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Author Topic: Telephone calls  (Read 2243 times)

Harrowby Hall

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Telephone calls
« on: February 27, 2020, 08:44:25 AM »
Yesterday I had about 15 (I gave up counting after eight) telephone calls from numbers I did not recognise. As is now my custom, I did not answer them - except for two for which I placed the receiver to my ear and waited for a response. After a few seconds the line disconnected. No messages were recorded on my answer system.

And this morning, the phone rang again at 8.20 am.

Like many of my acquaintances I now use my mobile phone for all calls I make. Where possible - certainly with my family - I use Facetime. The primary reason for my landline now is connection with the internet.

I am sure that many of the calls I do not answer will be from people who wish - by one method or another - to separate me from my money either by providing  services for which I have no need or by defrauding me by some means or other. Were I to answer a call I may find myself speaking to someone in some other country who - by using VOIP - is able to spoof a UK telephone number and to be virtually untraceable.

Do other members have this problem? And, if so, how do you deal with it?

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Spud

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Re: Telephone calls
« Reply #1 on: February 27, 2020, 08:49:18 AM »
Yes we have this problem, and talktalk has something called "last call barring", which is a short number you dial and then press the star key twice to bar the last caller's number. It's like reporting spam emails.
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Gordon

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Re: Telephone calls
« Reply #2 on: February 27, 2020, 08:54:12 AM »
Once I've established that it is a scam, such as asking about the car accident I haven't had, I just tell them to fuck off - I can't see why I should be civil to them.
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Nearly Sane

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Re: Telephone calls
« Reply #3 on: February 27, 2020, 08:58:22 AM »
Haven't had a landline in 4 years - have cable for internet. I still get nuisance calls on the mobile but relatively few. As with you, HH, if I don't recognise the number I rarely answer. My mobile also identifies possible scam calls, and selling calls, so I know not to bother with those.
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Roses

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Re: Telephone calls
« Reply #4 on: February 27, 2020, 09:05:25 AM »
We have a landline, I dislike mobile phones, although I have a basic one, which I only take with me when I am driving. We have a lot less nuisance calls than we used to get, thank goodness, if we don't recognise the number we don't answer the phone, they can leave a voice message if they are people who need to be in touch with us. Spammers never leave messages.

I am getting a lot less spam e-mails too these days, I have very few people on my e-mail list, I am very wary as to who has my e-mail address.
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Stranger

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Re: Telephone calls
« Reply #5 on: February 27, 2020, 09:28:42 AM »
I bought a really great little device some time ago that answers all my landline calls with a message saying that it's a call blocker, that I don't accept any sort of unsolicited calls, and to press 5 if you have a legitimate reason to call. Since I had it, not one marketing or scam call has come through, at the small expense that some legit callers don't listen to all of the message and get put off. Regular callers soon got the hang of it though.

Looks like the device and company who made it have since disappeared and you can now only get "call blockers" that rely on databases of scam numbers and unconditionally blocking all private and international calls (or not).

It was such a simple and effective idea, I've no idea why it didn't catch on. It would be a great idea for an app for a mobile too but I can't find anything like it.

Since I'm using mobile for virtually everything now, when it finally breaks, I'll probably just not use the landline at all (except for internet).

You can register your number with the Telephone Preference Service which is supposed to stop marketing calls - but obviously only from those who respect the rules.
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ippy

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Re: Telephone calls
« Reply #6 on: February 27, 2020, 03:40:05 PM »
Every phone call we have, all of them, we let them go to answerphone if it's important they'll leave a message, friends and family  speak out after the beep, it's me, so & so, and then and only then do we answer or not.

ippy.
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Robbie

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Re: Telephone calls
« Reply #7 on: February 27, 2020, 06:07:42 PM »
I also do that ippy. Most of my incoming calls are on my mobile but the landline does ring. I get some very odd, selling telephone calls which I do not want.

NTtS, I tried to register with the Telephone Preference Service: apparently my number is already registered with them, presume husband did it, prob'ly years ago, because I didn't. Anyway it doesn't work :-).
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Walter

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Re: Telephone calls
« Reply #8 on: February 28, 2020, 07:16:42 PM »
Quote from: Robbie on February 27, 2020, 06:07:42 PM
I also do that ippy. Most of my incoming calls are on my mobile but the landline does ring. I get some very odd, selling telephone calls which I do not want.

NTtS, I tried to register with the Telephone Preference Service: apparently my number is already registered with them, presume husband did it, prob'ly years ago, because I didn't. Anyway it doesn't work :-).

