Sudden rash of cold calling?
 

We still currently have a VM fixed phone line, it was an ex directory number for many years as my main phone line was used for my business.

Since retiring over seven years ago the business line was disconnected but the other line is still in use. I have very rarely given this number out, like most people we just our mobiles for 99% of our calls.

Over the years we got the odd cold call on this number but we leave the answerphone set permanently.

In the past week the number of cold calls has increased significantly. No message is ever left and checking on Who Called Me reveals a mix of land lines, mobiles and even one that is ‘apparently’ local. This morning alone we have had three calls within the past couple of hours, all from different numbers.

I am hoping that the next time I have to go through the ‘retentions circus’ I can get rid of this line permanently.

I just wondered if anyone else has seen a sudden increase in these nuisance calls?

Jim.

Re: Sudden rash of cold calling?
 

Try https://www.tpsonline.org.uk/

Re: Sudden rash of cold calling?
 

Registered with TPS many years ago, helped a little but not perfect.;)

Sometimes I dont think it helps signing up with these things..... Its like the 'DO NOT CALL' list..... Ya usually get more calls! (They just sell your # to someone so others can then call you)

Re: Sudden rash of cold calling?
 

You're not on your own, over half of landline calls are now made by scammers.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/co...e-by-scammers/

I get round it by never giving the number out. Unfortunately the mother-in-law has it , and that's a worse call to get than any scammer :(

Re: Sudden rash of cold calling?
 

I get periods of heavy amounts of calls on my mobile like this every so often. Thankfully my Samsung mobile let's me know if they are spam or suspected spam.

Re: Sudden rash of cold calling?
 

Yep, I have that turned on as well, very handy.

Re: Sudden rash of cold calling?
 

I use the Hiya app on my Samsung S24 mobile, works really well.

Re: Sudden rash of cold calling?
 

A tip if you get calls about the accident you've been involved in, try not to laugh.


1. Do you mean the one I died in?


2. Do you mean the one with the elephant and industrial lubricant

Re: Sudden rash of cold calling?
 

:D

Re: Sudden rash of cold calling?
 

My mobile - a number I’ve had for 20 years - is getting tons right now. Almost daily. Up from maybe one every couple of months.

Re: Sudden rash of cold calling?
 

Even though I have re registered the number with TPS it has made no difference.

A few even ‘apparently’ have a local dialling code. Some of these have even left messages asking me to contact them to follow up a request for their services that I have allegedly made on Facebook. :mad:

Re: Sudden rash of cold calling?
 

I have noticed a sharp increase in these, presumably, spoofed numbers but as far as I know TPS can do nothing as they usually come from abroad or are being generated by spammers using auto-diallers.

To vet these unknown numbers I direct them, plus any unknown mobile numbers, to our answer phone as my husband and I are often contacted by our medical teams who seem to use various phones to ring us and we can't risk missing a call.

I do wonder if just by letting these calls, most of which are spammers, go to our answer machine is showing that the number they dial is active leading to even more spam calls.

Re: Sudden rash of cold calling?
 

People really need to be more protective of their own personal data. Always opt out of marketing and don't give out your number to one and all. If anybody (or any webform) insists give them '01234567890'.

Re: Sudden rash of cold calling?
 

This number has never been given out to anyone. It was my old ex directory number when I had my own business. I am going to get rid of it altogether when I have to endure the next round of retentions palaver.

Re: Sudden rash of cold calling?
 

Companies are looking at ways to block calls where the callerid and the actual originating termination are different. The difficulties include calls from companies that may send the DDI number to the extension but the termination is their switchboard.


But while illegal in the UK stopping war-diallers abroad is more difficult. That's when the scammers just dial "random numbers" and if they get a ring can record it as a valid number and if answered can route you to one of their operatives.

Re: Sudden rash of cold calling?
 

Thread resurrected :erm:

had a call today (phone said from Tyneside), dodgy line with even worse dodgy Asian accent. Told him the line was bad, he hung up after about 30 seconds.

Two minutes later another call, this one allegedly from Manchester, same bloke asking if I could hear him better now.
"Yes" I said, "what car do you have?"
"I don't have a car" he replied.
"oh" says I, "I just wondered how you got from Tyneside to Manchester in two minutes"

. . he hung up

Re: Sudden rash of cold calling?
 

Love it. Keep getting calls about loft insulation.the computer one. My favourite game is to see how long I can keep it on the line ........ Sad or what.

Re: Sudden rash of cold calling?
 

Getting approx one call a week from a “local insulation representative”. Each time, I ask them where I am in the country for them to know they’re local, and each time they clear the call down.

I’m happy to keep playing this game until they give up.

Re: Sudden rash of cold calling?
 

That's the one . Know your area ,ha,ha wants your address, which it's says it knows ,

Re: Sudden rash of cold calling?
 

Many many opportunities to play the game, and many different ways to play it.

. . and it doesn't cost anything, where else can you find free entertainment? :D

Re: Sudden rash of cold calling?
 

Best course of action is not to engage with them. Beware of pissing them off, as some have been known to use the numbers of those that harass them to spoof thousands of other call recipients (who then think you are the scammers). They use auto-dialling software that calls multiple numbers & logs anyone that gets a human response for handing on to the scammers to follow up. If there is no response or an answerphone responds the calls usually stop after a few days until the next lot of scammers try that same particular block of numbers.

Re: Sudden rash of cold calling?
 

The number they call me on is a virgin line , I never call anyone from it, well unless you count calling to virgin complain about them

Re: Sudden rash of cold calling?
 

Does not matter if it is a Virgin line. The scammers will block dial every number on an exchange sequentially over a number of days, so you will never get missed.

If you decide to harass them as some have suggested, they know what number you are using (as they have called you on it). They can easily spoof your number & it will show as the caller ID when they block dial thousands of other potential victims numbers.

Re: Sudden rash of cold calling?
 

We have a backup EE/BT line and that never had a phone connected and was never used for phone.

BT had a call log system online showing it was receiving calls from unknown to me numbers on a regular basis. A lookup showed most were known spam numbers.

We got he phone line diabled in the end.

BTW - the best way to answer a call where the number is not recognised is NOT say "Hello". That often triggers a chain of events with the robots.

Re: Sudden rash of cold calling?
 

Please read again I DONT use the virgin phone line - hence that number is never used.. don't care what they do with it. Not my problem,

Re: Sudden rash of cold calling?
 

I've just thought of something . . there could be 'up to' 10,000 people in the UK that I don't know, and have no wish to know, that have potentially blocked my phone number . .

gutted I am, really gutted :rofl:

Re: Sudden rash of cold calling?
 

:gpoint::gpoint:

Re: Sudden rash of cold calling?
 

tbf, there’s probably about the same number you do know have done the same… :D

Re: Sudden rash of cold calling?
 

nope, I very rarely give my phone number out . . no matter how much they beg ;)

Anyone that I know that has my phone number (all 25 of them) wouldn't bother blocking it.

Those I don't know personally (banks, gas & electric, doctors, etc.) probably wouldn't bother either.