Cold Calling

Tim Deegan · 27-01-2012, 12:05

I'm sure I'm not the only one, but I'm fed up with cold callers. I was just talking to someone on my mobile, when I had to cut the call short because I had a call coming through on one of the land lines. This turned out to be someone selling business insurance. I said politely "we are ok thanks", but he continued with his sales patter. So being annoyed that I had to cut the first call short, he got an abrupt "I said we are ok, so don't start the hard sell routine", and then hung up.

Then straight away I received another call on another land line, from an overseas call centre. He started off by saying "I am calling you about an accident you had", at this he got a mouth full, before I hung up.

I must get 20 cold calls per day. Most are recordings about payment protection insurance, or personal injury claims. And some are scam calls. And then of course there are the ones where there is just silence because your number has been dialed by a computer that dials 10 numbers at once, and only the first to answer gets connected.

Now I know there is this caller preference thing, but this is no good for business lines. So what can I do about them?

There was talk about making these calls illegal years ago.

AbyssUnderground · 27-01-2012, 12:08

Does TPS not do business lines as well? How can they know the difference? (Unless it's an 08xx number)

Tim Deegan · 27-01-2012, 12:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by AbyssUnderground

Does TPS not do business lines as well? How can they know the difference? (Unless it's an 08xx number)

TPS is no good for businesses, as many business numbers are witheld, so it would block many of my business calls.

**Chris** · 27-01-2012, 12:28

Also, TPS is designed to block sales calls. Many companies who claim to respect TPS (which is a voluntary code) get round it by making 'marketing' calls instead. Like there's a difference.

Like Tim, we can't block calls from withheld numbers as we get important business calls on our line, some of which come from people phoning us from work. Such calls very often show as 'withheld' or 'unavailable'.

danielf · 27-01-2012, 12:31

What is corporate TPS?

Quote:

The Corporate Telephone Preference Service (CTPS) is the central opt out register whereby corporate subscribers (see definition below) can register their wish not to receive unsolicited sales and marketing telephone calls to either all their organisation's telephone numbers, or to certain numbers. It is a legal requirement that companies do not make such calls to numbers registered on the CTPS.

Quote:

Who can register?
A corporate subscriber includes corporate bodies such as a limited company in the UK, a limited liability partnership in England, Wales and Northern Ireland or any partnership in Scotland. It also includes schools, government departments and agencies, hospitals, PLC's and other public bodies.
What if I want to register my home number?
You can continue to register your residential telephone number on the Telephone Preference Service. The Telephone Preference Service (TPS) is a central opt out register whereby individuals can register their wish not to receive unsolicited sales and marketing telephone calls. The term individual under English law includes sole traders and except in Scotland partnerships as well as consumers at residential addresses.

**Russ** · 27-01-2012, 12:32

See my suggestion at http://www.cableforum.co.uk/board/35358760-post10.html for a satisfying method for frustrating them.

Tim Deegan · 27-01-2012, 12:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris

Also, TPS is designed to block sales calls. Many companies who claim to respect TPS (which is a voluntary code) get round it by making 'marketing' calls instead. Like there's a difference.

Like Tim, we can't block calls from withheld numbers as we get important business calls on our line, some of which come from people phoning us from work. Such calls very often show as 'withheld' or 'unavailable'.

With VM it seems to be pot luck what comes up on my phone. I can get three calls from the same number, and the first time it may display the number. The second it may say unavailable or witheld. And the third time it may even say international.

However I am waiting for a pull through due to interferance on the line. So I suppose it could be down to that.

---------- Post added at 12:37 ---------- Previous post was at 12:36 ----------

Quote:

Originally Posted by danielf

What is corporate TPS?

I bet foreign call centres take no notice though???

---------- Post added at 12:38 ---------- Previous post was at 12:37 ----------

Quote:

Originally Posted by Russ

See my suggestion at http://www.cableforum.co.uk/board/35358760-post10.html for a satisfying method for frustrating them.

Thanks russ, but I could write a book on those methods, as I use them when I have the time.

**Russ** · 27-01-2012, 12:39

Also you may get 'social research' calls which are undertaken on behalf of the government which unfortunately you cannot opt out of even if you're ex-directory. You can refuse to speak to tjem but you can't stop the calls.

Tim Deegan · 27-01-2012, 12:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by Russ

Also you may get 'social research' calls which are undertaken on behalf of the government which unfortunately you cannot opt out of even if you're ex-directory. You can refuse to speak to tjem but you can't stop the calls.

But how do you tell which are government ones, and which are from marketing companies?

**Russ** · 27-01-2012, 12:43

I used to work for a government market research company and we were not allowed to take any personally identifying information such as your name, specific address etc

Tim Deegan · 27-01-2012, 12:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by Russ

I used to work for a government market research company and we were not allowed to take any personally identifying information such as your name, specific address etc

Fair enough.

This may sound paranoid, but if the government have our phone numbers, then they know a great deal of our personal information also. And after answering the survey, they will know a lot about our habbits also.

Personally I don't answer any telephone surveys.

**Russ** · 27-01-2012, 13:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tim Deegan

Fair enough.

This may sound paranoid, but if the government have our phone numbers, then they know a great deal of our personal information also. And after answering the survey, they will know a lot about our habbits also.

Personally I don't answer any telephone surveys.

The numbers are randomised. They'll know the general location from the std code but that's it.

Tim Deegan · 27-01-2012, 13:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by Russ

The numbers are randomised. They'll know the general location from the std code but that's it.

The operator maybe.....but the inteligence service know far more than that.

---------- Post added at 13:42 ---------- Previous post was at 13:26 ----------

Does anyone know the legallity of cold calling?

STONEISLAND · 27-01-2012, 14:03

I have been on TPS for years does not stop sales calls. I just put phone by TV and give them the ads on TV.

Peter_ · 27-01-2012, 14:07

If you have a compatible Smart phone then download this application and you can put numbers into the memory including text numbers and it prevents them getting through, I have it on my Nokia N8 and it works wonders.

http://www.truecaller.com/

Quote:

No more unwanted calls

TrueCaller offers an extensive filter which protects you from fraud, spam, expensive collect calls and even annoying salespersons.