Why do these *******s phone you and then just hang up if you answer? I can't
see what it gains anyone. I get 4 or 5 a day from numbers that caller
display lists as either international, withheld, or numbers I don't
recognise. Subscribing to the telephone preference service didn't help. What
the **** are they trying to sell me? *******.
--
Dave Baker

On Wed, 02 Apr 2014 16:01:11 +0100, Dave Baker wrote:

Why do these *******s phone you and then just hang up if you answer?

Because it's an auto-dialler, but when the call's connected there's
nobody free in the call centre to take the call.

On 02/04/2014 16:01, Dave Baker wrote:
Why do these *******s phone you and then just hang up if you answer? I
can't see what it gains anyone. I get 4 or 5 a day from numbers that
caller display lists as either international, withheld, or numbers I
don't recognise. Subscribing to the telephone preference service didn't
help. What the **** are they trying to sell me? *******.

Try one of the websites like "whocallsme" or install a call blocker or
ansaphone to filter incoming calls if it bothers you.

I have found that a "silent answer" is quite a good way to fox the
autodialers that wait for a human on the line before handing it over to
an operative for whatever the pressure sale de jour is.

See also the nuisance calls thread in uk.legal & uk.telecom

The government are going to protect us from phone spam - honest.
(don't hold your breath)

--
Regards,
Martin Brown

On 02/04/2014 16:01, Dave Baker wrote:

Why do these *******s phone you and then just hang up if you answer? I
can't see what it gains anyone. I get 4 or 5 a day from numbers that
caller display lists as either international, withheld, or numbers I
don't recognise. Subscribing to the telephone preference service didn't
help. What the **** are they trying to sell me? *******.

Sounds like a robo dialler[1]. They have a bank of telesales bods to do
the talking and a computer basically queues up the outgoing calls
automatically. The intention being that when one is actually answered,
it is put through to a sales droid. However if for whatever reason there
is not one free at the time you answer, they just cut you off.

I find that if you pick up the phone quickly after it starts ringing
then its more likely to mess up the system and their not be a free
person to handle it.

The advantage to the call centre is less time wasted dialling and
waiting for answers, so they keep their staff selling for longer. From
their perspective there is no down side, since the only people they ****
off are the few who get bounced due to lack of capacity, and their
numbers can just go back into the queue for tomorrow!

[1] Their use is illegal in the UK, but obviously the perps are hidden
under layers of VoIP etc can can be anywhere.

--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

On 02/04/2014 16:19, John Rumm wrote:
On 02/04/2014 16:01, Dave Baker wrote:

Why do these *******s phone you and then just hang up if you answer? I
can't see what it gains anyone. I get 4 or 5 a day from numbers that
caller display lists as either international, withheld, or numbers I
don't recognise. Subscribing to the telephone preference service didn't
help. What the **** are they trying to sell me? *******.

Sounds like a robo dialler[1]. They have a bank of telesales bods to do
the talking and a computer basically queues up the outgoing calls
automatically. The intention being that when one is actually answered,
it is put through to a sales droid. However if for whatever reason there
is not one free at the time you answer, they just cut you off.

Silent answer is quite amusing if you don't mind tying up your line and
you recognise their CLID as a persistent offender.

I find that if you pick up the phone quickly after it starts ringing
then its more likely to mess up the system and their not be a free
person to handle it.

The advantage to the call centre is less time wasted dialling and
waiting for answers, so they keep their staff selling for longer. From
their perspective there is no down side, since the only people they ****
off are the few who get bounced due to lack of capacity, and their
numbers can just go back into the queue for tomorrow!

[1] Their use is illegal in the UK, but obviously the perps are hidden
under layers of VoIP etc can can be anywhere.

I suspect there are plenty run in the UK too. I can't see ICO doing
anything other than Pontius Pilot hand wringing though despite the
governments latest announcement to get tough on phone spammers.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-26806116

Spam txts might at least get zapped soon:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/26679185

--
Regards,
Martin Brown

On Wed, 2 Apr 2014 16:01:11 +0100, "Dave Baker" wrote:

Why do these *******s phone you and then just hang up if you answer? I can't
see what it gains anyone. I get 4 or 5 a day from numbers that caller
display lists as either international, withheld, or numbers I don't
recognise. Subscribing to the telephone preference service didn't help. What
the **** are they trying to sell me? *******.

I just posted about this in a different place.

Latest thing seems to be you get a few of these calls, then one from
"Nancy" at British Telicol (sic) with the solution to them.

https://soundcloud.com/rambo1152/british-telecol

--

Graham.

%Profound_observation%

"Dave Baker" wrote in message ...

Why do these *******s phone you and then just hang up if you answer?

I suspect they're random auto dialler bots that log any number
as soon as (if) they answer, along with the number of rings.

Numbers that answer within a specified number of rings can
then be sold on to cold calling call centres.

