How to stop telemarketing calls?

Simmy

Simmy

Simmy

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Joined
26 Dec 2003
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UK
Ever since I've had a business line fitted I get at least 2 calls a day advertising absolute crap or offering me an advert in this or that. Basically I would like to stop it.

What are my options? I thought I heard about a website I could regsiter on, that companies could check before calling me. It basically meant it was illegal to call anyone on the database. Or have I completely made this up?
 
Rich_L said:
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On a similar note we get what I think are fax calls (phone rings, I answer it then there's a short beep at the other end) at all sort of strange times of the day and night from a variety of numbers. It's a rented house and we don't have a fax machine. Anyone have any idea how we can stop these as I'm fed up with getting up at 3am to answer the phone?
 
Just to offer other advice, you can also get your phone provider to block any anonymous callers. Not sure if it would be a good idea for a business line though as you might stop some of your customers calling too!

Alternatively when anyone rings up just breath heavilly at them and dont respond to anything... keep a league table on which companies keep the line open the longest, post the results here and we can all laugh at them ;o) Alternatively go to the homer simpson sound board and just play homer clips at them and keep a league table of that too... at least then you get amusement out of it. (sorry I used to be in direct sales and have a bit of an evil sense of humour with it now.)
 
Rich_L said:
After much deliberation and consideration I can recommend the Fax Preference Service, which you can Google for, or use the direct URL here: http://www.fpsonline.org.uk/
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Indeed, assuming it is a fax and not an autodialler from a telemarketing firm. The way to tell is if it's just one beep, it's an autodialler, but if it's a series of beeps, it's a fax machine or modem.

It's illegal for anyone in the UK to engage in domestic telemarketing by fax.
 
Or my personal favourite: "Oh hell, I've got a pan of milk that's about to boil over - just give me a sec ..." and leave the phone on the table. :D :D

Although the OP may not want to tie up a business line just to annoy a(nother) telemarketer.
 
Berserker said:
Indeed, assuming it is a fax and not an autodialler from a telemarketing firm. The way to tell is if it's just one beep, it's an autodialler, but if it's a series of beeps, it's a fax machine or modem.

It's illegal for anyone in the UK to engage in domestic telemarketing by fax.
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Sounds like an autodialler then. Is TPS likely to stop this?
 
Simmy said:
Ever since I've had a business line fitted .......
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What type of business? By which I mean .... what business structure?

If you're self-employed/partnership, the TPS is fine. If, however, you're a limited company the procedure is slightly different. You can (as of a few months ago) register with the TPS, but the registration needs to be in writing.

Also, bear in mind that neither TPS nor C-TPS will stop all unsolicited calls. They stop (theoretically at least) unsolicited British telemarketing calls. If it's a foreign company calling, they aren't obliged to pay any attention to the TPS (unless they are acting on behalf of a compnay operating in the UK), and even British companies/organisations aren't prohibited from making unsolicited calls, providing it isn't telemarketing calls.

The TPS/C-TPS is pretty effective, and certainly worth doing, but it doesn't stop all nuisance calls.
 
Fight fire with fire. Get into a conversation with them about something irrelevant, like the football, and then watch as they hang up in sheer boredom.
 
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