a month maybe. When I do get one I don't speak but just leave the caller to talk to themselves for 5 minutes. As long as I don't hang up they can't call anyone else and I soon come off their list and my number doesn't get sold on. Try it, it works for me.

[waterboatman]

I tend to lay the handset down alongside the cradle, they can't use that line until you put in back, they are paying for the call, so it costs the a fortune, they tend not to bother you again!

[davebro]

Depends how I'm feeling. Get probably 2 or 3 a week. Silent ones don't bother me. If it's a scammer I sometimes lead them on for as long as possible - make them think they've got me hooked then tell them to "sod off". If I'm in a bad mood I use it as an opportunity for anger release and hurl a string of abuse at them. They are so obvious I'm surprised anyone capable of using a phone falls for their scams. Touch wood!

[bhg481]

johnk and WBM have thing the wrong way round; it's the caller who terminates the call, not the person receiving the call. Hence the trick of some scammers where they tell you to ring-off and ring the bank; if you use the same phone the original call has not been terminated and you are still speaking to the scammer.

[waterboatman]

Until I put my phone back on the cragle they cannot use that line, it's still open on my phone and they are paying for the call.

[HansUrbancka]

bhg481 is correct. UK landlines terminate the call when the person who initiated the call hangs up. If the recipient hangs up, that does not end the call. Neither does leaving a handset off the 'hook' prevent callers from hanging-up whenever they wish.

Hans

[bhg481]

Thank-you Hans. Apparently it was set up that way because the caller pays the cost of the call and it also gave the recipient the chance to put-down one extension and then go to another extension to continue the call. The advent of scammers and digital exchanges has now made it possible for the called person to initiate call termination by kicking off a timer when the receiver is replaced; after a short time the call is disconnected. The caller can always terminate the call instantly.

[Jackdaw33]

I get very few such calls but those that I do seem to be recorded messages so verbal abuse is a waste of time.