Nuisance telephone calls - your solutions?

[TonyW]

I have read a few threads on this site about dealing with nuisance callers and appreciate that many of us have to suffer this problem. Although I suspect that the majority here are based in the USA I know that there are a number of UK based as well.

Having stopped a lot of these junk calls using TPS some time ago we are now suffering from loads of International calls for such thing as surveys (phoney I know they have something to sell), do you qualify for a government grant etc etc. Somedays we can have several calls per day up to 9pm at first I tried to be polite and say no thank you. Then I tried asking for their full name and to provide me with a number to call them back and once refused ask them if they were witholding to prevent my nuisance calls.

Having caller display helps to identify International calls but as we do have family and friends that are often out of the UK we cannot afford to always just ignore or switch off. I am getting more and more frustrated and in addition we have an 86 year old mother living with us who finds it equally annoying and frustrating - also she does not like to hear me on occassion swearing at someone down the phone :biggrin:

In looking for an answer I came across trueCall http://www.truecall.co.uk/index.html which may be helpful. Anyone had experience of this type of device because although it seems a little pricey I am prepared to buy if it helps. Any alternatives greatly appreciated.

Thanks and sorry about the rant but I feel a little better now :biggrin:

 

[pplpilot]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KI4Y3g3w3zQ&sns=em

 

[mrbeal]

When I answer and there is silence on the other end (like a computer auto call) I wail until I hear the click that says that they are on the line and say VERY loudly "huh, nobody there" and hang up.

 

[D.RicPhoto]

If someone is on the other end I will say hold on a second. Then just lay the phone down. They are spending $$$$ for the call. Time is money to them.

 

[KLRAY]

I have found the absolute best solution is to simply hang up the reciever.

 

[SteveK]

If I get really angry at them, I ask them for a credit card number, and tell them I charge $4.95/minute for calls from marketing firms. They generally are the ones who hang up fast.

 

[TonyW]

Thanks to all for your suggestions

pplpilot, thanks for the link I had seen this on another forum and personally I found it funny. Others criticised it as being a terrible thing to do to someone just trying to earn a living. I suppose they do have a point as the individual does not know how many calls from others you are receiving. Still being in that industry they should get the idea very quickly and soon either leave or take a couldn't care less view

mrbeal, done that as well and it buys a respite

D.RIcPhoto, tried that a few times as well. That sounds interesting could you hold on a second while I take this other call, be right back

KLRAY, that is the best solution and I tend to do that now. Downside you still have to go to the phone to answer to find out if it is someone you know.

SteveK, I have not tried that one yet!

 

[WizardOfOz]

If I get really angry at them, I ask them for a credit card number, and tell them I charge $4.95/minute for calls from marketing firms. They generally are the ones who hang up fast.

Although a little off topic, but I now do something similar with door-to-door salesmen.

Right after we had a hail storm pass my neighborhood a couple of months ago, salesmen from roofing companies would visit the houses several times a week and try to get my business. I was getting tired of all their pitches.

The next night after knocking on my door and interrupting my precious time watching TV, the salesman introduced himself and the name of his company.

I stopped him and told him if he wanted to talk to me about my roof and give me a bid, it was going to cost him $40 to continue and that the payment had to paid in cash. He looked a little stumped, gave a little laugh, and said that was funny and started with his pitch again.

I put my hand up to his face and told him I was serious and he needed to pay me $40 to listen to his pitch and give me an estimate. He almost started with his pitch again and I am guessing with the look on my face, he knew I was getting serious.

Then he asked me if I was serious and I said hell yes I was and mentioned again about the $40. He left!

I'm now thinking about hanging a sign on my door that will say something about the $40 charge.

 

[TonyW]

I like that, think I would have to convert that to £40 ($62) just in case they agreed and I had to listen :biggrin:.

Funnily enough? we have just had replacement double glazing fitted. My wife invited a couple of companies in to quote and in the end we went with a local company that have been trading for a long time and with which we were happy about the quality and after service. This company do not advertise nationally, nor do they employ sales people and their quote I believe reflected this.

