I’ve mentioned before that there are scammers out there trying to flog investment scams. I had another call yesterday from one of these – a London number 02070780240. The caller claimed to be from a company called Oracle. When I asked him to repeat it because I hadn’t a clue what he was on about, he claimed that it was probably me forgetting as he had called me about six months ago and had promised to call back as I had an open mind and was thinking about his investment plans for me. This was an outright lie designed to destabilise the mark by putting me on the back foot. Now, I know damned well that he had not called me – or if he was from the same people who had called before and are now blocked on my phone, I had certainly not agreed to be called back. Also, the previous lot were claiming to be from a company called Alpha – again, a London number from the Canary Wharf area.
This chap went to to confirm my home address, so someone, somewhere has sold on my details along with my mobile number. I tend to be very cagey about giving out the mobile number, but relaxed this when I was hunting for work a couple of years back as I wanted prospective clients or employers to be able to get hold o me. Which, I wonder, did the dirty?
Anyway, this lot are now on my blacklist. Just be aware; the FSA has advice about dealing with cold calls. Mine is to hang up on the buggers and block their number.
I’m registered with the Telephone Preference folk so I don’t get many unsolicited calls. But there’s one particular firm which says this doesn’t apply “because we aren’t selling anything – this is a survey”. Liars. I can’t block them because their number doesn’t show on caller display. And if I pay for BT’s expensive don’t accept anonymous calls service I shall lose calls from large entities like my insurance company etc. I’ve tried being nice and asking them to put me on a do not call list. Doesn’t work. So I swear at them continuously until they hang up – in the hope that they will get the message. Probably unlawful – so sue me.
I usually ask them to hold on for a moment while I ‘take something out of the oven’, ‘pick up a dropped book’, etc, then play a recording of a very atrocious song “Tower of Strength” by Frankie Vaughan, a 50’s/60’s singer. If they are still hanging on then “This Pullover” by Jess Conrad is played These two sings have been voted the 2 most awful pop songs in the last 60 years and the callers have usually hung up by then. Meanwhile, my Mum is bopping round the room.to the music with a silly smile on her face. Overall, it’s a win-win situation!
Not surprised. List selling and trading is big business. Hot and cold prospect lists of names and addresses are sold by what are called ‘List houses’ who trade in telemarketing lists culled from the phone book and cross correlated from various other public domain sources. Did a spell in Marketing in the early 90’s and the practice was well established then. They sell names by the thousand, and some aren’t so fussy about when their lists were last ‘cleaned’. So I’m not surprised you flagged up on some slightly less than reputable cold callers list. ‘Investment’ companies and brokerages are always sniffing around the self employed. Even if you are registered with the Telephone preference service.
My advice; leave the receiver off the hook while the caller is rabbiting away and wander off to do something more productive. They’ll get bored eventually and the inevitable “Hello? Is there anyone there?” Squawks can be quite comical..
Truecall sorts out the landline. Not had an unsolicited call since January. Unfortunately, these bastards have got hold of my mobile number and are spamming that now.
The TPS is useful but its not a 100% reliable method of blocking calls as its only followed by companies who sign up to it. None of the dodgy ones will. I use whocallsme.com to find out who is calling and then put them on my phone’s filter list.
Likewise.