So that numbers that answer within 5 rings will sell for a
premium as compared with those that answer within 8 *

This works out a lot cheaper than having humans dialling random
numbers in the off-chance that someone might answer.

IME most of them give up after between 8 and 10 rings, and so all
calls lasting less than 12 are ignored.

It's the same principle as not clicking on links, so as to be
"taken off" mailing lists etc.



michael adams

....

Dave Baker wrote

Why do these *******s phone you and then just hang up if you answer?

They are using an automated system to do the calls and
when you answer, there isnt an ape free to talk to you.

I can't see what it gains anyone.

It does gain them, because they don't have to have any
ape involved in making the calls, just in talking to you.

I get 4 or 5 a day from numbers that caller display lists as
either international, withheld, or numbers I don't recognise.
Subscribing to the telephone preference service didn't help.
What the **** are they trying to sell me? *******.

michael adams wrote
Dave Baker wrote

Why do these *******s phone you and then just hang up if you answer?

I suspect they're random auto dialler bots that log any number
as soon as (if) they answer, along with the number of rings.

Fraid not. That doesn’t explain why you keep getting called
by the same arsehole. And autodialler that doesn’t have an
ape to talk to whoever answered the phone does.

Numbers that answer within a specified number of rings can then be sold on
to cold calling call centres.

Makes a lot more sense for them to have their own auto dialler.

So that numbers that answer within 5 rings will sell for a
premium as compared with those that answer within 8 *

This works out a lot cheaper than having humans dialling random
numbers in the off-chance that someone might answer.

That’s why they have their own auto dialler.

IME most of them give up after between 8 and 10 rings, and so all calls
lasting less than 12 are ignored.

It's the same principle as not clicking on links, so as to be
"taken off" mailing lists etc.

Fraid not. I got one crowd that kept calling me for weeks
and their system was so badly organised that it mostly
did not have an ape to take the call when I answered.

They keep calling if you don’t answer because they just
assume you were out when they called previously.

michael adams wrote:
It's the same principle as not clicking on links, so as to be
"taken off" mailing lists etc.

That one's well out of date. Clicking on links to take yourself off
mailing lists from legitimate businesses who you've dealt with in the
past is the right thing to do, and it works. But for other spam, I agree
with you.

--
Mike Barnes
Cheshire, England

I don't think they are. I often wonder about them as well, usually they are
around lunch time and late afternoon. I wondered if it was to see if anyone
was home and so they could come around and burgle you.

What worries me about even the ones that just play messages is that surely
nowadays, nobody on the planet with a phone would touch them with a long
pole, similarly the long time delay ones that are obviously a foreign call
centre who start by asking if they are talking to (mispronounced name here),
and then say they are not selling anything, of course they are. The gap at
the start is enough for me to put the phone down now.
One in particular leaves a number on the exchange starting in 0203, but
when you try to do a ringback it says, t this number does not exist. How
can you send out a non existent number?

Brian

--
From the Sofa of Brian Gaff Reply address is active
"Dave Baker" wrote in message
...
Why do these *******s phone you and then just hang up if you answer? I
can't see what it gains anyone. I get 4 or 5 a day from numbers that
caller display lists as either international, withheld, or numbers I don't
recognise. Subscribing to the telephone preference service didn't help.
What the **** are they trying to sell me? *******.
--
Dave Baker

Well that is not designed very well then is it. Lets hope they get a
connection charge.
Brian

--
From the Sofa of Brian Gaff Reply address is active
"Adrian" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 02 Apr 2014 16:01:11 +0100, Dave Baker wrote:

Why do these *******s phone you and then just hang up if you answer?

Because it's an auto-dialler, but when the call's connected there's
nobody free in the call centre to take the call.

They may say they will protect us, but its really not that easy. IE unless
you have a white list of numbers allowed to call you it cannot be at all
easy to stop calls. In my view, all organisations inside the uk should be
set up to send a number that is readable.
None of this callers number witheld or from a network unable to pass
numbers crap, then extend this internationally as well, its the only true
way to sort out the fakes from the genuine.
Brian

--
From the Sofa of Brian Gaff Reply address is active
"Martin Brown" wrote in message
...
On 02/04/2014 16:01, Dave Baker wrote:
Why do these *******s phone you and then just hang up if you answer? I
can't see what it gains anyone. I get 4 or 5 a day from numbers that
caller display lists as either international, withheld, or numbers I
don't recognise. Subscribing to the telephone preference service didn't
help. What the **** are they trying to sell me? *******.

Try one of the websites like "whocallsme" or install a call blocker or
ansaphone to filter incoming calls if it bothers you.

I have found that a "silent answer" is quite a good way to fox the
autodialers that wait for a human on the line before handing it over to an
operative for whatever the pressure sale de jour is.

