Model Boat Mayhem
Mess Deck: General Section => Chit-Chat => Topic started by: sweeper on March 13, 2014, 05:27:08 pm
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A heads up for all.
My partner was called by "TPS" and was offered a magic box to be plugged into the main phone jack. It has they claim a red button which allows you to block unwanted calls for the modest price of £2 per month.
As she has recently had some nasty dealings a site hinting that they were acting for the DVLA she was more than doubtful and started to question the caller. He got rather upset at this and slammed the phone down. She did some further checks and discovered that the firm (TPS) is actually trading as "Telephone Privacy Service" and has no connection with the genuine TPS in any shape or form.
The sooner these leaches can be exterminated the better.
Be very aware!
Regards
Sweeper
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Tell them you have an acoustic hammer
attached to your phone that will be activated
if they do not go away
Ned
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And a request asking the unwanted caller if they like sex and travel is far more effective than the official TPS service. The words teapot and chocolate spring to mind.
Regards Ian.
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you can buy a bt phone that can block international, unavailable and with held numbers and believe me it works I have one
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Much cheaper and more effective, especially with somebody leading you to believe that they are representing an official department, is to note as many details as needed (time, number called from (1471) and who they claim to be) and report them on the ICO website. http://ico.org.uk/complaints/marketing/22
Takes but a couple of minutes, and, if enough complaints about them accrue, somebody takes notice.
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you can buy a bt phone that can block international, unavailable and with held numbers and believe me it works I have one
No good if you receive genuine overseas calls or have family members who have been obliged to go Ex Directory. Cheaper to just unplug the phone.
IMHO TPS was a good idea that never really worked. With only a handful of successful prosections annoying firms feel they can just ignore them. The real persistant pests call from abroad because BT are not allowed to block international calls, although you can opt to have your own phone bar them.
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I always ask for the the 3rd, 5th and 27th characters of the telephone password issued to all authorised callers.
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We have an answering machine permanently on. You would be amazed how few callers leave a message; maybe one in a hundred. Must mean something, but frankly I don't give a ...................
DM
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We have an answering machine permanently on. You would be amazed how few callers leave a message; maybe one in a hundred. Must mean something, but frankly I don't give a ...................
DM
:-)) :-)) Also works well here in OZ O0 O0
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Last year I was called and told that they were about to initiate the blocker that will stop unwanted calls as agreed with me 8 weeks before. I knew nothing about it but played him along for a while until I was asked to confirm the card number I had given (I hadn't) again I played with it until he got cross and I told him to go away. This week, Same call only he wanted me to confirm my bank details for the direct debit, I told him I had paid by card and would he confirm the number, I nearly had him crying before I said "I'm bored now and nurse has come with my medication" He hung up.
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If you can figure them out early enough in the conversation, stage whisper "Ah Achmed, ze deed eet ees done, but zzere ees mooch blod. I must leave before zee parts are deescovered". Cleek.
Current PITA callers are claiming to be able to "give" you PV panels and insulation through a UK government grant. They want you to press a button to initiate a presumably expensive call to "speak to an agent", but either have a withheld number or something with a USA code. At best, in the words of Cher, "Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves".
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My favorite PV call ever went a bit like this:
Caller: "This is not a sales call, but we'd like to ask you some questions on solar panels."
Me: "Since it's not a sales call, during which you won't begin to attempt to sell me anything, I'll let you ask one question."
Caller: <a bit stunned, and thinking hard> "Which direction does your roof face?"
Me: "Due north. I have one roof, facing due north."
Caller: "That's actually perfect for our product..."
Me: "Goodbye." :-))
...it's on a par with the conservatory salesman who I spoke to about twelve years ago. I kept him going for a good fifteen minutes, with him explaining the benefits of his product and me prompting him to bigger and better conservatories. I think, to be honest, he was convinced he'd landed a sale. A big 'un. Connected to my kitchen. Then came the clincher:
Caller: "May we come and see you to finalise the details and take a part-payment?"
Me: "Yes. I'm at (this address), in the second-floor flat."
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Andy
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My fathers favourite "good afternoon, Essex police cyber crimes department"