Silent phone calls

[Stealthbomber]

We seem to get quite a few calls from double-glazing and conservatory sellers etc.

 

I notice, recently, that we seem to get quite a few calls from a witheld number and, when I answer, there's about 1 second of silence and then the phone goes dead.

It's got to the point where I get these calls sometimes 2 or 3 times a day.

 

Now, I've heard stories about burglars phoning first to check nobody's home before breaking in but, frankly, we're out enough of the time that if this WAS the reason then we'd probably have been burgled by now!

 

I was wondering if anybody's ever heard of a telephone "phishing" scam.

You know how you get sent emails and the only purpose to you replying is to confirm that the email address IS a live one so they can then send more spam to it?

I was wondering if there's something similar going on by phone, like a room full of indians get issued a pile of telephone numbers and they have to find out if they're still current so the numbers can be put into a list to be sold to cold-calling companies.

 

I'm probably going to phone up BT about it tommorrow but I was just wondering if anybody knows anything about it so I can suggest it to them when I phone.

[GuzziHero]

We used to get a load of these. What we put it down to is that the caller is an automated system which dials several numbers at once. Whoever picks up first is the unlucky winner of a spam call, everyone else just gets the click because the unit has already connected.

 

We are on a cold caller scheme but occasionally get a few even now. If they offer you a survey DO NOT ANSWER ANYTHING, not even to confirm your name. I went through part of one of these 2 weeks ago where I was asked if I supported the lifeboats, some meningitis charity and then went into "Do you have any outstanding loans" blah blah blah. I hung up, Within the following few days I got calls from several charities and loan/mortgage companies...

 

Also, if you ever get any offers in the post with charities on, any special offers or even enter a mail-in competition, you are effectively signing a contract with the sender for them to send you further info (its in the small print and is a legally valid thing). They can then spam you to their hearts content as you have entered into that contract. In some cases the contract allows them to hand your details to other companies.

 

Have fun!

[Skarclaw]

I get loads of them, I just assume its an idiot at the call center.

[imp1864]

no its not scam, its a computer which rings 3 or 4 numbers and who ever picks up the phone first they talk to them. we get them on a regular basis. just ignore them is the best advice.

[RedScare]

a lot of times its tele-markerters. the machine activates when you say something.

 

well, this might be the case.

[PlasticMag]

Can't you guys get Caller ID?

[Stealthbomber]

Can't you guys get Caller ID?

We have caller ID but it doesn't work with digital exchanges, like they have at most offices etc. At best all caller ID will do is give you the main outgoing number and not even that, usually.

 

I reckon Guzzi's answer is the most likely one.

[GuzziHero]

The other way is to put the ansafone on, as it takes 8-10 rings before it answers, and see whos calling before you pick up.

 

One thing Ive started doing is if I get a cold call, I ask if they have an abuse policy (where your name is outwritten if you give abuse). If they say yes, I come out with a load of expletives (but not racial insults - thats improper in any circumstances and now an arrestable offence).

[imp1864]

Guzzi answer is correct. I looked into it and lo and behold, ad companies are responsible. last week alone I had 5 in the space of an hour. Now I just leave the answering machine on.

[Stealthbomber]

Regarding cold-calls, the main thing to remember (in amongst any other stuff you get up to) to tell them you want to be removed from their list.

Don't just say "I'm not interested. Goodbye". Instead, say "Take me off your list and please don't call me again. Goodbye".

If that company DOES call you back after you've asked not to, you can do them for harassment, if you can be bothered.

[rhino]

I've had a few of these. Just tend to ignore them (i'm of the philosophy that if it's important enough, they'll get back in touch... Otherwise, it's just their money they're wasting )

 

I also get quite a few where i'll get a call and when i answer theres about 3 seconds of silence and then someone finally replies and then tries to flog me a phone or something. Needless to say, if i pick up the phone now and i'm greeted with silence, i hang up straight away and just carry on with whatever it was i was doing.

[Epyon]

I miss the days of messing with telemarketers. Back when my brother and I were settling our parents' estate we'd get dozens of calls a day. We kinda made a game out of goofing with them. I kinda wish we had recorded the conversations, there was some great stuff.

Nowadays I very rarely get any unwanted calls. I'm on the FTC do not call registry, but offshore companies can still circumvent that. Additionally, the only number I ever give out is my mobile. It's prohibited to use autodialers on cellular numbers.

[ruzzz]

You can opt out of these.

 

http://www.mpsonline.org.uk/tps/

[Pureownage]

If it's not an automated system and someone's calling, I do my best to put them off, e.g. when someone rings and says theyre selling double glazing, I say my job is working as a double glazer, say therefore I don't need any, and keep asking them if the company they work for needs double glazing.

[WeirdoTransvestite]

Where's that telemarketers thread when you need it?

[TheImpailer]

I've developed a simple method to beat them...

 

when you realise that the phone caller is a cold caller/telemarketer, simply lower your voice and speak quieter and quieter, or simply move the mic away from your mouth but carry on talking for about 30 seconds, tell them anything you like, ask them how the weather is etc....

 

because you're talking quietly and they're in a loud office, they have to turn their headset up... Yaye veriily youhave 2 choices to get them to hang up.... 1) Suddenly revert to normal or maybe even a smigin louder telling them you "have chatted enough and somone is stealing the water from your plug hole" (thankyou mayor west) or 2) randomly press numbers on your keypad... result, a series of painfully high tones at the other end problem solved, your number is blacklisted as a loony house or as a bad connection...

[creepingfear]

I'm more straight to the point when I get cold calls from call centres and telemarketers.

 

I just tell them to "Go eff yourself" and wait for them to reply, normally in astonishment at what I have just said, and every time they have finished their reply I just say "Go eff yourself" again until they hang up.

 

I used to get a load of those cold calls where the caller would say something along the lines of "Is this the main telephone user?" at which point I would respond with the "Go eff yourself" saying.