On the evening of the first day of installation I was amazed to have a salesman knock on the door and try to talk to me about new double glazing even though it was apparent a job was in progress. According to the fitter even he gets these callers at his door despite the company van with clear logo and double glazing paraphenalia parked on his driveway

 

[Richard_R]

In Australia we have a Do Not call Register.

Strange as it may seem it works extremely well. The only infrequent calls I get are from "Microsoft" telling me that they can see that my computer (which is often not switched on at the time) is infected with something or other and they will help me get rid of it. I have a lot of fun with this. The best I have been able to string one out was something just over 10 minutes before I got sick of playing and told them that my computer said Apple on the front and was that relevant? Click. End of call.

 

[Richard_R]

I stopped him and told him if he wanted to talk to me about my roof and give me a bid, it was going to cost him $40 to continue and that the payment had to paid in cash.

Oh how I wish we had door to door sales people here. Maybe I could try this next time the Mormons come around. "I'm prepared to be converted but I want payment up front!"

 

[jonh68]

Just ask them if it's normal to feel burning when you urinate.

 

[midocr]

If I don't recognize the number, I don't answer it.

 

[southmine]

I have found the absolute best solution is to simply hang up the reciever.

1-800 numbers exactly...pickup, hang up. It may take awhile but eventually they stop calling.

If I don't recognize the number, I don't answer it.

Same here.

 

[John D]

I bought this devise on Amazon and am quite pleased with it. http://www.amazon.com/Caller-ID-Phone-Ring-Controller/dp/B0007PLOJE

 

[Captain Trips]

CLI (Calling Line Identification) is becoming fairly useless in Australia. I am finding that Call Centres in India are being patched via an Australian based number. Exactly the reverse of when I ring customer service for some utility and I am patched to Bangalore.

Anyway you can always have some sport with the buggers.

Your best defence is an answering machine. As soon as the call goes to the answering machine, they will hang up. As another post said, time is money to these people.

cheers
Simon

 

[Kano]

I registered with the 'do not call' lists and still got calls. My local telco wanted to charge me $5 a month to unlist my phone number. I guess somehow they figure that's an extra they can charge for. I told them I was done with paying them for the privilege of getting telemarketing calls, so I canceled my land line entirely.

I haven't missed it AT ALL.

 

[ShaunK]

Caller ID... if we don't recognize the # we don't answer... and we recognize most of our (close) families' numbers... And if it is a "real" call and important, they can leave a message. Often, we will hear the message and pick up anyways. I guess I don't let the junk calls bother me too much, but yeah, I would say we get an average of 2-3 an evening.

 

[ShaunK]

And every once in a while, if I have the time, I will actually answer, hoping to get a live person, and then spend the next 30 minutes just chatting with them.. weather, dinner, work, etc. I can tell it drives them NUTS! but they really want to get their pitch in. I think me record with one caller is close to 40 minutes!!! :biggrin:

 

[rpracing]

I hate telemarketers. When I had a Boostmobile phone, I was getting everythign from telemarketing spam FROM Boostmobile (which ironically was counting against my minutes) almost every night at random hours all the way to getting people sending walkie talkie messages looking for "8-balls" and "joints". Calling boost was no help. They refused to shut off my walkie talkie number and to quit the telemarketing spam. Switched back to US Cellular the next week.

Door to door clowns I'll basically tell them they have 15 seconds to get off the property or I turn the dog loose. Apparently door to door salemen cant read a red "No SOLICITORS" sign on the front door. Had a couple beligerent ones who had to be "encouraged" to leave. My ruger gives good encouragement.:biggrin:

When I was a kid, we used to get alot of Jehovah Witnesses knocking on the front door. It was nearly weekly in the summer. Once me and my brother (12 and 9 yrs old) were in the side front yard playing something when they walked up to the front door. Dad told them for the umpteenth time we are NOT interested and quit coming here. They said sorry to bother him and walked back to the sidewalk. Well one came over to us and handed my brother one of their pamphlets. Within about 10 seconds, my dad came running out of the house with a baseball bat chasing both of them down the block. Needless to say we never had any JW clowns show up again on the whole street.