Current Scams...

[jaffa1]

4 minutes ago, RollingJ said:

They are not getting your phone number from anywhere - phonebook or even 'sold on ' lists - they just set up an autodialler to ring a list of numbers in sequence. If your number is on that list and they get to it before they've had enough 'hits', your phone will ring.

 

I'm sure I've given this advice before, but if you get a call from a number you don't recognise, and you aren't expecting any calls, just let it go to voicemail, and the call will terminate. After a while - could be a long while - you will notice the volume of this crud will fall as systems learn they get no response. Believe me - it works.

Not everyone has voicemail.

[RollingJ]

5 minutes ago, jaffa1 said:

Not everyone has voicemail.

The BT 1571 service is free - and if you are with a telco that doesn't use the BT infrastructure, they have their own  equivalents

Edited February 25, 2020 by RollingJ

[DeZeus]

If you don't want future calls from Scammers:

 

Here is an Ingenious Solution worth trying -

 

1. Record yourself Any Fax Machine Online Noise  or Computer Dial up Tones onto a C90 Tape.

2. Record this as your Reply Message if you can do this on your Answerphone...

3. Any Autodiallers would faithfully recognise your Line now (wrongly) as a Fax Machine.

4. As your line appears to be a Fax Machine, it (your number) would become useless to the Scammers, however if they send a real Fax, it would not work!

 

[RollingJ]

14 minutes ago, DeZeus said:

If you don't want future calls from Scammers:

 

Here is an Ingenious Solution worth trying -

 

1. Record yourself Any Fax Machine Online Noise  or Computer Dial up Tones onto a C90 Tape.

2. Record this as your Reply Message if you can do this on your Answerphone...

3. Any Autodiallers would faithfully recognise your Line now (wrongly) as a Fax Machine.

4. As your line appears to be a Fax Machine, it (your number) would become useless to the Scammers, however if they send a real Fax, it would not work!

 

Yup, would possibly be quicker than my 'ignore 'em , they'll get the message eventually' idea, but few people have that kind of equipment these days.

[iansheff]

2 hours ago, pattricia said:

Where are they getting our landline phone numbers from ?  The phone book ?

Nope someone will be selling them on or they use a random dialler system that just selects numbers and rings. I am ex directory but get some spam calls, which I only know of if I look and see missed calls on the upstairs phone. My phone downstairs is BT call guardian but the one upstairs is a Panasonic which is set on silent, so unless it is someone I know who is in my contacts on the BT phone  the BT phone won't ring. 

[pattricia]

2 hours ago, jaffa1 said:

Not everyone has voicemail.

I don’t have voicemail but have BT call blocker. Trouble is even though their last number is blocked they just change their number.

[RollingJ]

4 minutes ago, pattricia said:

I don’t have voicemail but have BT call blocker. Trouble is even though their last number is blocked they just change their number.

See my reply #40 , and #42. If you aren't expecting an unknown number to ring you - ignore.

[pattricia]

43 minutes ago, RollingJ said:

See my reply #40 , and #42. If you aren't expecting an unknown number to ring you - ignore.

Ok thanks.

[hauxwell]

 I remember reading a few years ago about Local Councils selling personal information from the electoral register to private companies. It makes you wonder it scammers buy a copy.

 

Edited February 25, 2020 by hauxwell

[redruby]

I think a lot of us are too polite and British when it comes to dealing with phone scammers. Just hang up on them.