Chinese language robocalls scammer calls to PN mobile

[#1]

Hello @Miriam,

It appears to be an over seas cold caller and is happening to random numbers over all networks. We unfortunately have no way to block these on mobile and can only advise to ensure you have register with Telephone Preference Service. Some handsets have a block function built may help, alternatively there are 3rd party applications which can also be used to help block these.

In regards to landlines, we do have a free call feature than can block any specific numbers or categories of callers e.g: international callers, withheld numbers etc..

More information on this call feature and how it can be added can be seen here

I am sorry for the inconvenience this will be causing.

[#2]

TBH I'm not sure why people are blaming Plusnet for this. On the Giffgaff forum there are people receiving these calls and blaming Giffgaff, on the Vodafone forum they are blaming Vodafone, etc etc.. There is little the networks can do on their own to prevent this.

A common complaint is 'how did they get my number, I never give it out?'.
The answer is they don't need to get 'your' number. All UK mobile numbers are 07 followed by 9 other digits. Spammers use autodiallers which can dial thousands of numbers in quick succession, so they just program in a range of numbers starting with 07 and see which get answered. By coincidence this week that might happen to be a range of mobile numbers issued by Plusnet, next week it might be a range of numbers issued by Three..

Really changing your mobile provider because you are fed up with spam calls is a bit like changing your front door because you are fed up with Jehovahs Witnesses knocking on the old one!

[#3]

@yossarian74 

To true and like the Jehovah just don’t answer the door, just don't answer phone calls from unknown callers.

My Chinese calls have stopped now and I guess because I never answer but I get many calls from 020 and 0161 numbers and I’ve just put the dial code on my phones caller blacklist and that sorts that.

I do know somebody that lives in the 0161 code area but like most others they only use mobile these days so blocking the landline code is no problem.

[#4]

---

@yossarian74 wrote:
TBH I'm not sure why people are blaming Plusnet for this.

---

Because it only happened once I started using PN. I also have GiffGaff and until recently I had Three SIMS and it never happens/happened on those numbers. If it was an autodialler then we'd expect a roughly even distribution but so far it's like 30 on PN and none on GiffGaff or Three.

I can't say whether it's PN's fault or whether they can do about it but it does seem to be a PN problem from my perspective.

[#5]

I used to frequent the Giffgaff forum and I lost count of the number of people who had this problem and said 'It only happened once I started using Giffgaff'.
Similarly when we switched our phones at work to Vodafone one member of staff started getting spam calls, so of course they blamed Vodafone (although none of the rest of us had any such calls at that time).

Although you might expect a roughly even distribution across all numbers they do tend to target blocks of numbers at a time, and re-dial a particular number if someone actually answered it previously.

If a spammer wants to target thousands of random people why would they need to go to the trouble and expense of obtaining actual phone numbers from a company like Plusnet when they can simply 'guess' thousands of random people's UK mobile numbers for free, just by putting nine digits after 07 and letting a machine dial them?

[#6]

I have tried everything under the sun to stop these,.  I have been registered with TPS for a very long time, not that it does any good.

I have blocked and blocked both on mobile and landline but to no avail - thanks for the reply.

[#7]

Chris, speaking personally.  I have never said I answered these calls whether mobile or landline, so I think to tell anyone not to answer is not the right thing to say.  Of course, we don't answer them, I never have, but they leave messages, or just keep ringing, there needs to be a law prohibiting this.

[#8]

In the UK there are laws to prevent this, but the issue is that these calls originate from countries where either there is no such law, or their authorities choose to ignore it.

Preventing number spoofing would be a step in the right direction, but that would need the cooperation of the entire global telecoms industry. In global terms Plusnet is just a minnow and can do nothing on their own.

[#9]

@Miriam 

I have no other explanation as to why they stopped phoning me then other than when I first had the calls back when this thread was started I did use to answer the calls and after their announcement I would say something along the lines of “can I order one sweat and sour chicken and two spring rolls” then hang up.

Who knows maybe someone actually listen to the calls and just thought they were wasting their time but like I said I have no other explanation as why I don’t get them any more.

Just a thought, is it new to you the Chinese calls or am I just lucky and do those who complain back in August last year still get the calls?

BTW if a number is on the phones blacklist the phone does not ring so other than having a notification from the app I don’t even know they've called but that said I can’t remember putting these particular calls in my blacklist folder and generally its only UK numbers in there regardless if its spoofed calls from abroad.

[#10]

It's a waste if tune blocking them as they use different numbers each time.

Yes there are laws to prevent, in this country but not the rest of the world.

[#11]

I can't prove it's a PN problem but if it's happening to GiffGaff then I question why it isn't happening to me as a GiffGaff customer. It's in their best interest to ring as many different numbers as possible so being called 20+ times on one number suggests that it's not random at all. It's incredibly inefficient for them to dial a number more than once, every time they call me that's one less victim

I have never answered the phone and I believe they don't want people to answer the phone, it's designed to be left as a voicemail I believe.

[#12]

I had a call yesterday from a mobile number I did not recognise.  I didn't answer and listened to the message they left.  There was music in the background and someone talking in a foreign language.  I could not make out anything that was being said.  Is this the form that these calls are taking?

[#13]

I will never ANSWER mobile number I did not recognise! SIMPLE AS THAT!

[#14]

I'd be very sorry if I made that rule for myself.  I'd have missed all sorts of calls from delivery drivers who couldn't find my house!  It doesn't take a moment to pick up the call and cut it off if it's not wanted.   Most of us don't get more than one spam a day and it's really not much time out of our lives when you think how long some of us spend just picking our noses and wondering where we're meant to be   Compare that with the amount of time we'd have to spend chasing up our order when it doesn't arrive!

[#15]

So, the one number, that I have, that used to get these calls all the time doesn't get them anymore.

After the recorded message if you pressed '9' you used to get put through to a real person, this doesn't seem to work anymore and it just hangs up, however, if you press '1' you now get put through to a real person, from what I have seen.

Anyway, what I started doing was pushing 1 and when the person finishes their 'welcome message' (which I cant understand) I would just say "wang ba dan" then sarcastically laugh and then repeat "wang ba dan" over and over in kind of like a sing song until they hung up.

I'm guessing my number got taken off their dialing list as they don't like you insulting their staff.

I tried to find out some phrases that are illegal in china (I believe they exist, insulting the government or something) or something like a question along the lines of "are we a go for the plot tomorrow night" but I couldn't find any.

Its been months now and I haven't had a single call.