See also the nuisance calls thread in uk.legal & uk.telecom

The government are going to protect us from phone spam - honest.
(don't hold your breath)

--
Regards,
Martin Brown

"Rod Speed" wrote in message
...



snip


Fraid not. That doesn’t explain why you keep getting called
by the same arsehole.


snip

They keep calling if you don’t answer because they just
assume you were out when they called previously.



michael adams

....

Brian Gaff wrote

I don't think they are. I often wonder about them as well, usually they
are around lunch time and late afternoon. I wondered if it was to see if
anyone was home and so they could come around and burgle you.

If there was much of that, those that don’t answer calls whose caller
ID they don’t recognise would have burglars show up, and they don’t.

What worries me about even the ones that just play messages is that surely
nowadays, nobody on the planet with a phone would touch them with a long
pole,

A few do with the more attractive offers and rather stupid
people receiving the call.

similarly the long time delay ones that are obviously a foreign call
centre who start by asking if they are talking to (mispronounced name
here), and then say they are not selling anything, of course they are. The
gap at the start is enough for me to put the phone down now.

One in particular leaves a number on the exchange starting in 0203, but
when you try to do a ringback it says, t this number does not exist. How
can you send out a non existent number?

Its easy to do with voips.


"Dave Baker" wrote in message
...
Why do these *******s phone you and then just hang up if you answer? I
can't see what it gains anyone. I get 4 or 5 a day from numbers that
caller display lists as either international, withheld, or numbers I
don't recognise. Subscribing to the telephone preference service didn't
help. What the **** are they trying to sell me? *******.
--
Dave Baker

Brian Gaff wrote

Well that is not designed very well then is it.

Corse it isnt, but quite a bit isnt.

Lets hope they get a connection charge.

They don’t.

"Adrian" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 02 Apr 2014 16:01:11 +0100, Dave Baker wrote:

Why do these *******s phone you and then just hang up if you answer?

Because it's an auto-dialler, but when the call's connected there's
nobody free in the call centre to take the call.

Brian Gaff wrote

They may say they will protect us, but its really not that easy. IE unless
you have a white list of numbers allowed to call you it cannot be at all
easy to stop calls.

And white lists have a real problem when say the hospital
calls to say that someone you care about is in there etc.

In my view, all organisations inside the uk should be set up to send a
number that is readable.

But some choose to use a number that is useless to you.

None of this callers number witheld or from a network unable to pass
numbers crap, then extend this internationally as well, its the only true
way to sort out the fakes from the genuine.

That doesn’t do that, its trivially easy to fake the number.


"Martin Brown" wrote in message
...
On 02/04/2014 16:01, Dave Baker wrote:
Why do these *******s phone you and then just hang up if you answer? I
can't see what it gains anyone. I get 4 or 5 a day from numbers that
caller display lists as either international, withheld, or numbers I
don't recognise. Subscribing to the telephone preference service didn't
help. What the **** are they trying to sell me? *******.

Try one of the websites like "whocallsme" or install a call blocker or
ansaphone to filter incoming calls if it bothers you.

I have found that a "silent answer" is quite a good way to fox the
autodialers that wait for a human on the line before handing it over to
an operative for whatever the pressure sale de jour is.

See also the nuisance calls thread in uk.legal & uk.telecom

The government are going to protect us from phone spam - honest.
(don't hold your breath)

--
Regards,
Martin Brown

On Thu, 3 Apr 2014 08:58:55 +0100, "Brian Gaff"
wrote:

They may say they will protect us, but its really not that easy. IE unless
you have a white list of numbers allowed to call you it cannot be at all
easy to stop calls. In my view, all organisations inside the uk should be
set up to send a number that is readable.
None of this callers number witheld or from a network unable to pass
numbers crap, then extend this internationally as well, its the only true
way to sort out the fakes from the genuine.
Brian

Like many things in life, number spoofing is a double edged sword.

My outgoing VoIP provider doesn't supply a number, that is quite
common, but it does allow me to spoof my CLI.
I choose to spoof my existing landline number.

Number spoofing is not evil per se.



--

Graham.

%Profound_observation%

On Wednesday, April 2, 2014 4:01:11 PM UTC+1, Dave Baker wrote:
Why do these *******s phone you and then just hang up if you answer? I can't

see what it gains anyone. I get 4 or 5 a day from numbers that caller

display lists as either international, withheld, or numbers I don't

recognise. Subscribing to the telephone preference service didn't help. What

the **** are they trying to sell me? *******.

--

Dave Baker

Current 2 favourites for spam callers, if you get a sales droid.

Ask them who they are looking for , tell them you`ll get them , and put them on `hold`, some will wait upwards of 10 minutes on Radio 1 playing or silent hold , before getting dumped.

or answer unknown numbers with
"GCHQ , your call is important to us"

Has an unsettling effect on script monkeys :-)

On 03/04/14 13:48, Adam Aglionby wrote:

or answer unknown numbers with
"GCHQ , your call is important to us"

or

"Security Services. How did you get this number?"

