Is there something I don't know about 0845 calls?

[securespark]

I got an automated call from 020 3147 8161 this morning.

It was from "Frederickson International" talking about a parcel.

The voice spoke very quickly and did not repeat the numbers, but it was asking me to dial an 0845 number to collect a parcel.

I don't have any parcels that need collecting. That London number is associated with scams and it has nothing to do with parcels, but debt collecting...

I know that some parcel scams have you dialling a £6 per min. line to collect a parcel, but this doesn't seem to be one of them.

Does anybody know what's going on?

 

[JBR]

I don't know, but what I do know is that despite all the promises by the government and other authorities these calls are on the increase, at least on my telephone. I've just had another, believe it or not, whilst I was typing this.

I don't bother with the TPS and other such gimmicks. I rely on my answer-phone which picks up and records all calls. If I hear someone calling who I know, I pick up. Otherwise they can talk to themselves 'til the cows some home.

It's the only way.

 

[Dave54]

I don't know, but what I do know is that despite all the promises by the government and other authorities these calls are on the increase, at least on my telephone. I've just had another, believe it or not, whilst I was typing this.

I don't bother with the TPS and other such gimmicks. I rely on my answer-phone which picks up and records all calls. If I hear someone calling who I know, I pick up. Otherwise they can talk to themselves 'til the cows some home.

It's the only way.

More or less Ditto.
Ignore then. Don't call any numbers they give out. Don't have anything to do with them.
If it's anything from someone genuine and is important they'll write.

 

[JBR]

I don't know, but what I do know is that despite all the promises by the government and other authorities these calls are on the increase, at least on my telephone. I've just had another, believe it or not, whilst I was typing this.

I don't bother with the TPS and other such gimmicks. I rely on my answer-phone which picks up and records all calls. If I hear someone calling who I know, I pick up. Otherwise they can talk to themselves 'til the cows some home.

It's the only way.

More or less Ditto.
Ignore then. Don't call any numbers they give out. Don't have anything to do with them.
If it's anything from someone genuine and is important they'll write.

Or they'll call again and announce who they are. I then pick up and talk to them. (Except the mother-in-law, of course.)

 

[JBR]

I rely on my answer-phone which picks up and records all calls. If I hear someone calling who I know, I pick up. Otherwise they can talk to themselves 'til the cows some home.

It's the only way.

I have a client like this, complete a**e! You know everyone who knows you and has to go through this rigmarole thinks you're and a**e too don't you?

What a very pleasant gentleman you are.

 

[conny]

I rely on my answer-phone which picks up and records all calls. If I hear someone calling who I know, I pick up. Otherwise they can talk to themselves 'til the cows some home.

It's the only way.

I have a client like this, complete a**e! You know everyone who knows you and has to go through this rigmarole thinks you're and a**e too don't you?

What a very pleasant gentleman you are.

Don't know if its me but FMT's last statement doesn't make much sense to me.

 

[FiremanT]

I don't know, but what I do know is that despite all the promises by the government and other authorities these calls are on the increase, at least on my telephone. I've just had another, believe it or not, whilst I was typing this.

I don't bother with the TPS and other such gimmicks. I rely on my answer-phone which picks up and records all calls. If I hear someone calling who I know, I pick up. Otherwise they can talk to themselves 'til the cows some home.

It's the only way.

.

No it's not. It s just annoying for genuine callers. Since signing up for TPS (landlines) we get hardly any random calls. I get more on my mobile, but once established they are unwanted sales calls, I log them as auto rejects, so the phone doesn't even ring next time.

 

[Dave54]

I signed up for TPS a long time ago, but it appears to have become less effective over the years. I've got caller ID on the landline, so I answer any calls with numbers, unless they are obvious salespeople etc. Otherwise "unknown", or "withheld" get the answering machine, unless we're expecting a legit call from somewhere that does withhold their number.
If it's important, I either answer, or call back. In all the time I've been doing this I've never had anyone write to me because they couldn't contact me by phone. My point was that if it actually is that important there are more ways than the phone.
The other thing is, I don't care. If they tell me I've just won ten million quid, and that my backside will fall off if I fail to claim I just hang up as soon as my BS detector kicks in.
Stuff 'em, they're boils on the backside of humanity.

 

[JohnD]

I use caller id, and I am on TPS.

Anyone with "number withheld" or "number unavailable" (overseas) goes to the answerphone, and I listen just in case it says "hello, mr X, this is Premium Bonds at Lytham St. Annes calling..." although, now I think of it, they would write to me anyway.

Otherwise I ignore.

Occasionally I answer.

In the past 12 months I have only had one genuine overseas call from someone I know. All the others were scammers.

Any UK company or organisation that still witholds their number when calling their customers should have learned by now that this is common practice. Call blockers are getting very popular.

 

[JBR]

I don't know, but what I do know is that despite all the promises by the government and other authorities these calls are on the increase, at least on my telephone. I've just had another, believe it or not, whilst I was typing this.

I don't bother with the TPS and other such gimmicks. I rely on my answer-phone which picks up and records all calls. If I hear someone calling who I know, I pick up. Otherwise they can talk to themselves 'til the cows some home.

It's the only way.

.

No it's not. It s just annoying for genuine callers. Since signing up for TPS (landlines) we get hardly any random calls. I get more on my mobile, but once established they are unwanted sales calls, I log them as auto rejects, so the phone doesn't even ring next time.

Annoying? All they have to do is say, "Hi, it's Fred Bloggs. Call me back."

Too much trouble?

As for TPS, it may work for you but it doesn't for us. We tried it.

 

[securespark]

I log them as auto rejects

How do you do that?

Cheers.

 

[longdogs]

I normally rely on the answer phone but if I do happen to answer I tell them to

**** OFF!

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

I rely on my answer-phone which picks up and records all calls. If I hear someone calling who I know, I pick up. Otherwise they can talk to themselves 'til the cows some home.

It's the only way.

I have a client like this, complete a**e! You know everyone who knows you and has to go through this rigmarole thinks you're and a**e too don't you?

What a very pleasant gentleman you are.

Jeez it must take you longer to stand there and wait for the answerphone message to click in, let them start rambling on, than if you just answer and say no thanks and put the phone down if it happened to be a cold caller. There are some sad lives led by some of you that you let these tiny things get to you. I wish I had the time or stress free life to be bothered about such irrelevancies.

 

[JohnD]

but you have the time to be bothered by answerphones.

Did you know that spammy calling systems log the time of day that you answer your phone, so they can target that time for future automated calls, because you are likely to be at home?

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

but you have the time to be bothered by answerphones.

If I wanted to speak with JBR I wouldn't have a choice would I?