Cold calls & Scam calls

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turb

881 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1075442 27-Jun-2014 10:12

ZollyMonsta: We have an unlisted number and never receive these calls.

Nice. Not even the "this is the Windows Technical Department" ones?

Interests: HTPC, Web App authoring.

hsvhel

1237 posts

Uber Geek

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#1075455 27-Jun-2014 10:44

Mines unlisted, and Voip.
Not too bad on calls, but we do still get some "Vindows" calls, they are every 2 months or so for about 2 days (evenings). Must just be the cycle.

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turb

881 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1075491 27-Jun-2014 12:12

hsvhel: Mines unlisted, and Voip.
Not too bad on calls, but we do still get some "Vindows" calls, they are every 2 months or so for about 2 days (evenings). Must just be the cycle.

If I've got nothing else to do I can keep those guys on the line for hours while I'm watching TV.

"Sorry I'm so slow, I'm not very good with computers! My son bought it for me but I don't use it much"
....
"Oh I think I might have messed that last bit up, I'd better reboot my computer"
....
"Gosh it takes ages to restart - do you think that might be the virus doing that?"
....
"I've just remembered I haven't de-thingummied the hard drive. My son told me to do it once a week. Had we better do that first? There, I've started it."
.....
Etc, etc

Interests: HTPC, Web App authoring.

hsvhel

1237 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

#1075504 27-Jun-2014 13:03

turb:
hsvhel: Mines unlisted, and Voip.
Not too bad on calls, but we do still get some "Vindows" calls, they are every 2 months or so for about 2 days (evenings). Must just be the cycle.

If I've got nothing else to do I can keep those guys on the line for hours while I'm watching TV.

"Sorry I'm so slow, I'm not very good with computers! My son bought it for me but I don't use it much"
....
"Oh I think I might have messed that last bit up, I'd better reboot my computer"
....
"Gosh it takes ages to restart - do you think that might be the virus doing that?"
....
"I've just remembered I haven't de-thingummied the hard drive. My son told me to do it once a week. Had we better do that first? There, I've started it."
.....
Etc, etc

I do enjoy messing with them when im board. I guess that also why im still on the call cycle too

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eracode

Smpl Mnmlst
8853 posts

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#1075506 27-Jun-2014 13:08

ZollyMonsta: We have an unlisted number and never receive these calls.

Same here - for 'live' calls. However a few days ago we received what sounded like a pre-recorded call. It started with a woman's voice saying "Here is an important message for all concerned parents". That's all I heard because I hung up. Later I wished I had listened for longer because I have no idea what it was about and now I'm curious.

Sometimes I just sit and think. Other times I just sit.

turb

881 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1075530 27-Jun-2014 14:08

eracode:
ZollyMonsta: We have an unlisted number and never receive these calls.

Same here - for 'live' calls. However a few days ago we received what sounded like a pre-recorded call. It started with a woman's voice saying "Here is an important message for all concerned parents". That's all I heard because I hung up. Later I wished I had listened for longer because I have no idea what it was about and now I'm curious.

Ha yes me too except I just got as far as "important message" and wondered if I'd missed a tsunami warning or something...

Interests: HTPC, Web App authoring.

farcus

1554 posts

Uber Geek

#1075542 27-Jun-2014 14:26

when I had an unlisted pots number I would get cold calls all the time.
I have had a voip line with 2talk for the past four years and haven't had one single cold call / scam call.

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johnmo

113 posts

Master Geek

#1075576 27-Jun-2014 15:23

Using 2talk and with about 10 "normal" numbers fed in via VOIP.
Get 2 a month cold calls which is not too bad.
Some of the numbers are 0800 and definitely "on the web" but set to go to voicemail after business hours.

Had a persistent caller a few months ago so just added their number to block list!!

On the number that is our home number we use the option of call screening with unlisted numbers.
Means if no caller ID then they have to say who they are before our phone rings and then it repeats what name they have given and we get the option of taking the call or not.
Never had a cold call since turned that on.
Number is still the one showing from the old days when it was a POTS line and listed in the white pages.

Voicemails get emailed in all cases.

Using the technology gives so many ways to stop cold calls and scammers.

Suggest you go for Naked and VOIP if you have not already.

Kyanar

4089 posts

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#1078625 2-Jul-2014 14:36

eracode:
ZollyMonsta: We have an unlisted number and never receive these calls.

Same here - for 'live' calls. However a few days ago we received what sounded like a pre-recorded call. It started with a woman's voice saying "Here is an important message for all concerned parents". That's all I heard because I hung up. Later I wished I had listened for longer because I have no idea what it was about and now I'm curious.

It's an insurance sales call. They'll tell you to press 1 and leave your name and number after the beep once they've told you how it's your duty to sign up and you owe it to your family to give the company money for an insurance policy. Pretty sure it's illegal in NZ.

DaveB

1139 posts

Uber Geek
Inactive user

#1078825 2-Jul-2014 19:12

Kyanar:

............. One somewhat effective way to prevent many of them is to register your number as a business number. First, it prevents it going in the telephone directories (without paying, of course) and second, any of the targeted spam callers will work from a list of residential numbers, which obviously won't include yours.

You've never operated your own business then have you?

Trust me, it is worse on a business line nowadays. Much worse than a residential line. "Sponsor this please"? "Donate to that please"? And it goes on and on, some weeks once a day. And then you get those Indian call centres ringing you trying to find out your website - because they know a company that can do it better. And if you tell them to mind their own business they then retort back "PLEASE, I am just trying to do my job!" And then you get constant calls trying to get you enlisted in some stupid business listing (somewhere in the world). And don't forget the nuisance and constant calls from the local newspapers looking for advertising because they are doing a special this or that.

And then there are the call centres that ring you to sell you internet advertising or key words etc! Did I mention the callers who ring constantly to look for donations and sponsorship?

And the worst offenders of the lot are those that ring my main business number outside of business hours and automatically get the "If your call is urgent, press 1 now to be connected to my mobile." Guess what? The Bar Stewards just cannot help themselves !!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yes, I have even had a call at 1.45 in the bloody morning!!!!!!

Use a business number as an effective way to prevent many of them you say? You gotta be kidding me young fella !!

(Oh did I mention the constant calls for sponsorship and donations?)

JimmyH

2886 posts

Uber Geek

#1078827 2-Jul-2014 19:26

I think you are entitled to have a residential number made unlisted at no extra charge.

The trouble is, it won't stop the ones who are using random number generators on autodiallers to step through ranges of numbers.

It's also curious how many callers ask for me by my first name, when that isn't in the book (only my first initial is). Makes me wonder where they are getting their lists of names and numbers from?

turb

881 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1079084 3-Jul-2014 08:32

I think it's easier maybe to just give up the land line altogether...

Interests: HTPC, Web App authoring.

eracode

Smpl Mnmlst
8853 posts

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#1079726 4-Jul-2014 05:00

Kyanar:
eracode:
ZollyMonsta: We have an unlisted number and never receive these calls.

Same here - for 'live' calls. However a few days ago we received what sounded like a pre-recorded call. It started with a woman's voice saying "Here is an important message for all concerned parents". That's all I heard because I hung up. Later I wished I had listened for longer because I have no idea what it was about and now I'm curious.

It's an insurance sales call. They'll tell you to press 1 and leave your name and number after the beep once they've told you how it's your duty to sign up and you owe it to your family to give the company money for an insurance policy. Pretty sure it's illegal in NZ.

Aha - thanks K.

Sometimes I just sit and think. Other times I just sit.

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