I must try that on the next moron.

On Wed, 02 Apr 2014 16:33:53 +0100, Martin Brown
wrote:

On 02/04/2014 16:19, John Rumm wrote:
On 02/04/2014 16:01, Dave Baker wrote:

Why do these *******s phone you and then just hang up if you answer? I
can't see what it gains anyone. I get 4 or 5 a day from numbers that
caller display lists as either international, withheld, or numbers I
don't recognise. Subscribing to the telephone preference service didn't
help. What the **** are they trying to sell me? *******.

Sounds like a robo dialler[1]. They have a bank of telesales bods to do
the talking and a computer basically queues up the outgoing calls
automatically. The intention being that when one is actually answered,
it is put through to a sales droid. However if for whatever reason there
is not one free at the time you answer, they just cut you off.

Silent answer is quite amusing if you don't mind tying up your line and
you recognise their CLID as a persistent offender.

I find that if you pick up the phone quickly after it starts ringing
then its more likely to mess up the system and their not be a free
person to handle it.

The advantage to the call centre is less time wasted dialling and
waiting for answers, so they keep their staff selling for longer. From
their perspective there is no down side, since the only people they ****
off are the few who get bounced due to lack of capacity, and their
numbers can just go back into the queue for tomorrow!

[1] Their use is illegal in the UK, but obviously the perps are hidden
under layers of VoIP etc can can be anywhere.

I suspect there are plenty run in the UK too. I can't see ICO doing
anything other than Pontius Pilot hand wringing though despite the
governments latest announcement to get tough on phone spammers.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-26806116

Spam txts might at least get zapped soon:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/26679185

7726 has been around for a while. Chocolate teapot territory IMHO.
--
(\__/) M.
(='.'=) If a man stands in a forest and no woman is around
(")_(") is he still wrong?

On 03/04/2014 14:19, Mark wrote:
On Wed, 02 Apr 2014 16:33:53 +0100, Martin Brown
wrote:

On 02/04/2014 16:19, John Rumm wrote:

[1] Their use is illegal in the UK, but obviously the perps are hidden
under layers of VoIP etc can can be anywhere.

I suspect there are plenty run in the UK too. I can't see ICO doing
anything other than Pontius Pilot hand wringing though despite the
governments latest announcement to get tough on phone spammers.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-26806116

Spam txts might at least get zapped soon:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/26679185

7726 has been around for a while. Chocolate teapot territory IMHO.

That thought had crossed my mind, but you live in hope...

ActionFraud were so inept that they were bouncing all the bulk UCE they
were sent as "SPAM" having misconfigured their mail server.

Then they made it so tedious to report anything that noone bothers.

It is quite galling when there are publically available crowdsourced
catalogues of the bad guys that the government fails to do anything
about it. I guess the telemarketing folk have bought them off

--
Regards,
Martin Brown

On 03/04/2014 14:02, Tim Watts wrote:
On 03/04/14 13:48, Adam Aglionby wrote:

or answer unknown numbers with
"GCHQ , your call is important to us"

or

"Security Services. How did you get this number?"

I must try that on the next moron.

"Hello, Morgue - you stab em we slab em"


--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

On Thu, 3 Apr 2014 08:54:29 +0100, Brian Gaff wrote:

The gap at the start is enough for me to put the phone down now.

It's enough for me to put the phone down as well but somehow I always
miss the cradle. The ten sconds of telly tubbie at the other end
saying "Hello", "Hello", is 10 seconds they aren't scamming someone
else.

--
Cheers
Dave.

On Wed, 02 Apr 2014 16:33:53 +0100, Martin Brown
wrote:



I suspect there are plenty run in the UK too. I can't see ICO doing
anything other than Pontius Pilot hand wringing though despite the
governments latest announcement to get tough on phone spammers.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-26806116


I have just had a call that the caller ID flagged as international and
passed with this number: 01997978125, which is already the subject of
numerous inquiries on whocallsme.com and similar.

On Mon, 07 Apr 2014 18:53:27 +0100, Peter Johnson
wrote:

On Wed, 02 Apr 2014 16:33:53 +0100, Martin Brown
wrote:



I suspect there are plenty run in the UK too. I can't see ICO doing
anything other than Pontius Pilot hand wringing though despite the
governments latest announcement to get tough on phone spammers.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-26806116


I have just had a call that the caller ID flagged as international and
passed with this number: 01997978125, which is already the subject of
numerous inquiries on whocallsme.com and similar.

Which was it? It can't be both. It either displayed as a UK number
(area code is for the Strathpeffer exchange Northern Scotland) or it's
just simply identified as "International".

It's amazing how most of those posting to whocallsme react to
recieving such calls. The simple rule is not to mouth off once you've
determined that the call is some sort of scammy cold calling telesales
droid and just hang up ( a peremptory 'Goodbye' is optional).

