Absolutely plagued with recorded sales calls

You could do what my old dad used to do. Let them go on and on and encourage them that you were very interested in what they were selling then end the conversation with:

"So - do you think the Council will pay for those improvements to my council flat?"

[mr,m]

I seem to be getting rather a lot of calls from debt companies,I love it.I say I'm really in debt,but can they hang on a minute as my kettles just boiled,I just leave them hanging on,they're paying,I had one hang on for about 10 mins before I told them that actually I've changed my mind,good day lol

[STONEISLAND]

When I pressed option 3 to speak to someone from a debt company they had the cheek to say I rang them!!!!!!! I then asked to speak to the manager as I wanted there company name and address as the guy I was speaking to ‘had no authority to give that information’ to be told ‘he’s far to busy to speak to you’.
Made me so MAD I told him to F off very angrily, and hung up really wound me up.

Originally Posted by mr,m

I seem to be getting rather a lot of calls from debt companies,I love it.I say I'm really in debt,but can they hang on a minute as my kettles just boiled,I just leave them hanging on,they're paying,I had one hang on for about 10 mins before I told them that actually I've changed my mind,good day lol

There's a common theme here. My old dad was a Liverpudlian. Came up here to Scotland during WW II.

[mr,m]

Originally Posted by Ernie_C

You could do what my old dad used to do. Let them go on and on and encourage them that you were very interested in what they were selling then end the conversation with:

"So - do you think the Council will pay for those improvements to my council flat?"

Typical scouser!!

[esdxc37]

Originally Posted by Rob M

My understanding of the TPS was that it can only prevent calls from companies/organisations that subscribe to it.

The really annoying companies, and those interested in the hard sell, are unlikely to sign up to any service that is likely to prevent them calling whoever they like.

any company that cold calls customers must check the TPS database before calling anyone. it is law not choice.

[SilverLady]

Having read the TPS site info again, I realise why I'm still getting these calls even though registered.

The callers always start off by saying that they're not selling anything, just carrying out market research. This must be the loophole that lets them through.

I was surprised that calls from political parties were also restricted, as we had an absolute stream of them during a recent by-election. Presumably these were also going under the heading of research rather than sales or marketing, but this seems a very narrow distinction.

[altis]

Indeed that is a legal loophole.

TPS are useless IMHO since they are an organization set up by the cold-calling industry to appease the government and side-step more onerous legislation.

Since June 2004, these callers have risked a £5000 for each and every offence. If you get these calls then I suggest you don't bother with the TPS. Record the call(s) and take it directly to your local Trading Standards office. They will jump at the chance of a prosecution - unlike the TPS.

[Stuart]

Originally Posted by Moldova

Anonymous block does not stop all callers and when these people who can get through call, all 1471 says is "You were called today" so that is fallible and you have to pay for the privilege.

Also, some organisations (such as Hospitals) deliberately use Anonymous numbers. Would Anonymous Call Rejection stop these?

[nffc]

Originally Posted by SilverLady

Having read the TPS site info again, I realise why I'm still getting these calls even though registered.

The callers always start off by saying that they're not selling anything, just carrying out market research. This must be the loophole that lets them through.

I was surprised that calls from political parties were also restricted, as we had an absolute stream of them during a recent by-election. Presumably these were also going under the heading of research rather than sales or marketing, but this seems a very narrow distinction.

Well, maybe they are doing market research?

The TPS is run by the DMA...

[dizzi]

For reference - this is the email I got back from the TPS about these clowns:

Thank you for your complaint regarding recorded messages.

Organisations that use recorded phone message to try and sell or promote their products or business have to comply with the Privacy and Electronic Communications (EC Directive) Regulations 2003. These say that marketers who leave recorded phone messages must obtain prior consent from the subscriber before they can make such a call. Where a subscriber receives a recorded phone message they haven't agreed to there may have been a breach of the regulations.

If you are receiving recorded messages and have not given prior permission, you can complain directly to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), whose details are:
Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF
Tel: 01625 545745
Fax: 01625 524510
Email: mail@ico.gsi.gov.uk
Web: www.ico.gov.uk

I trust the above is satisfactory, but if you have any further queries please do not hesitate to contact me.

Yours sincerely,

Arthur Cummings

TPS Team Leader

So I keep complaining about every one of the calls I get to the ICO now. I fully intend to keep on complaining because I'm sick to death of the assumption that we PAY (through the nose judging by my most recent phone bill) to be harrassed by these numpties in the privacy of our own homes. I never ever ever tick the opt in marketing option on anything, and I'm scrupulous in selecting the opt out option where there's one there for that (and specifiying that I want to have it selected when giving details out over the phone or anything) - my bank continue to get very annoyed that I won't let them put me on their marketing calls list... shame heh.

[nutellajunkie]

Ever since switching to VOIP, Ive had zero of these calls..

[irishguymcr]

Call customer services and they'll put on ACR (Anonymous Caller Reject) for you if ur have nuisance calls and it's usually free for a month only other alternative is for a number change. If these companies are still getting through take down the telephone number that has called via 1471 and go on this site: http://whocallsme.com/
enter the phone number and search and when you find out who they are call them ... they don't like it when you call their head office to complain :-)

[Peter_]

Originally Posted by irishguymcr

Call customer services and they'll put on ACR (Anonymous Caller Reject) for you if ur have nuisance calls and it's usually free for a month only other alternative is for a number change. If these companies are still getting through take down the telephone number that has called via 1471 and go on this site: http://whocallsme.com/
enter the phone number and search and when you find out who they are call them ... they don't like it when you call their head office to complain :-)

The who calls me website is good but the anonymous caller reject is not infallible as some companies number just leave a "you were called today at" message and they are in many cases the main culprit and abuser of cold calling.

[bob_a_builder]

any company that cold calls customers must check the TPS database before calling anyone. it is law not choice

But not if they use a random dialer (the thing which can also result in a 'silent' call)
Stupid loophole in the law IMO, any number randommly generated should then have to be passed thru the TPS system.
The TPS has (AFAIAK) pretty much completely stopped any 'human' calls fro us

Its now the recorded message one which are becoming a pain, interesting to see that they are claimed by the TPS to already be illegal I wasn't aware of that
Although had just found that were also recently banned in the 'land of the free' too - LINK

How can you complain to the ICO since no numbers ever left ?

Is ACR free or not ?
Is it worth paying for ?
Why should we have to pay ?