ChatterBank1 min ago
Telephone Preference Service
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For more on marking an answer as the "Best Answer", please visit our FAQ.Don't be afraid to say anything you like! These are unsolicited calls invading your time.
When you can get a word in, say something like: "Hang on, there's someone at the door", place the phone down and leave them to get tired of waiting.
Tell them you're really glad they phoned because you needed someone to talk to, and then proceed to tell them all your imaginary (or real) problems, and ask them for advice.
Don't answer the phone, let it record messages, then phone back the welcome callers. The nuisance callers won't bother to leave messages.
TPS should have sent you a letter explaining what to do if you continued to receive advertising calls. You've probably lost it or thrown it away but all is not lost - there's an online complaint form you can submit here:
http://www.tpsonline.org.uk/cgi-bin/tps_complaints.pl
Chris
(PS: Mr A. G. Bell can never have realised all the problems he'd be causing when he thought up the idea of the telephone. Ever since I bought my mobile, 5 months ago, I've been plagued with calls for some woman I've never heard of. Then, just over an hour ago, I got a call from a very aggressive man saying that he'd just dialled the number of the phone that was stolen from him and stating that, since he 'knows where I live', he was going to 'sort it out'!).
when did you sign up for tps - just found out you have to reregister each year, and even when you do not all companies who sell your number update their lists reguarly.
personally when i have time i enjoy wasting their phone bill and pretend i'm interested in what they have to sell and then prove to them that it is not in my best interest to change my mobile - i dont want a camera phone !
Enigma check back with http://www.tpsonline.org.uk/tps/ as they do have some info on silent calls and a section on calls from abroad, it may not have been there when you registered.
Part 1 : Buenchico - I didn't receive a letter from the TPS , I just thought that when I called to register , that would be the end of it but I appreciate your link and I will certainly make good use of that.Oh and I know what you mean about mistaken identity. I recently switched my landline to Telewest and when I called to book a taxi I was told that my number was barred. When I asked why I was met with the stony response that I had been abusive to a driver when I was drunk ! I protested that I hadn't ever called their company before because I had recently moved into my address and they couldn't have been more apologetic. The address which popped up on their screen automatically when I called didn't match mine so it was probably someone who had been cut off and I ended up with their number. I also have a drunken man who phones every so often asking for the same name and seems to think that I am lying to him and won't put her on the phone !
Gary Baldy - I know what you mean. I seem to get double the volume of sales calls since registering with the TPS.
I only signed up a few months ago for TPS Theo_Wyvern because it has only become unbearable recently. I have known about the service for some years though due to working in a call centre. I remember calling a gentleman who exploded with rage and cut me off straight away telling me that he was registered with TPS and that I personally as well as the company was liable for up to a �1000 fine for breaching the rules then he hung up on me. I had never heard of them prior to this and asked my team leader who in turn freaked out , took the ID no from the file on screen to update it and advised me to ditch any calls like that immediately in the future and to record poor data in my notes.
Part 2 :
I am very conscious of surveys , magazine competitions , online surveys and anywhere where you are asked to check the box if you do not wish contact from 'carefully selected companies' as I was told that this was the way in which they get your data. You have to also watch for the ones who try to catch you out by wording it 'check the box if you WISH contact from companies'. I never agree to it but they still get my details.
Jules thanks for your link too. The silent calls are the most irritating because you have no-one on the other end to express your annoyance to and it's a waste of your time to stop what you are doing for nothing. I will check out your link too.
Many thanks everyone x
Thank you ZebUK , Lonnie and Robert for your informative answers as well - everyone's help is most appreciated. Of course ZebUK , I know what you mean - you're talking about an automatic dialler system. We used them in the call centre which I previously worked in but although I realised that the calls were logged through to me as soon as I was showing as available , I didn't realise that this system generated a high proportion of silent calls , as I thought that there was always a sufficient amount of advisers ready to take calls at any given time. I guess not. I may indeed change my tel no , it's just such a hassle informing everyone who already has my new number but I may have no choice in the matter if I continue to get abusive calls or get banned from taxi companies etc through no fault of my own. Also , | know what you mean about people with withheld numbers not even being safe. I recently called a company to check product availability and I was asked for my tel no which I refused to give as I am ex directory. The adviser became quite stroppy and informed me that she had my number anyway because it was displayed on her call turret (even though I withheld it) but I got round it by bluffing and asking her at which point of the conversation did I say that I was calling from my OWN phone. Are they allowed to hold my number or worse still pass it on to a third party ? Surely there must be some regulation preventing this sort of conduct. Unfortunately I can't put a call block on my line Lonnie because that would prevent ALL withheld numbers getting through and i'd be worried that my daughter's school couldn't contact me god forbid , in an emergency.