If they've helpfully provided a number in the caller display, it gets
added to the list of barred incoming numbers which neatly solves the
problem of repeat call attempts becoming a nuisance (you simply don't
hear the phone ring as it answers and sends NU tone back to the
perpetrator).

With "International" calls, I just let it ring until the answering
machine takes over. I've never ever had any such callers bother to
leave a message, they usually hang up during the outgoing message. In
fact I can only recall one such caller who actually waited for the
beeeep before hanging up.

The only time I answer "number withheld" calls on the business line
is during the working day. Unfortunately, some of the family are
ex-directory so also appear as "number withheld" when calling the home
line so I feel obliged to answer those calls as well but any that are
from telesales droids are dealt with in short order and without
unnecessary fuss. We get very few such calls on the home number on
account of being registered with the TPS compared to the business line
which can't be registered anyway.

The trick is to never offer them any glimmer of hope that they can
engage your attention in any way. The briefer the dismissal, the less
likely they are to consider you worth hassling any further. Calls that
identify as "out of area" also get screened by the answer machine.

The incoming call barring seems to be effective since I can identify
such calls in the 'missed calls' listing, calls we weren't even aware
had been attempted thanks to that function of the Panasonic DECT phone
system I have installed.

If you have a DECT phone, it's worth checking to see whether such a
facility exists since it's a not uncommon feature with the later
models.
--
Regards, J B Good

On Mon, 07 Apr 2014 23:57:32 +0100, Johny B Good
wrote:

On Mon, 07 Apr 2014 18:53:27 +0100, Peter Johnson
wrote:

On Wed, 02 Apr 2014 16:33:53 +0100, Martin Brown
wrote:



I suspect there are plenty run in the UK too. I can't see ICO doing
anything other than Pontius Pilot hand wringing though despite the
governments latest announcement to get tough on phone spammers.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-26806116


I have just had a call that the caller ID flagged as international and
passed with this number: 01997978125, which is already the subject of
numerous inquiries on whocallsme.com and similar.

Which was it? It can't be both. It either displayed as a UK number
(area code is for the Strathpeffer exchange Northern Scotland) or it's
just simply identified as "International".

It's amazing how most of those posting to whocallsme react to
recieving such calls. The simple rule is not to mouth off once you've
determined that the call is some sort of scammy cold calling telesales
droid and just hang up ( a peremptory 'Goodbye' is optional).

If they've helpfully provided a number in the caller display, it gets
added to the list of barred incoming numbers which neatly solves the
problem of repeat call attempts becoming a nuisance (you simply don't
hear the phone ring as it answers and sends NU tone back to the
perpetrator).

With "International" calls, I just let it ring until the answering
machine takes over. I've never ever had any such callers bother to
leave a message, they usually hang up during the outgoing message. In
fact I can only recall one such caller who actually waited for the
beeeep before hanging up.

The only time I answer "number withheld" calls on the business line
is during the working day. Unfortunately, some of the family are
ex-directory so also appear as "number withheld" when calling the home
line

Ex-directory and withholding numbers are two separate things.

so I feel obliged to answer those calls as well but any that are
from telesales droids are dealt with in short order and without
unnecessary fuss. We get very few such calls on the home number on
account of being registered with the TPS compared to the business line
which can't be registered anyway.

You can register a business line. You just have to remember to renew
the registration because it times out.

The trick is to never offer them any glimmer of hope that they can
engage your attention in any way. The briefer the dismissal, the less
likely they are to consider you worth hassling any further. Calls that
identify as "out of area" also get screened by the answer machine.

Even not answering the calls at all does not stop cold callers IME.

The incoming call barring seems to be effective since I can identify
such calls in the 'missed calls' listing, calls we weren't even aware
had been attempted thanks to that function of the Panasonic DECT phone
system I have installed.

If you have a DECT phone, it's worth checking to see whether such a
facility exists since it's a not uncommon feature with the later
models.

Unfortunately mine doesn't.
--
(\__/) M.
(='.'=) If a man stands in a forest and no woman is around
(")_(") is he still wrong?

On Thu, 03 Apr 2014 14:02:55 +0100, Tim Watts
wrote:

On 03/04/14 13:48, Adam Aglionby wrote:

or answer unknown numbers with
"GCHQ , your call is important to us"

or

"Security Services. How did you get this number?"

I must try that on the next moron.

Most I have expereinced are automated.
--
(\__/) M.
(='.'=) If a man stands in a forest and no woman is around
(")_(") is he still wrong?

On 08/04/2014 09:30, Mark wrote:
On Mon, 07 Apr 2014 23:57:32 +0100, Johny B Good
wrote:

On Mon, 07 Apr 2014 18:53:27 +0100, Peter Johnson
wrote:

On Wed, 02 Apr 2014 16:33:53 +0100, Martin Brown
wrote:


I suspect there are plenty run in the UK too. I can't see ICO doing
anything other than Pontius Pilot hand wringing though despite the
governments latest announcement to get tough on phone spammers.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-26806116


I have just had a call that the caller ID flagged as international and
passed with this number: 01997978125, which is already the subject of
numerous inquiries on whocallsme.com and similar.

