This is one of those things that normally you think of afterwards and wish you'd said at the time, but today I got it right.
Phone rings -
Indian Voice: "Good morning, I'd like to ask if you've had an accident in the last three years?"
"Yes, I've just had one now".
IV: "We might be able to help you claim compensation for that sir, can you tell me what happened and are you hurt?"
"I was watching TV when you phoned and as I jumped up to answer it I tripped on the edge of the rug, twisted my ankle and split scalding hot tea over my ********. I'm going to sue you".
IV: "Er, oh, I see...." (Hangs up).
I'll have to remember that for next time.
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'Hello is that Mr Smith?'
'Oh that's my my Father you'll want, he's in the garden, can you hold on a bit, I'll just go and get him'
Place phone on table, make tea, pick phone up every so often and say, 'he's just coming, with you in a tick' offstage shout 'Dad ! Hurry up will you, there's a man on the phone for you ! What do you mean you have to pee? '
'Sorry about this, he's in the bathroom now, he'll be with you shortly'....
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Ain't got time. FOYC is all they get and then it's back to work. Hey hey...
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Even easier is to leave the phone in answer phone mode if you have Caller ID. The vast majority of scam calls are concluded virtually instantly when the answer phone kicks in...:-) If you recognise the number, just pick up the phone as usual.
I'm with TalkTalk and, to top this advice, it recently decided to offer the Block Last Caller service free of charge. So, by keying in 14258, you can block such callers permanently by pressing the Star key twice. Over time, you will receive fewer and fewer such calls.
I've been with TPS (Telephone Preference Service) for about 10 years and it's very efficient, but it can't stop calls from abroad or those who choose to ignore its standards. The above methods are very efficient.
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>> Even easier is to leave the phone in answer phone mode if you have Caller
>> ID. The vast majority of scam calls are concluded virtually instantly when the answer >>phone kicks in...:-) If you recognise the number, just pick up the phone as usual.
That's exactly what we've been doing for the last few years and it works very well indeed.
I think the 'Block Last Caller' facility offered free of charge by TT would be an added bonus, but that isn't a company that I'm ever likely to use again.
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>> >> Even easier is to leave the phone in answer phone mode if you have
>> Caller
>> >> ID. The vast majority of scam calls are concluded virtually instantly when the answer
>> >>phone kicks in...:-) If you recognise the number, just pick up the phone as usual.
>>
>> That's exactly what we've been doing for the last few years and it works very
>> well indeed.
Not much opportunity for spiteful revenge tho is there.
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>>>... but that isn't a company that I'm ever likely to use again. "
Been with TalkTalk since April 2006 and any problems have been rare, very minor and sorted out quickly...:-) Have a lot of family and friends with the ISP as well.
Perhaps you were with one of the number of ISPs which have been taken over by Carphone Warehouse/TalkTalk? These were the subscribers who caused the vast bulk of problems for TT.
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Curses. I've given ROR a green thumb that was intended for Stuartli. They now have two each!
:-)
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Well I am just so damn sorry that being a customer caused them problems, never realised it was my fault.
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>> These were the subscribers who caused the vast bulk of problems for TT.
No, TT were the ones who caused the vast bulk of problems for their migrated subscribers.
But before all of that, it was Tiscalli who first caused the problems for their migrated subscribers.
I was quite happy with Pipex before these tin pot companies bought them out.
Last edited by: VxFan on Thu 3 Apr 14 at 10:28
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I have a VoIP (internet phone) that effectively works better than a private phone.
It even has a proper phone number with my local phone dialing code.
I have not had ONE not even one phone call from anyone suspect, yet all of the family members have it and ring it.
Works like a charm. Never have a conventional phone again !
With your normal house phones you have to opt in to things like x directory and extras at more cost.
Sod that
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Diddy - which provider are you with? I used to have Vonage, dropped it as I have to take Virgin's landline for the TV/internet - but I may have a need for increased foreign (business) calls coming up. Could be the cheaper option...
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I use sipgate (German based service).
Very good service and if your local broadband goes down, it has a phone answer service.
Then once its back up the phone will have a flashing light to let you know
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Smokie forgot to add, you do not have to take all services with virgin media.
I only use their broadband at £28 a month for 60mb speed (kids hammer the bandwidth).
I have no phone or TV services through them.
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I had a nice young lady phone up from one of those card payment companies the other day, asking if I had considered using card payments for my work. I said no to which she replied that they can offer the service at very competitive rates. I said well accepting cash is free, can you do it cheaper than free? She lost the will after that.
