What to do with persistent caller?

[karansaraf]

Over the last few weeks, we've been getting tens of calls from someone, first pretending to be calling for someone named David (about five times), then pretending to be sending us some mobile phones that we've ordered (which we haven't), then pretending to be someone from BT saying we haven't paid our phone bill, sometimes not saying anything, sometimes making stupid noises down the phone.

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?

[chasbo]

Get yourself a referees whistle, when he is in full flow , --give him a long blast!!!

[karansaraf]

Yeah, someone else suggested that. I think I will, because he is ridiculously irritating.

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?

[sixpence]

If it was me, I would answer and leave him dangling on the phone. Find some really awful music for him to listen to while he runs up a bill.I would imagine he would soon get fed up. I suppose it would not be so easy for you to do that, though, as it would tie up your phone for a while.

[tigerthecat]

Get an answer machine? Or as my sister did - pretended to be the local police station - vetting calls to that number - it stopped.

[SaxyJag]

My friend (who's Welsh) does what he calls the 'dumb Welshman' routine with callers like this. The would go something like (in a Welsh accent):

"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!

[karansaraf]

Can't leave him hanging - as soon as we just don't answer him, he hangs up and calls again. If we hang up, he just calls again.

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.

[kovac]

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.

[smurfchops]

This might give you a laugh and some ideas as well:

http://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/People_and_Places/Question221993.html

[jgs]

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.

[stanleyman]

Tell him you are having a heart attack and he needs to phone for an ambulance for you because your phone is in use! Or just answer all calls with "BT call screening and locating service how may I help you"?

[nuoyg]

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?

[malaise]

I had a similar problem with someone persistently phoning from OneTel looking for some German lady! They were Indian, and I'm Scottish, and they couldn't understand me, and I couldn't understand them. Eventually I just got angry and when I asked for their manager, they hung up. It went on and on and on, 3 or 4 calls a day, before 8am and after 9pm (I'm sure that's not allowed). So I can definitely empathise! I contacted BT who weren't much use, so they referred me to Oftel. Oftel advised me that BT >b>could trace the call. After that, the calls stopped. I don't know how, but I'm sure they did something. Maybe you could phone the police station again and report back what's happened with NTL, see if there's anything they can do. Especially if you say to them that it's causing fear and upset to your family (then it could be treated as harassment, I believe).

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.

[sometimesit]

ZebUK, jgs & chasbo
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.