Anyway, I signed up to the Telephone Preference Service to stop all unwanted calls......
Unfortunately it doesn't stop all unwanted calls. I don't think it stops companies that are not registerd with TPS from ringing you and I'm sure it doesn't stop automated recorded message calls. I regularly get calls telling me that I have won an all-expenses paid holiday in the Bahamas and to press button 7 or whatever. If we're out and they get recorded onto BT 1571 I sonetimes have to listen to the call being repeated umpteen times before it stops and I can delete it. Grrrrrrrr!
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L\'escargot.
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You have to be careful with those recorded calls. If anyone should receive one just put the handset down straight away.
If a child answers the phone train them to do the same thing.
Apparently pressing the didget they say or any other didget can add huge debits to your phone bill.
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Apparently pressing the didget they say or any other didget can add huge debits to your phone bill.
That's an urban myth perpetuated by well-meaning people forwarding hoax e-mails. You can't be charged for an incoming call unless, of course, it's a reverse charge call.
The myth is a variation of a story that has a kernel of truth, but only on certain switchboards and probably only in the USA. See www.snopes.com/crime/fraud/jailcall.asp . It's also worth mentioning that some of the warnings about massively expensive phone calls are overblown: even if you are conned into dialling a premium rate number, the most this can cost is £1.50 per minute. Admittedly, this is bad enough.
The real risk is getting conned by taking up whatever dodgy deal the robotic caller is offering you.
It's actually illegal for a company to make a telemarketing call to you if you're registered with the TPS. The automated callers get away with it because they're usually outside the UK.
If (and only if) the calls are encouraging you to call a premium rate (09) number, you can complain to ICSTIS. I did this and, months later, received a response, telling me the company concerned had been fined.
Useful links:
www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk/
www.tpsonline.org.uk/
www.ofcom.org.uk/
www.icstis.org.uk/
www.bt.com/btprivacy/ (if you're with BT).
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Unfortunately it doesn't stop all unwanted calls. I don't think it stops companies that are not registerd with TPS from ringing you...
The TPS has the force of law behind it. There's detailed information on the Information Commissioner's web site. In particular, see tinyurl.com/9qwa9 (PDF document).
If we're out and they get recorded onto BT 1571 I sonetimes have to listen to the call being repeated umpteen times before it stops and I can delete it. Grrrrrrrr!
You can delete the message while it's playing by pressing 3. You don't have to listen to it all!
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TPS only works with British companies. With the advent of VOIP (=very cheap) international calls, expect telemarketing from the USa to start big time.
V
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TPS only works with British companies. With the advent of VOIP (=very cheap) international calls, expect telemarketing from the USa to start big time. V
I have been 'absorbing' them for some weeks - Talk Talk keep offering me free phones.
I wish TPS worked with companies who already have my custom.
BT keep ringing - 3 times last week - to get me to use their service for calls(I use their line rental) and Sky are forever trying to sell me repair packages.
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I've been registered with TPS for a number of years and, initially, it helped to cut down cold calls to just the odd one over a lengthy period.
However, over the past few months we have had more and more cold calls made from outside the UK and there seems little that can be done about them.
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What\'s for you won\'t pass you by
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>> If we're out and they get recorded onto BT 1571.... You can delete the message while it's playing by pressing 3. You don't have to listen to it all!
That's nice to know. I've always assumed that you had to wait until you had been given the three options before you could choose which option you wanted.
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L\'escargot.
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You can do that with any touch dial menu thingy. Do it all the time on my mobile otherwise you're there for ages!
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