We're calling about your business utilities - scam?
Discussion
I own a small gym and we have recently moved premisis. When we did this it was announced on our website and on, social media, and that was it. A few days after moving I started getting inundated with phone calls, and I mean inundated! One morning on one of the first few days I think I had something like 20 calls between 9 and 10am!
I picked up the first call or two, and after that ignored them. After a few days of dozens of calls every day I picked up a few times to speak to them - they would say that they noticed I had moved and they would sort out our supply as we would be getting shafted (my phone has just startewd ringing with one of these as I type). We don't pay the utlities at the new (or old place) it's included on the rent (just had another call, from a different number) so they aren't getting the details from a utlities company.
When speaking to them to try and get myself off a call list they tell me all the calls I'm getting are different companies but they are all north-west phone numbers (bolton, blackburn, manchester, liverpool area codes) and they all have the exact same schpiel.
This is been going on for a month now, but the calls have dropped to maybe 10 a day rather than 20 an hour!
Is this a scam? Or are they legitimet businesses? Is there a way I can stop the calls? Blocking doesn't work because they have so many numberds that they are calling from.
I picked up the first call or two, and after that ignored them. After a few days of dozens of calls every day I picked up a few times to speak to them - they would say that they noticed I had moved and they would sort out our supply as we would be getting shafted (my phone has just startewd ringing with one of these as I type). We don't pay the utlities at the new (or old place) it's included on the rent (just had another call, from a different number) so they aren't getting the details from a utlities company.
When speaking to them to try and get myself off a call list they tell me all the calls I'm getting are different companies but they are all north-west phone numbers (bolton, blackburn, manchester, liverpool area codes) and they all have the exact same schpiel.
This is been going on for a month now, but the calls have dropped to maybe 10 a day rather than 20 an hour!
Is this a scam? Or are they legitimet businesses? Is there a way I can stop the calls? Blocking doesn't work because they have so many numberds that they are calling from.
Makes no difference that I have noticed though, still getting "reviews" of my business phone system, gas (we are not even connected to gas) and every other business provider, and we have been here for 20 years ...
Details just get sold.
We are in the south, but the calls mostly come from Manchester for some reason.
Details just get sold.
We are in the south, but the calls mostly come from Manchester for some reason.
bluesmoke2stroke said:
Done - Lets hope it helps!
It pays off though as he's got s
t-loads of mega expensive cars.TPS is only for individuals - including sole traders and partnerships. If your ownership of the gym is a limited company then you need to register annually for Corporate TPS.
There are loads of lists of businesses available to these people - several of which are the same company calling out on behalf of loads of clients. A real pain when they get hold of your details.
There are loads of lists of businesses available to these people - several of which are the same company calling out on behalf of loads of clients. A real pain when they get hold of your details.
thefamoushoops said:
if you get more just say to them early in the call that you're registered with TPS and they usually apologise and disappear,
Better off just reporting the number to the ICO office. Eventually they will get an arse kicking.https://ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint/nuisance-calls...
We had exactly the same just after we announced new premesis on our FB page.
Endless calls, all using a very similar script.
Tell them you’re in a serviced unit and utilities are included. Calls stopped within a week of doing this.
I’m convinced to this day that they scrape FB for the info.
Endless calls, all using a very similar script.
Tell them you’re in a serviced unit and utilities are included. Calls stopped within a week of doing this.
I’m convinced to this day that they scrape FB for the info.
don29 said:
We had exactly the same just after we announced new premesis on our FB page.
Endless calls, all using a very similar script.
Tell them you’re in a serviced unit and utilities are included. Calls stopped within a week of doing this.
I’m convinced to this day that they scrape FB for the info.
I have done this and they didn't stop. They didn't even slow. Endless calls, all using a very similar script.
Tell them you’re in a serviced unit and utilities are included. Calls stopped within a week of doing this.
I’m convinced to this day that they scrape FB for the info.
I have signed up to the TPS so fingers crossed that helps
One of my customers signed up to a 3 month trial with some agency who claimed they would save over 20% by letting these people deal with his landlord, his utilities, and also his suppliers.
This agency e-mailed me saying I would have to submit new prices as they would be 'asking' all suppliers to reduce prices by 20% if they wanted to continue to supply, and all new quotes / orders would have to be approved by them!! I don't even make 20% on his orders!!
I spoke to my customer and 'advised' him to tell them to FRO, as I would not be supplying at all under these new 'Rules'
He told me they'd promised to get his business rates, rent, energy suppliers, and material suppliers (me), to reduce their prices by 20%. They would then take 10% of the savings every month, as their payment for the service they supplied!!
They lasted a week before he told them to p*ss off as they'd upset his landlord who threatened to end his lease as soon as he could, and all his suppliers who refused to supply the stocks he needed to actually produce his products!!
How the hell he fell for this, I don't know, but he did quickly learn about scammers! Had to do a lot of arse kissing to get his suppliers back!! This was about 10 years ago and he's still a customer, he just doesn't try to take the piss now!
This agency e-mailed me saying I would have to submit new prices as they would be 'asking' all suppliers to reduce prices by 20% if they wanted to continue to supply, and all new quotes / orders would have to be approved by them!! I don't even make 20% on his orders!!
I spoke to my customer and 'advised' him to tell them to FRO, as I would not be supplying at all under these new 'Rules'
He told me they'd promised to get his business rates, rent, energy suppliers, and material suppliers (me), to reduce their prices by 20%. They would then take 10% of the savings every month, as their payment for the service they supplied!!
They lasted a week before he told them to p*ss off as they'd upset his landlord who threatened to end his lease as soon as he could, and all his suppliers who refused to supply the stocks he needed to actually produce his products!!
How the hell he fell for this, I don't know, but he did quickly learn about scammers! Had to do a lot of arse kissing to get his suppliers back!! This was about 10 years ago and he's still a customer, he just doesn't try to take the piss now!
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