Nuisance calls
 

I've been with NTL/VM for close to 10 years now, and we always had the same fixed phone number up until about 6 months ago when the number of nuisance calls started to get ridiculous. We were registered with the TPS but still got 10+ calls per week from various numbers, most of them overseas.

Anyway, to cut a long story short, I phoned up VM and asked them if I could change our number. He was very helpful and agreed to do so and all worked well...to start with...

About 2 weeks later, we started getting calls from 08000728412. One every morning before 9am, one around lunchtime and one early evening. This carried on for three weeks. Every time I picked up the phone I got silence or an automated machine asking Miss Layla Middleton to call a number.

Finally I got a human on the other end of the phone and explained that noone of that name lives here. He apologised and told me he would make a note and we would no longer be called.

"Good!" I thought, until the next morning at 8.45 when it started again.

This has continued for months. 99% percent of the time automated or silence, and the odd human that promises to amend their database.

The number belongs to an agency that collects debts for several catalogue companies. It is UK based and uses an autodialer if the silent calls are anything to go by.

VM obviously gave me a number that used to belong to Miss Middleton and the catalogue campany have this one on record.

My question is...do I have to change my phone number again (insisting on a brand new number) and go through the hassle of informing everyone again or can VM block this number for me?

Would appreciate advice on this from someone who knows how VM deal with this kind of thing.

Cheers, Andy

Re: Nuisance calls
 

Contact Virgin Media and ask for the Nuisance call bureau.

Virgin Media’s Nuisance Call Bureau (NCB) will help you, if you have been a victim of a nuisance and/or malicious phone call. You will need to call their free phone number and ask for the NCB on 0800 953 3333.



It's an offence under the Telecommunications Act to make persistent or malicious nuisance calls

Re: Nuisance calls
 

:wavey: Hi there Andy,
Ok the same thing happened to me.

I originally changed my number because my ex got hold of it and was phoning and harassing me, then passing my number on to all & sundry. So I told Virgin and they changed my number.

The very day they changed the number I started getting calls for an unknown person, from collection agencies. They wouldn't believe me when I told them I had just acquired the number and didn't know the person they were after. The cheeky sods started quizzing me and asking my name, my address etc. I gave them a phoney name and address because no way were they going to treat me like I was a criminal and a liar. They said the calls would stop.

The calls didn't stop and I had to keep my answer machine on all the time for over a week.

I made sure my number was still registered with the TPS and even reported the nuisance calls to them, but that didn't help. So I called Virgin again and told them the calls had been coming in for over a week, at all hours of the day and how the callers wouldn't say anything if I picked the phone up...just leave messages for the unknown person, and how my health is bad and I couldn't stand the stress any more.

Anyway, I got it sorted. Virgin were very understanding, especially as I have been with them for over 10 years. They gave me a brand new numberfor free...not a recylced one, a brand new one. One which I got to pick myself. They asked me to pick numbers between a certain range, for each digit, and then they activated my new number within 24 hours.

I've had no nuisance calls since.

I know it's rotten, but you're likely going to have to change your number again.

Hope this helps! :)

Suze

Re: Nuisance calls
 

Just an update on this. I managed to speak to a manager at the company that were pestering us and after a short discussion he understood and said he would remove us from the database...but the calls kept coming....

So, I phoned the nusiance call bureau on the number above and explained the situation and asked if it would be possible to have a new number.

The guy told me that there are no new numbers at all. No provider in the UK has any new numbers and the "I should really think carefully and weigh up the pros and cons" of changing my number as the new number might have even more nuisance calls.

I told him it couldnt possibly be any worse and he said he could swap me to pre-used number for a £25 fee. I asked why it was £25 and he told me that I'd had my "free change" and subsequent changes are £25.

So my "free" change caused the problem and they want me to pay £25 to switch to a number that might still have problems.

I'm so annoyed right now I'm on the verge of cancelling my 10 year account with virgin, moving to mobiles only, freeview tv and a different BB provider.

Can anyone tell me if the guy was telling the truth about having no new numbers?

****** customer service from VM.

Cheers,

Andy

Re: Nuisance calls
 

Something similar happened to me when I first got my VM landline. I was getting daily calls demanding to speak to someone who doesn't live here. The messages on my answerphone had a reference number, so I called them up.

Upon giving the reference number, they automatically told me the amount the person owed, without confirming whom I was. They shut up very quickly when I pointed out that was a breach of data protection act. I eventually got a manager who promised to remove me from the database. He didn't and the calls continued. Every day, between 9 and 11am, another call arrived.

I called them back again, and persuaded the person at the end of the line to give me the name of the company, and by googling I found out that they were an "arm" of a law firm, and the name of their senior partner.

I got my lawyer to send the senior partner, a cease and desist letter. Two days later, I got a personal phone call from the senior partner himself, apologizing, and gave me his personal assurance that I would be removed from the database.

I recieved no further calls. Ever.

Re: Nuisance calls
 

It's simple really .. as Milamber says , use an answerphone!!

I guarantee this will stop all nuisance calls .. it might take a week or two , but eventually they will give up! Nobody in that line of business will usually leave a message , neither will the automated diallers (obviously!) so your number will not get passed on ..

All your friends and family will soon get used to it .. I've used one for several years now and never get bothered by nuisance calls!

Re: Nuisance calls
 

I thought there was a feature you could use to block particular incoming numbers but I could be wrong.

Re: Nuisance calls
 

i have never had this problem with virgin media and i have been with them well along time from yorkshire cable all the way through to virgin media anyways my mum and dad have bt and they got them all the time but when they changed to virgin media they started getting the same thing but after about 3 weeks and with there answerphone they stopped and have stopped ever since so the answer phone is the way to go on this one

Re: Nuisance calls
 

VM don't currently offer that service. It is available on BT, but is a little pricey for what it does and you can only have about 10 numbers barred. It called "Choose-to-refuse"

I use TrueCall... expensive to set up, but worth every penny to me!

www.truecall.co.uk

Re: Nuisance calls
 

Ouch! That's a pocket eater!

However, if it works for you and you're happy with it then more power to your elbow (other body parts are available).

Re: Nuisance calls
 

It's like having a secretary at home :)

Re: Nuisance calls
 

I've been getting a series of 'empty' phone calls.. it rings, but there's nobody there on the other end (I know, it's a bot dialling, but there's no human to actually 'make' the call) and after dialling 1471 after the last call, I'm flummoxed by the fact that the last number was only 7 digits long?
(0091502)
I'm ex directory and only a scant handful of people have my number... I've done the TPS thing.

Re: Nuisance calls
 

Most likely a spoofed number from offshore, to get past answering machines and services that reject number withheld calls.

Re: Nuisance calls
 

I put the number from 1471 into google 'out of curiosity' and it is an offshore call centre...
A trip to the tps site also led me to googling 'SilentCall-Gard' http://www.ukdatait.co.uk/cgi-bin/sgAddNumber.cgi
So I'm hoping I have nipped this problem...

Re: Nuisance calls
 

Just out of interest how much do you have to pay for the unit, or is this a free service that is not dependant on you buying a call blocker unit?

If it is a free service I would be interested to hear from anyone else who already has it set up as silent calls are starting to really irritate me.