dodgey calls

[Yellow Army]

just wondering if anyone has been receiving calls where it rings your phone, and just as you pick up it stops, or is a deadline when u pick up. When i do 1471 its a 0800 number, but if you are getting these dont press 3 to dial it, i think it might be one of them scams, which will charge your phone bill £££££ . On my way to Brentford i'm going to ring from a payphone to see what exactly this number is, but thought i'd post to warn you.

 

[Guest]

A lot of the time when you pick up a phone call which is 'dead', it's some kind of sales room which uses this tactic to determine when people are in the house and therefore the best time to call them.

 

[The Artful Shrimper]

yeah, it sounds like the sales rooms, usually someone from Mumbai.

Sometimes its one of my three credit card reps and I begin by saying unless you offer me 0% and no transfer fees, I'm not interested. Sometimes works when tyhey pass me to their supervisor....

 

[Interpol Shrimper]

Usually when the line goes dead it is a telemarketing company who are using call software to dial multiple random numbers & then whichever one gets answered first gets connected to the sales call-centre. This software even bypasses if you are ex-directory.

There are ways around it though, obviously BT have a service which can stop unsolicited sales calls and there is a website (which I believe was mentioned on here a few months back - I'm thinking either ORM or FBM) where you can register your number and then if you're still getting calls these organisations can be reported to Oftel.

What I want to know is, if I am receiving spam text messages of a rather dubious nature as well I might add, am I getting charged for them. I'm scared to reply with STOP in case it skins me for £3 a text.

 

[Shrimper James]

People are too curious for their own good.

If an unknown number rings, just don't answer it. If it's important, they'll leave a voicemail. If not then it aint worth worrying about anyway.

There's no chance of getting stung that way.

 

[Matt the Shrimp]

Quote[/b] (glasgowsufc @ Feb. 14 2006,11:09)]...there is a website where you can register your number and then if you're still getting calls these organisations can be reported to Oftel.

The Telephone Preference Service

 

[Bob Cratchitt]

If the number is 0800 then you will only get charged your normal rate, just be aware of any other numbers. Although it is always best to never ring any number back, as I think if it was that important they would phone back anyway.