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Advice, Please, for Blocking Unwanted/Scam Calls

flyingpencil
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Advice, Please, for Blocking Unwanted/Scam Calls

I'm certain this topic has been raised before, but I would like some advice on how to stop unwanted calls, which are becoming more prevalent.

Although I am signed up with TPS (for many years), the service is utterly hopeless and inadequate in a majority of cases. TPS will only take action if it is a company ringing from within the UK. Even calls with UK phone numbers are sometimes ignored if they are reported. The punishments need to be far more severe.

However, most of the cold calls these days are from these "multiple call" senders that arbitrarily ring a hundred numbers and the first one to pick up is 'IT'. I think we've all had them: 'you've been in an accident',  'your computer's been hacked',  'your bank/phone/email/[insert service to suit] account has been compromised', and the list goes on.

So what is the best way to prevent these calls in the first place? I have heard before of a system that requires the caller to register to allow their calls through. OK, it might work, but what a faff to go through! Does anyone have other ideas that I can use?

 BT's Call Protect seems like a good option and it's free (unusual for BT!), so why not Plusnet?

Of course, what it REALLY needs is a national system whereby the phone providers are seen to take action to prevent these calls getting through in the first place. After all, they are the ones that provide us with the phone lines ...

28 REPLIES 28
jab1
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Re: Advice, Please, for Blocking Unwanted/Scam Calls

This my personal advice only, but it worked for me. If you don't know the number (providing you've got Caller Display), ignore it - if the call is genuine, they should leave a message. It took maybe six months, but I now get maybe two calls in six or seven weeks, and still ignore them.

John
flyingpencil
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Re: Advice, Please, for Blocking Unwanted/Scam Calls

Thanks John.

Yes I do have caller display, and I am starting to adopt the policy of ignoring numbers I don't recognise, but as I work from home I could be ignoring a client. Additionally, I did this before and it was actually my bank informing me that someone had 'skimmed' my card details to scam £430 (I did get an instant refund BTW).

In this technological age, I am staggered that there isn't a system that can stop cold calls.

flyingpencil
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Re: Advice, Please, for Blocking Unwanted/Scam Calls

I did also mean to say that I do get a fair number of genuine international calls, so I can't really ignore '00' numbers.

NorthPole
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Re: Advice, Please, for Blocking Unwanted/Scam Calls


@flyingpencil wrote:

 BT's Call Protect seems like a good option and it's free (unusual for BT!), so why not Plusnet?

Plusnet do also have a free Call Protect option - you only have to register for it!

jab1
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Re: Advice, Please, for Blocking Unwanted/Scam Calls


@flyingpencil wrote:

Thanks John.

Yes I do have caller display, and I am starting to adopt the policy of ignoring numbers I don't recognise, but as I work from home I could be ignoring a client. Additionally, I did this before and it was actually my bank informing me that someone had 'skimmed' my card details to scam £430 (I did get an instant refund BTW).

In this technological age, I am staggered that there isn't a system that can stop cold calls.


I can see that you don't want to ignore a client, so maybe my idea isn't so good for you - sorry Smiley Hopefully, the bank left a message.

The problem is that most of the scam calls originate in Asia, with caller spoofing numbers - there is no way of preventing that, and no international agency which is able (or probably willing) to take it on.

Nortpoles advice is spot on though, I'd forgotten about it as I've never had to use it.

John
Baldrick1
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Re: Advice, Please, for Blocking Unwanted/Scam Calls

Replace your phone with one with fitted with BTCall Guardian such as the BT8600. I have had the earlier model for several years now without one nuisance call. 

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jab1
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Re: Advice, Please, for Blocking Unwanted/Scam Calls

Another good suggestion, @Baldrick1

John
flyingpencil
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Re: Advice, Please, for Blocking Unwanted/Scam Calls

Thanks, the last time I looked that feature was not present, so I've now activated it and will see how I get on. One of the numbers used to call me today was actually STD code 01867 that does not even exist, but I'm sure the Protect feature will acknowledge that.

I'll certainly look very carefully at these new phones, like Guardian, the next time I upgrade. The Philips system I have is working fine ATM, so it's not something I would contemplate. It's certainly an extra option though.

harrym1byt
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Re: Advice, Please, for Blocking Unwanted/Scam Calls


@flyingpencil wrote:

Thanks John.

Yes I do have caller display, and I am starting to adopt the policy of ignoring numbers I don't recognise, but as I work from home I could be ignoring a client. Additionally, I did this before and it was actually my bank informing me that someone had 'skimmed' my card details to scam £430 (I did get an instant refund BTW).

In this technological age, I am staggered that there isn't a system that can stop cold calls.


There is a system, but you have to buy it. Get a set of BT 8500 phones, to replace all of your phones. I bought a set of 4 returns/refurbs (actually brand new, untouched), on ebay for <£60. 4x phones, 3x chargers, 1x base charger. The BT 8500 includes a call blocker. You can block all unknown numbers, all international callers, all calls with no number. It plays these callers a message to say their name and press #. The nuisance callers never do, so they never get through and the phone never rings. Everyone else who is listed in your phone's callbook gets through as normal and it rings straight away.

All the genuine callers are well used to this type of system, like doctors, hospitals and banks, so they say their name and press #, the phones ring and I or the built in answer take the call.

Due to a previous ISP's customer database being hacked, our phone number and other details went on a nuisance callers list and we were getting 10 such calls per day, it was a nightmare. Now down to maybe 5 such callers per week - I only know this because the BT 8500 logs all attempts to ring our number.   

jab1
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Re: Advice, Please, for Blocking Unwanted/Scam Calls

@harrym1byt Another good suggestion - I did look at it, but being a Yorkshireman, wondered if I could find a cheaper way.Wink

As an aside, my current Gigaset 430 has it's own editable blacklist function, and for the few wonky calls I get, the 10 number limit is OK.

John
Strat
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Re: Advice, Please, for Blocking Unwanted/Scam Calls

I had a Gigaset but soon filled its small memory with unwanted call numbers.

I replaced it with the BT 8600 and now I get maybe 1 call a month if I'm unlucky.

I think the spammers have taken me off their list.

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flyingpencil
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Re: Advice, Please, for Blocking Unwanted/Scam Calls

Thanks again. All very good and sensible advice.

 

My only problem may then be incoming international calls - my wife is Dutch and we regularly receive calls from here. However, I can read the country codes and can spot the dodgy ones quite quickly.

jab1
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Re: Advice, Please, for Blocking Unwanted/Scam Calls

@Strat as I said earlier, I did look at the BT phones, but took a cheaper, albeit longer winded way. I did this when they were considerably more expensive, though.

John
flyingpencil
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Re: Advice, Please, for Blocking Unwanted/Scam Calls

Heck, you've got me on a roll now!

 

Has anyone experience of this?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/CPR-Call-Blocker-Pre-Loaded-Telemarketer-Matt-Black/dp/B01LAWMJIM/ref=sr_1_...

 

Seems to get a good rating on Amazon.