Safe Speed Forums

Apologies if someone else has posted on this --can't see anything on it -
so here goes.Shouldn't catch anyone out , but ......( getting like the text pests on mobiles), AND my number is ex dir and not handed out a lot.
Goes something like this ----
phone rang this afternoon , with no number on caller display .Normally i just let them go , but out of curiousity answered it to get "HI,I'M CALLING FROM (SOME CITY IN THE STATES) -you have just won a prize in our prize draw, press 9 to find out more .

Up to that point it's cost you nothing. (so BT tell me)
After that - reverse charge to premium rate / states side number - they're not sure ,but expensive .

They say they have heard of some genuine ones - .


OCCASIONALLY

Hoax - http://www.theregister.co.uk/2003/12/08/dial_9_scam_snares_wilts/

See also - http://www.theregister.co.uk/2003/12/04/phone_scam_warning_exposed_as/

A spokesman for BT, told The Register: "The technology doesn't exist on a BT line to make a reverse charge call by pressing a single button."

Actually, when I pressed them a few years ago, they eventually admitted that it was possible to accept a reverse charge just by pressing a button and this is exactly how the 0800-REVERSE system works. They admitted that the same principle can be used by foreign reverse charge systems to debit your account and that neither BT nor ICSTIS have control over this.

While BT did say that they don't know of a confirmed case of this scam, it is technically feasible.

_________________
Will

..and my links are 3-4 years old now so......

The thing that makes me wonder about BT s statement is that BT appeared to know about this by virtue of their questuioning of the 1471 info and not being able to trace calls to the states.
So the call did not origionate from a BT line - the 9 made me wonder about something like call waiting etc and also the fact that the 9 is composed of DTMF tones which travel in band ( like all the way back to the calling exchange ,in theory) ---Don't forget telephone exchanges are just giant computers - just waiting for instructions.

Also---some generous American prize draw enters my name in one without my knowledge ,then finds my ex dir number to call me up to tell me i've won a prize and it's all for free -like as in free lunch.

And the fact that it's states based gets round the TPS .

Anonymous Call Reject is your friend It does cost £4 a month from BT but it has stopped all marketing calls in their tracks. Only organisations that bother to send out a CLI will get through. A lot of marking companies completely ignored the TPS and when challenged claimed they had out of date lists or made other excuses.

Cheaper and more satisfying to hang up. Done it 3 times today so far.

Alright till the companies make their sales lines "outgoing only" and send out CLI.You get the call, get the number but not the company.
I used to pay for Caller display - but with BT privacy package it comes free - so i can see who's calling - normally we just let them ring (or if we get a lot ,load up the answerphone on the modem)- being ex dir and keeping a carefull check on our number has worked so far -I find that if i do answer a sales call( some companies use stepper type of dialler - starts at a set number and increments ) that mention of the TPS and Telephony Data Protection Act does the trick.

Ask them to hang on...

_________________
Paul Smith
Our scrap speed cameras petition got over 28,000 sigs
The Safe Speed campaign demands a return to intelligent road safety

You mean -treat them like Jehovas Witnesses - i usualy get them on the wrong foot by asking how they got my number, asking what company they are ,ask them about the TPI, anything but let them get started on their speech - usualy they get p88d off, apologise and get off.

Search the 'net for "Tom Mabe" to get some better ideas. For example:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Ve21XwzXqs

That said, I've got a PBX that I've programmed to dump calls from withheld numbers to voicemail. For some reason. telemarketers don't want to leave a message

_________________
Will

All my press and media contacts withhold their number. So I can't use that although I'd love to.

_________________
Paul Smith
Our scrap speed cameras petition got over 28,000 sigs
The Safe Speed campaign demands a return to intelligent road safety

Once i actually did put them on hold (well it a Mute button that plays a tune to the caller) and because i run my own business i passed her from me, to Steve in Accounts to Mark in Billing to Andy in Marketing etc without her realising that it me all the time. Eventually hung up when i realised that it was wasting my time....

She rang back 5 minutes later - resorted to just hanging up.

[quote="PaulB2005"]

Once i actually did put them on hold (well it a Mute button that plays a tune to the caller) and because i run my own business i passed her from me, to Steve in Accounts to Mark in Billing to Andy in Marketing etc without her realising that it me all the time. Eventually hung up when i realised that it was wasting my time....

quote]
She did call back - give her brownie points for that.

HMMM-might be worth trying with my GAP cordlesses and Mrs B - OR just put them on hold.

Willcove - if you've got a voicemail system , might be possible to send calls with no CLI around in loops, with various messages .( And if anyone has a Panasonic system ---i might have a manual around and programming info)

I'm setting up a new PBX and intend programming it to invite all callers without CLI to "dial the extension of the person they want to speak to or press a key to leave a message" and then giving an extension number to those who I want to be able to contact me. Most of those are either family or business contacts who're used to dealing with extension numbers anyway.

That said, I'd consider doing a Tom Mabe if I could keep a straight face

_________________
Will

Consaider the hidden option in any voicemail system in your PBX(voicemail system) - e.g option 6 ---for mrs willcove - send call direct to willcove - not mentoned in recording -all she's got to do is press 6 on hearing the message on most systems.

I use ANY ploy which keeps them tied up and costing them money.
"You've got the wrong Mr Marsh... it's my dad you want." is a good way of having them wait while "he" comes to the telephone.

I like the US Cruise company ones best - they will hold on if they think there is a sale, so I tell them dad would love to speak, as he was already thinking of spending a recent windfall on a holiday! My best time was 15 minutes, as I offered to take down a few details... as soon as I could find a pen!
It's great entertainment!

_________________
Time to take responsibility for our actions.. and don't be afraid of speaking out!

I used to use one of three ploys:

1. Pretend to be my (non-existent!) manservant. That always flummoxed them. ("I'm sorry, Madam, but Mr Yokel has given me very strict instructions that on no account is he to be disturbed for unsolicited telephone calls")

2. "Well, you could try speaking to Mr Yokel, but he's very drunk, I'm afraid".

3. "Can you speak to Mr Yokel? Well, you might if you're a spiritualist medium. I'm afraid he died last week."

Great fun, but in the end there were so many of these bloody calls that I signed up to the Telephone Preference Service (free!) and they stopped.

Incidentally, the very fact that one has not even entered their 'Prize Draw' might be a hint that all is not as it should be.

_________________
Save a cow - eat a vegetarian

I absolutely hate advertising scum.
I have had a few ideas of what to do with them...

Waste their time, as suggested above.

Forward them to the operator. Make them deal with it.

After every call, phone the operator and complain.

Attempt to 'guilt trip' them. Especially if you're outside you could have a go at making it sound like you're driving, are reasonably interested in the crap they are selling and then have a car crash. Might work best if after some screaming you apologise to them because you "have to end the call to phone an ambulance".

As above but on the top of a ladder and you fall off.
See Father Ted for more ideas

If your phone is connected to a computer/audio device, talk quietly. Very quietly. As quietly as you can get away with. Then as they should be listening as closely as possible with their volume control up full (if they have one) turn on a tone generator as loud as possible. WHEEEEEEEEEEEE!

This sort of intrusive advertising shouldn't be legal and the scum who do it should be tortured for ruining people's lives.

Err... in my opinion. Which may or may not be correct.

_________________
Andrew.