Which was it? It can't be both. It either displayed as a UK number
(area code is for the Strathpeffer exchange Northern Scotland) or it's
just simply identified as "International".

It's amazing how most of those posting to whocallsme react to
recieving such calls. The simple rule is not to mouth off once you've
determined that the call is some sort of scammy cold calling telesales
droid and just hang up ( a peremptory 'Goodbye' is optional).

If they've helpfully provided a number in the caller display, it gets
added to the list of barred incoming numbers which neatly solves the
problem of repeat call attempts becoming a nuisance (you simply don't
hear the phone ring as it answers and sends NU tone back to the
perpetrator).

With "International" calls, I just let it ring until the answering
machine takes over. I've never ever had any such callers bother to
leave a message, they usually hang up during the outgoing message. In
fact I can only recall one such caller who actually waited for the
beeeep before hanging up.

The only time I answer "number withheld" calls on the business line
is during the working day. Unfortunately, some of the family are
ex-directory so also appear as "number withheld" when calling the home
line

Ex-directory and withholding numbers are two separate things.

Not quite. Prefix 141 will withhold a number on a single call.

http://btbusiness.custhelp.com/app/a...~/141-and-1470

Exdirectory numbers by default call make calls with CLID withheld.
You have to force send CLID with 1470 if calling someone who uses a
number withheld call blocker (or program fast dial to add the prefix).

so I feel obliged to answer those calls as well but any that are
from telesales droids are dealt with in short order and without
unnecessary fuss. We get very few such calls on the home number on
account of being registered with the TPS compared to the business line
which can't be registered anyway.

You can register a business line. You just have to remember to renew
the registration because it times out.

The trick is to never offer them any glimmer of hope that they can
engage your attention in any way. The briefer the dismissal, the less
likely they are to consider you worth hassling any further. Calls that
identify as "out of area" also get screened by the answer machine.

Even not answering the calls at all does not stop cold callers IME.

Answering them with total silence does.

The incoming call barring seems to be effective since I can identify
such calls in the 'missed calls' listing, calls we weren't even aware
had been attempted thanks to that function of the Panasonic DECT phone
system I have installed.

If you have a DECT phone, it's worth checking to see whether such a
facility exists since it's a not uncommon feature with the later
models.

Unfortunately mine doesn't.

Not tried that. Might have a look when I next get a roundtuit.

I generally find the ansaphone a useful filter on cold calls.

--
Regards,
Martin Brown

On Tue, 08 Apr 2014 09:45:00 +0100, Martin Brown
wrote:

On 08/04/2014 09:30, Mark wrote:
On Mon, 07 Apr 2014 23:57:32 +0100, Johny B Good
wrote:

On Mon, 07 Apr 2014 18:53:27 +0100, Peter Johnson
wrote:

On Wed, 02 Apr 2014 16:33:53 +0100, Martin Brown
wrote:


I suspect there are plenty run in the UK too. I can't see ICO doing
anything other than Pontius Pilot hand wringing though despite the
governments latest announcement to get tough on phone spammers.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-26806116


I have just had a call that the caller ID flagged as international and
passed with this number: 01997978125, which is already the subject of
numerous inquiries on whocallsme.com and similar.

Which was it? It can't be both. It either displayed as a UK number
(area code is for the Strathpeffer exchange Northern Scotland) or it's
just simply identified as "International".

It's amazing how most of those posting to whocallsme react to
recieving such calls. The simple rule is not to mouth off once you've
determined that the call is some sort of scammy cold calling telesales
droid and just hang up ( a peremptory 'Goodbye' is optional).

If they've helpfully provided a number in the caller display, it gets
added to the list of barred incoming numbers which neatly solves the
problem of repeat call attempts becoming a nuisance (you simply don't
hear the phone ring as it answers and sends NU tone back to the
perpetrator).

With "International" calls, I just let it ring until the answering
machine takes over. I've never ever had any such callers bother to
leave a message, they usually hang up during the outgoing message. In
fact I can only recall one such caller who actually waited for the
beeeep before hanging up.

The only time I answer "number withheld" calls on the business line
is during the working day. Unfortunately, some of the family are
ex-directory so also appear as "number withheld" when calling the home
line

Ex-directory and withholding numbers are two separate things.

Not quite. Prefix 141 will withhold a number on a single call.

http://btbusiness.custhelp.com/app/a...~/141-and-1470

Exdirectory numbers by default call make calls with CLID withheld.
You have to force send CLID with 1470 if calling someone who uses a
number withheld call blocker (or program fast dial to add the prefix).