Robbie
them unwanted phone calls?             that's me ;)
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Spud

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Re: Telephone calls
« Reply #9 on: March 02, 2020, 01:48:01 PM »
Panorama tonight is about this. Someone has located a call center in Delhi and got CCTV footage from inside, where they are scamming people in Britain.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/stories-51660982/criminals-on-cctv-scammers-caught-red-handed
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Sebastian Toe

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Re: Telephone calls
« Reply #10 on: March 02, 2020, 10:22:56 PM »
Quote from: Spud on March 02, 2020, 01:48:01 PM
Panorama tonight is about this. Someone has located a call center in Delhi and got CCTV footage from inside, where they are scamming people in Britain.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/stories-51660982/criminals-on-cctv-scammers-caught-red-handed
I follow that guy on YouTube . He's one clever cookie.
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SusanDoris

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Re: Telephone calls
« Reply #11 on: March 03, 2020, 11:39:17 AM »
Quote from: Sebastian Toe on March 02, 2020, 10:22:56 PM
I follow that guy on YouTube . He's one clever cookie.
what conclusions did they come up with on the programme?
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Anchorman

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Re: Telephone calls
« Reply #12 on: March 03, 2020, 11:59:55 AM »
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Spud

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Re: Telephone calls
« Reply #13 on: March 03, 2020, 01:24:15 PM »
Quote from: Sebastian Toe on March 02, 2020, 10:22:56 PM
I follow that guy on YouTube . He's one clever cookie.
Good to know there is someone with that ability on our side!
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Sebastian Toe

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Re: Telephone calls
« Reply #14 on: March 04, 2020, 05:17:10 PM »
Quote from: SusanDoris on March 03, 2020, 11:39:17 AM
what conclusions did they come up with on the programme?
He's publishing his version in 4 episodes!
I guess to get more income from Youtube.
I don't blame him for that!
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Sebastian Toe

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Re: Telephone calls
« Reply #15 on: March 04, 2020, 05:21:27 PM »
Quote from: Spud on March 03, 2020, 01:24:15 PM
Good to know there is someone with that ability on our side!
There are many "scam-baiters"  on Youtube, who call up these low life scammers and spend as much time as they can, wasting the crooks time.
Some of the videos are hilarious.
Try searching for Kitboga for example and watch him take some of them to the edge of despair!
« Last Edit: March 04, 2020, 05:42:15 PM by Sebastian Toe »
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Roses

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Re: Telephone calls
« Reply #16 on: March 08, 2020, 11:34:05 AM »
Since we moved here getting on for 8 years ago, we periodically get phone calls for a 'Mrs Davies'. No one by that name has ever lived here. I can only think we were given her landline number by BT as she had moved from her home, or maybe died. You would think by now callers would have realised she wasn't around to take their calls ::)
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jeremyp

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Re: Telephone calls
« Reply #17 on: March 09, 2020, 04:36:13 PM »
Quote from: Sebastian Toe on March 04, 2020, 05:21:27 PM
There are many "scam-baiters"  on Youtube, who call up these low life scammers and spend as much time as they can, wasting the crooks time.
Some of the videos are hilarious.
Try searching for Kitboga for example and watch him take some of them to the edge of despair!
Kitboga is hilarious. The best ones are when he leads them round the houses for four hours and then redeems the Google vouchers they made him buy.
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Steve H

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Re: Telephone calls
« Reply #18 on: March 14, 2020, 09:05:02 AM »
Are landline phones doomed? How many people on here, apart from LR, actually have a landline any more? I don't.
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Nearly Sane

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Re: Telephone calls
« Reply #19 on: March 14, 2020, 09:35:30 AM »
Quote from: Prostetnic Vogon Jeltz on March 14, 2020, 09:05:02 AM
Are landline phones doomed? How many people on here, apart from LR, actually have a landline any more? I don't.
I think the only thing keeping them going is those people getting internet through it.
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Harrowby Hall

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Re: Telephone calls
« Reply #20 on: March 14, 2020, 10:16:40 AM »
As NS says, my only real use for my telephone line is to connect to the internet.  A couple of years ago my peace was disturbed for two days by Virgin digging up the road to lay down ducts for their cable services. I was looking forward to being able to get fibre to the premises which would have allowed me to get all services without a telephone line or a TV aerial - but Virgin have never been anywhere near us again.
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SusanDoris

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Re: Telephone calls
« Reply #21 on: March 14, 2020, 10:21:41 AM »
Quote from: Prostetnic Vogon Jeltz on March 14, 2020, 09:05:02 AM
Are landline phones doomed? How many people on here, apart from LR, actually have a landline any more? I don't.
well, I certainly do! I own a mobile which I carry around with me when I am out so that I can phone for a taxi if necessary to take me home. I never use it otherwise.
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Roses

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Re: Telephone calls
« Reply #22 on: March 14, 2020, 10:35:13 AM »
All my children, siblings, extended family, friends and many other people with whom I am in contact, still have landlines.
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Aruntraveller

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Re: Telephone calls
« Reply #23 on: March 14, 2020, 12:03:38 PM »
We still have a landline, but I do live with a technophobe  ::)
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Roses

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Re: Telephone calls
« Reply #24 on: March 14, 2020, 12:06:53 PM »
It is so much cheaper to use the landline than my mobile phone, especially if phoning family and friends in Guernsey.
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