Funds Insider - Opening the door to funds

Welcome to the Citywire Funds Insider Forums, where members share investment ideas and discuss everything to do with their money.

You'll need to log in or set up an account to start new discussions or reply to existing ones. See you inside!

Notification

Icon
Error
Phone scam deluge
+ Reply to discussion
Options
bill xxxx
Posted: 22 March 2021 18:15:34(UTC)
#26

Joined: 17/12/2011(UTC)
Posts: 144

Thanks: 1190 times
Was thanked: 399 time(s) in 103 post(s)
We set our answer-phone (if they're still called that?) to cut in almost immediately, asking the caller to leave a message giving his name and who he/she wants to talk to, and saying that we'll pick up if we're available. If we're in, and the caller seems genuine, we pick up whilst he/she is still talking.

This has cut down the number of spam calls enormously, whilst still letting unknown callers who we do need to speak to -eg a courier trying to find us - get through.
Back to top Quote
1 user thanked bill xxxx for this post.
ANDREW FOSTER on 22/03/2021(UTC)
Vind
Posted: 25 March 2021 11:04:36(UTC)
#28

Joined: 23/01/2019(UTC)
Posts: 219

Thanks: 190 times
Was thanked: 466 time(s) in 162 post(s)
I agree with the comment about the boards that signed off on decisions to offshore customer services.

It was naive at best, and even if you had staff well trained in the companies processes, there soon became competition for staff which meant turnover was way higher than predicted as more and more companies relocated call centres to India.

The user experience was pretty poor in the main too, with communication difficulties and lack of knowledge common complaints.

And that's before criminals decided to incentivise staff to steal data.
Back to top Quote
1 user thanked Vind for this post.
anglo29 on 25/03/2021(UTC)
Toadfish
Posted: 25 March 2021 20:36:43(UTC)
#27

Joined: 04/10/2020(UTC)
Posts: 230

Thanks: 330 times
Was thanked: 458 time(s) in 144 post(s)
bill xxxx;160679 wrote:
We set our answer-phone (if they're still called that?) to cut in almost immediately, asking the caller to leave a message giving his name and who he/she wants to talk to, and saying that we'll pick up if we're available. If we're in, and the caller seems genuine, we pick up whilst he/she is still talking.

This has cut down the number of spam calls enormously, whilst still letting unknown callers who we do need to speak to -eg a courier trying to find us - get through.


I bought my dad the BT advanced phones which means unknown callers have to announce themselves before it rings us and asks if we want to accept the call. Known people are added to the contact list on the phones so they can ring straight through and not be blocked....they have been a god send as my dad is 87, can thoroughly recommend them as we've had no spam calls and friends get through first time.
Back to top Quote
4 users thanked Toadfish for this post.
Tim D on 25/03/2021(UTC), anglo29 on 26/03/2021(UTC), bill xxxx on 26/03/2021(UTC), New Simon T on 26/03/2021(UTC)
Peter Dixon
Posted: 26 March 2021 13:52:24(UTC)
#21

Joined: 29/03/2008(UTC)
Posts: 184
mark spurrier;160583 wrote:
I kept a log

Thirty three calls on my landline in the last month (Virgin Media)
[snip]

One from my Mum who had pressed the wrong button and called the landline rather than ping my mobile.

So ....... 1/33 was a call that added some value to my life

Scale that up - it suggests that 97% of our residential phone service serves no useful purpose

That's horrific. Seems that some people get a lot more scam calls than others.

We only get an average of perhaps one a month or so, but they still annoy the hell out of me. Prior to that, until some weeks ago, we hadn't had one for around 6 months. I almost missed them. Then we had a spate of about eight over two weeks - all posing as either BT or Amazon.

So is it just random luck? I always do my best to be as irritating to the scammer as they are to me, usually by asking them to wait then walking away. Too much to hope that I'm being blacklisted.
Back to top Quote
mark spurrier
Posted: 07 April 2021 07:00:09(UTC)
#29

Joined: 17/01/2018(UTC)
Posts: 1,696
I have put Trucaller on my mobile. It screens my calls and weeds out

Silent calls, Art Investment brokers, loft insulation, gold investment companies so far.....:)
Back to top Quote
Ermintrade
Posted: 18 April 2021 19:48:46(UTC)
#30

Joined: 27/09/2010(UTC)
Posts: 218

Thanks: 111 times
Was thanked: 835 time(s) in 180 post(s)
After about 5 scam calls one morning I finally lost patience and bought a BT4600 phone from Amazon. It is absolutely fantastic. It asks for a caller's name then you have a choice of whether to accept the call or not. Anyone in your phone book gets straight through without the question. We have not had a single scam call since, whether a recorded message or live call. Strongly recommended.
Regards
ermintrade
Back to top Quote
2 users thanked Ermintrade for this post.
Tony Peterson on 20/04/2021(UTC), Tim D on 21/04/2021(UTC)
Tony Peterson
Posted: 20 April 2021 16:09:09(UTC)
#31

Joined: 10/08/2009(UTC)
Posts: 2,178
I am grateful for the hint, Ermintrade, especially as we still hold plenty of BT equity (hope springs eternal).

However, I have to add that we haven't had any scam calls for nearly a fortnight (usually two a day). I wondered whether the Moneybox programme had stirred the ICO or the telecom companies into action.

I usually engage the scammers, mutter a Maori makutu, then tell them they have been cursed and will die an agonising death shortly if they don't give up attempting to steal from foreigners. I'd like to think that had some effect too. Especially with so many of the calls obviously emanating from India.

Up until recently the performance of the companies and the ICO has been abysmal.If you are on the Telephone Preference list for no marketing calls you are likely to receive more, not fewer, scam calls - or so it has been claimed.
Back to top Quote
SimonHughes
Posted: 20 April 2021 16:22:36(UTC)
#32

Joined: 07/08/2018(UTC)
Posts: 1,267
Ditched the landline three years ago when we moved. We have a number, just no instrument. And no junk calls.
Back to top Quote
mark spurrier
Posted: 24 April 2021 05:48:54(UTC)
#33

Joined: 17/01/2018(UTC)
Posts: 1,696

13 calls in one day from a number that is supposedly Bournemouth/Poole from my personal utilities adviser - I answered the first simply because of the geography (my home area) - the rest were fielded by Trucaller
Back to top Quote
Anna Krajic
Posted: 04 November 2024 09:51:56(UTC)
#36

Joined: 01/11/2024(UTC)
Posts: 1
Many mobile devices have features that let you automatically block unknown or suspicious numbers. Staying proactive can really help cut down on the annoying interruptions.
Back to top Quote
3 PagesPrevious page123
+ Reply to discussion

Markets

Other markets