Another one phoned up asking about a new boiler, I stopped her short and said that I only have £10 left in my account, she dropped that call pretty quick. I must remember to tell people I have no money more often, it seems most effective as more often than not they are trying to relieve you of it.
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Tell them you have multiple ccj's against you. They soon hang up the phones
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I only got one yesterday.......Indian girl, the usual boiler/insulation thingy. Didn't listen or understand when I said we have a loft conversion. Boiler 5 months old so that only left cavity wall. She asked me if we had cavity wall insulation. 'No' I replied.
She must have thought ' I'm in here !' Passed me over to a bloke who asked the question again. 'No' I sez. ' So you have cavity walls without insulation ? ' he asked.
'Nope, we don't have cavity walls'
CLICK.
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When I recognise a cold-calling sales hustler I just ring off rudely. They never call back.
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>> Tell them you have multiple ccj's against you. They soon hang up the phones
Dpnt do that, it could end up on your credit file.
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>> >> Tell them you have multiple ccj's against you. They soon hang up the phones
>>
>> Dpnt do that, it could end up on your credit file.
>>
Err, how exactly?
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>> >> >> Tell them you have multiple ccj's against you. They soon hang up the
>> phones
>> >>
>> >> Dpnt do that, it could end up on your credit file.
>> >>
>>
>> Err, how exactly?
You got any idea who has access to your experian file? And who can update it? You would be horrified.
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Like who can ?
Isn't that borderline illegal to update someone's credit rating without official proof they actually have ccj's ?
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Ok you just go round spouting you have CCJs against you. Your choice.
Last edited by: Zero on Thu 3 Apr 14 at 23:07
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>>I'm with Zeddo.
I have the utmost sympathy for your wives.
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The "I have no money at all" gets rid of them very quickly and painlessly. It's a white lie, but "I'm not interested" just gets another tirade of hard sell, and it always feels rude to put the telephone down on somebody.
Other than the boiler room callers, whom I always keep talking for as long as possible. Ignore them and say um a few times. Stops them from calling people who will actually fall for it.
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I really DO "Have no money at all"!
I use the "I'm only an OAP" ploy if a spam call comes in.
I have a prominent sign on our front door saying "No leaflets, no charity bags, no circulars, only addressed mail."
I'm convinced that most of those delivering such ullage cannot read, as the Kebab and Chinese takeaway menus still arrive, as do a good number of charity bags.
Last edited by: Pigs-Might-Fly on Fri 4 Apr 14 at 14:17
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"I'm convinced that most of those delivering such ullage cannot read..."
More likely they are on autopilot, getting the deliveries done as quickly as possible; they just see a letter-box and put the stuff through.
Right next to the door bell I have bold signs warning off cold callers, including religious groups and charities; even these, who you might expect to be in less of a mindless rush, sometimes ring.
Last edited by: FocalPoint on Fri 4 Apr 14 at 14:30
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Blocking Callers
I have Panasonic (DECT) phones --- KX-TG6522 if bought as a pair --- and, having long ago keyed in a code from the handbook, the top right button now always has the option to block a displayed number both for a current caller and any one shown on the past-caller list.
After that the phone does not ring for the incoming blocked call's. The caller just gets a tone for a short period and then the phone disconnects.
Either then or later, if you press the middle button to see the caller list, the blocked ones show but are preceded by a character indicating they were blocked.
You have to have caller ID (£5/month) and, of course, it does not block 'number with-held callers'.
Mostly I don't pick-up if I don't recognise the caller and it goes to answer phone.
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>>
>> Mostly I don't pick-up if I don't recognise the caller and it goes to answer
>> phone.
>>
>>
>>
That's a good enough tactic if your phone is for private use only, but those of use who have to take calls from customers at home need to answer every call, number with-held or not otherwise potential business is lost.
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There are websites that display long lists of nuisance call numbers and you could, in principle type those into a phone without actually making a call, and press the 'block' button after each one, but whether it is worth that effort? I did put a few in to try, but none of those ones called me.
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Have calls become that much worse / more frequent in the UK?
I only used to get a few every now and again and "please go away" always got rid of them. Perhaps its got worse.
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Or in yuur present location - "ve te" should work!
Last edited by: Pigs-Might-Fly on Fri 4 Apr 14 at 20:10
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Actually, here I find that "sorry, what did you say?" in my best James Bond causes them to hang up immediately.
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Sometimes, You're on Form - Runfer D'Hills