According to this:
http://btbusiness.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/18404/~/how-can-i-withhold-my-number%3F
ex-directory numbers do not, by default, withhold the number.


so I feel obliged to answer those calls as well but any that are
from telesales droids are dealt with in short order and without
unnecessary fuss. We get very few such calls on the home number on
account of being registered with the TPS compared to the business line
which can't be registered anyway.

You can register a business line. You just have to remember to renew
the registration because it times out.

The trick is to never offer them any glimmer of hope that they can
engage your attention in any way. The briefer the dismissal, the less
likely they are to consider you worth hassling any further. Calls that
identify as "out of area" also get screened by the answer machine.

Even not answering the calls at all does not stop cold callers IME.

Answering them with total silence does.

IME nothing works. YMMV.


The incoming call barring seems to be effective since I can identify
such calls in the 'missed calls' listing, calls we weren't even aware
had been attempted thanks to that function of the Panasonic DECT phone
system I have installed.

If you have a DECT phone, it's worth checking to see whether such a
facility exists since it's a not uncommon feature with the later
models.

Unfortunately mine doesn't.

Not tried that. Might have a look when I next get a roundtuit.

I generally find the ansaphone a useful filter on cold calls.

Iff it stops the phone ringing.
--
(\__/) M.
(='.'=) If a man stands in a forest and no woman is around
(")_(") is he still wrong?

On 08/04/2014 10:19, Mark wrote:
On Tue, 08 Apr 2014 09:45:00 +0100, Martin Brown
wrote:

On 08/04/2014 09:30, Mark wrote:
On Mon, 07 Apr 2014 23:57:32 +0100, Johny B Good
wrote:

On Mon, 07 Apr 2014 18:53:27 +0100, Peter Johnson
wrote:

On Wed, 02 Apr 2014 16:33:53 +0100, Martin Brown
wrote:


I suspect there are plenty run in the UK too. I can't see ICO doing
anything other than Pontius Pilot hand wringing though despite the
governments latest announcement to get tough on phone spammers.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-26806116


I have just had a call that the caller ID flagged as international and
passed with this number: 01997978125, which is already the subject of
numerous inquiries on whocallsme.com and similar.

Which was it? It can't be both. It either displayed as a UK number
(area code is for the Strathpeffer exchange Northern Scotland) or it's
just simply identified as "International".

It's amazing how most of those posting to whocallsme react to
recieving such calls. The simple rule is not to mouth off once you've
determined that the call is some sort of scammy cold calling telesales
droid and just hang up ( a peremptory 'Goodbye' is optional).

If they've helpfully provided a number in the caller display, it gets
added to the list of barred incoming numbers which neatly solves the
problem of repeat call attempts becoming a nuisance (you simply don't
hear the phone ring as it answers and sends NU tone back to the
perpetrator).

With "International" calls, I just let it ring until the answering
machine takes over. I've never ever had any such callers bother to
leave a message, they usually hang up during the outgoing message. In
fact I can only recall one such caller who actually waited for the
beeeep before hanging up.

The only time I answer "number withheld" calls on the business line
is during the working day. Unfortunately, some of the family are
ex-directory so also appear as "number withheld" when calling the home
line

Ex-directory and withholding numbers are two separate things.

Not quite. Prefix 141 will withhold a number on a single call.

http://btbusiness.custhelp.com/app/a...~/141-and-1470

Exdirectory numbers by default call make calls with CLID withheld.
You have to force send CLID with 1470 if calling someone who uses a
number withheld call blocker (or program fast dial to add the prefix).

According to this:
http://btbusiness.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/18404/~/how-can-i-withhold-my-number%3F
ex-directory numbers do not, by default, withhold the number.

That isn't my experience with exdirectory numbers on private non
business lines. They always appear as number withheld on CLID systems as
do many corporate switchboards, hospitals and doctors surgeries.

I agree BTs "helpful" answers are somewhat misleading.

It could be that they have recently changed the rules but I have never
yet seen an exdirectory number that advertised its CLID publically.

so I feel obliged to answer those calls as well but any that are
from telesales droids are dealt with in short order and without
unnecessary fuss. We get very few such calls on the home number on
account of being registered with the TPS compared to the business line
which can't be registered anyway.

You can register a business line. You just have to remember to renew
the registration because it times out.

The trick is to never offer them any glimmer of hope that they can
engage your attention in any way. The briefer the dismissal, the less
likely they are to consider you worth hassling any further. Calls that
identify as "out of area" also get screened by the answer machine.

Even not answering the calls at all does not stop cold callers IME.

Answering them with total silence does.

IME nothing works. YMMV.

This screws up their autodialer for a while waiting for a human.

--
Regards,
Martin Brown

In article ,
Dave Baker wrote:
Why do these *******s phone you and then just hang up if you answer? I
can't see what it gains anyone. I get 4 or 5 a day from numbers that
caller display lists as either international, withheld, or numbers I
don't recognise. Subscribing to the telephone preference service didn't
help. What the **** are they trying to sell me? *******.

