Nuisance Calls

[#1]

Really getting fed up receiving nuisance calls since I moved to Plusnet.

At least 5-7 calls a week, mostly from International numbers (nobody there when you pick up), some from the UK, including one today from some idiot claiming to be from BT, telling me that my internet would be cut off "due to people from other countries using my Internet connection" (as an IT Manager, I would love to know how they can manage that) and he needed me to go to Teamviewer's site so he could "block their IP addresses".

I've tried switching-on the nuisance calls feature on my account, after which I received two emails to confirm that I'd deactivated my voicemail (great help!) but no change.

Additionally - my Mother (who is also with PlusNet) receives numerous calls from "Amazon", stating that her account has been closed (at 88, she has never had an Amazon account), including one at 7.30 in the morning when she was still in bed.

Unless Plusnet can offer a call vetting system very soon (Caller Protect), I'll be moving my family back to Sky (who do).

Rant over.

[#2]

@leeh PlusNet offer Call Protect, free https://www.plus.net/help/phone/stop-nuisance-calls/

[#3]

Welcome to the forums @leeh . The fact that you get these call - 99% of which originate on the Indian sub-continent, despite their apparent 'UK' numbers, has nothing to do with your move to Plusnet - it is just that four or five major 'spam factories' tend to pick a range of numbers to annoy for a while, and then move on.

It really doesn't matter who your phone provider is, although some do offer more configurable blocking options - the calls are aimed at your number, not a particular providers customers.

From long experience, and advice from friends in the telecoms business, the best way to (almost) eliminate the nuisance is to ignore calls you were not expecting - eventually their autodiallers recognise numbers which don't pick up, and remove them from their databases.

[#4]

Thanks for the response John, but that's the exact point I'm making. 

The call I took today was displayed as Glasgow (0141), so unless we pick-up, we don't know if the call is actually from valid number, or a re-routed international source.  Also, when there's two of you working from home and jumping on Teams calls all the time, there's nothing worse than having to mute because of a phone that won't stop ringing in the background.

As I originally stated (and in response to @MisterW ) I recently switched-on Call Protect, but for some reason received an email to say that my voicemail had been disabled (settings have been re-checked and it hasn't).

Sky Caller Protect directs every caller to an auto-attendant service, where they're forced to press a button and state who they are before the call goes through to the home (immediately removing all "robo-calls").  For any call that is sent through, a recording of the caller's request is played you're and given the option (by keypad) to accept or refuse the call.  This service is completely free and we never had one single nuisance call.

Plusnet should at least be looking into offering a similar service. 

[#5]

To take your points in order:

1. Would you expect anyone from Glasgow to call you? If not, it is safe to ignore - if it was a genuine caller, they should leave a voicemail message  (although I note you say you have somehow had that turned off) - try calling your home phone and seeing if that is true.

2. I understand the Sky Call Protect feature is different, but BT (who basically provide the PN Call Protect service) don't offer that option.

Plusnet won't be doing that because, as I said, their service is provided by BT, who also don't offer it.

[leeh]

Good evening  leeh

My friend is with Talk Talk and uses their Callsafe he can switch it on or off from his phone by dialling 1472 just checked with him.  He says its great does not get any hoax calls since using it and its free and people cannot use withheld numbers.

It was a pain the first time I called him you have to give your name and wait for him to accept the call but now I just go through because it remembers my number

HD

[#7]

@jab1 Would I expect a call from Glasgow??  We're in a national lockdown and people are ordering more things from suppliers on-line from all over the country!  We had a call from an unknown mobile yesterday and it was a DPD delivery driver, advising he was running late and could we wait?  Yes, he could've left a message, but not everyone does.....and but my point as said before is prank callers being stopped at source.  Today was a classic case of bad timing and you have to appreciate circumstances - the phone rang, my wife was on a conference call, the ringing persisted (looks like voicemail is indeed not working now), I had no choice but to break from what I was doing and pick-up......only to have my time wasted.

Let's just agree to disagree and I'll change back when my contract ends.

[#8]

@Anonymous  - thank you. 

Now that's a helpful response - very much appreciated!

[#9]

OK, suits me, @leeh - I was only offering advice.

[#10]

The LLU providers such as Sky and TalkTalk have more scope for additional call screening since they operate their own equipment in the exchange. Providers who use the Openreach WLR(Wholesale line rental) service use the BT exchange equipment and are likely limited to the BT Call Protect service.

[#11]

Called Plusnet today to find out how to view and manage the barred calls list: if you can see them, you might be able to find patterns to block more of them. And if you make a mistake, you can unblock that one. Simple example: a lot of the fake Amazon calls are US based, so as I'm not expecting any US calls, I'll block all 001 numbers.

Plusnet told me however that it is not possible to view and manage the barred calls list, which seems to be a pretty fundamental feature to have. Many of the posts on this forum relate to nuisance calls, so come on Plusnet - there are things that you can do to help alleviate this significant annoyance. 

[#12]

Get a phone with an answer machine built in. I use a Panasonic one.
BT do one where the caller has to "press 1" to continue. Bit like the talktalk mentioned.
Let any number you dont recognise go to voicemail. It they think its important they'll leave a message.
The number of calls that show as withheld/private or have fake id is supprising. They nearly all cut off at " Hello, you have reached the home of .... "
Works for me and SWMBO
🙂

[#13]

hi @leeh  we all get simarly plagued with these calls , but having frustrated having get up to answer them approx 18 mths ago I bought a call blocker phone a BT 8610  it stops nearly all robo calls because they have to annonce who they are before the phone rings ,when the phone rings you can then allow or block the call ,it also maintains a blocked list ,and a allow list for family and friends so friends dont get blocked, it was the best 40 quid I spent  , it blocks on average10 -14 calls a week ,it might ideal for your mum because I know these calls can be worrying for the elderly 

[#14]

one downside of stopping withheld numbers is that most of the NHS calls come from 'witheld' numbers for legitmate reasons - so your GP or hospital won't be able to contact you.

The blanket call on international numbers could be better - we want to be able to take calls from France as we have relatives there; but it doesn't seem possible to stop calls from specific countries - hands up all those who'd happily stop call from India?

and there should be more regulation of the telecom firms who sell 'geo-spoofing' numbers and software. there's NO good reason for having such capacity.

John

[#15]

@JohnofYork 

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@JohnofYork wrote:

and there should be more regulation of the telecom firms who sell 'geo-spoofing' numbers and software. there's NO good reason for having such capacity.

John

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The telecoms firms rarely, if ever 'sell geo-spoofing numbers' - the 'spam-factories' merely use VoIP technology which allows them to set their own 'caller ID', which is why so many callers from the Indian sub-continent appear to be calling you from obscure exchanges in the UK - like the Isle of Mull.