Seems to me it would be a trivial matter for BT etc to find out the
originating numbers for these call centres and block them. Unless there
are people around who enjoy this sort of call.

The TPS is a toothless tiger even for UK call centres. They just say
they're not trying to sell you anything so it doesn't apply to them.

--
*You're just jealous because the voices only talk to me *

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

On Mon, 07 Apr 2014 23:57:32 +0100, Johny B Good
wrote:


Which was it? It can't be both. It either displayed as a UK number
(area code is for the Strathpeffer exchange Northern Scotland) or it's
just simply identified as "International".

I'm telling you that yesterday, for the first time, I had a call with
the caller ID showing 'both' International and the number. That was my
experience. Just because it has not been your experience does not make
my experience wrong. Links elsewhere in this thread say that BT is
upgrading its exchanges to be capable of doing this. My guess is that
the number is spoofed and the exchanged detected that the call was
originating from overseas.

On Tue, 08 Apr 2014 11:00:01 +0100, Martin Brown wrote:

According to this:
http://btbusiness.custhelp.com/app/a...d/18404/~/how-
can-i-withhold-my-number%3F
ex-directory numbers do not, by default, withhold the number.

That isn't my experience with exdirectory numbers on private non
business lines. They always appear as number withheld on CLID systems as
do many corporate switchboards, hospitals and doctors surgeries.

I agree BTs "helpful" answers are somewhat misleading.

It could be that they have recently changed the rules but I have never
yet seen an exdirectory number that advertised its CLID publically.

When I went XD, BT asked me whether or not I wanted CLID withheld by
default.



--
Use the BIG mirror service in the UK: http://www.mirrorservice.org
My posts (including this one) are my copyright and if @diy_forums on
Twitter wish to tweet them they can pay me £30 a post
*lightning surge protection* - a w_tom conductor

On 02/04/2014 16:01, Dave Baker wrote:
Why do these *******s phone you and then just hang up if you answer? I
can't see what it gains anyone. I get 4 or 5 a day from numbers that
caller display lists as either international, withheld, or numbers I
don't recognise. Subscribing to the telephone preference service didn't
help. What the **** are they trying to sell me? *******.


It's big business to use diallers ...
Instead of having 50 people sitting in a Mumbai call centre manually
dialling numbers and waiting for response .
They have a dialler auto dialling a database of numbers, no answer -
dial next number, when someone answers ... put through to next available
agent.
This means call centres have huge increase in efficiency.

The 'dead air' or ring tone you hear when you answer is system looking
for avail agent.

This is HUGE business, they can target calls as tight as they want ...
i.e. all households in a particular post code area, in a particular
income band, with at least 2 kids , 2 cars etc.


Ofcom has strict rules ... and you can report any companies that break
rules:
http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/con...use/statement/


How do you manage if no caller ID .... one way is to ask BT (or whoever
supplies your telephony) to block all calls with no caller ID ... they
have to do this for free if asked.


Secondly register for Telephone Preference service ... it is against
Ofcom rules for any company to call you if you have registered to 'opt out'



--
UK SelfBuild: http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/UK_Selfbuild/

On 02/04/2014 16:01, Dave Baker wrote:
Why do these *******s phone you and then just hang up if you answer? I
can't see what it gains anyone. I get 4 or 5 a day from numbers that
caller display lists as either international, withheld, or numbers I
don't recognise. Subscribing to the telephone preference service didn't
help. What the **** are they trying to sell me? *******.

I had a call from one of these call centres earlier. "We can save you
money on your electricity bill"

It sort of went downhill from the start, when they couldn't find my
energy supplier on their database.

The again, maybe I shouldn't have told them I buy my electricity from
Texaco. That's where the last batch of diesel for the boat engine and
the petrol for the generator came from....

--
Tciao for Now!

John.

On Tue, 08 Apr 2014 13:51:07 +0100, Peter Johnson
wrote:

On Mon, 07 Apr 2014 23:57:32 +0100, Johny B Good
wrote:


Which was it? It can't be both. It either displayed as a UK number
(area code is for the Strathpeffer exchange Northern Scotland) or it's
just simply identified as "International".

I'm telling you that yesterday, for the first time, I had a call with
the caller ID showing 'both' International and the number. That was my
experience. Just because it has not been your experience does not make
my experience wrong. Links elsewhere in this thread say that BT is
upgrading its exchanges to be capable of doing this. My guess is that
the number is spoofed and the exchanged detected that the call was
originating from overseas.

So far, my experience has been that an oversea's call simply shows as
"international". If BT are upgrading their exchange equipment to also
display an actual CLID as well, it would make it even easier to detect
scammers (a genuine UK based firm would only show a UK CLID if they
know what's good for them).
--
Regards, J B Good