Automated phone spam

[john_p]

Anyone else getting this? Phonecall.. Pick up.. then "This is an automated message .. you could be able to reduce your debt, just press 2 to speak to an advisor!"

If you stay silent it just hangs up, which IIRC is not permitted. TPS registered too!

Think I know who it is, but it might be worth a few of us complaining en-masse to ofcom for quick action to be taken

[bazking69]

We put it on speaker phone and talk to them using a number of voiceboxes we have in the office, including Mr T, Jim Bowen, Little Britain and family guy.

[soad]

Voiceboxes? Good idea

[fadeaway]

john_p said:

If you stay silent it just hangs up, which IIRC is not permitted. TPS registered too!

unfortunately those rules, and TPS regisistration, only apply if the calls originate in the UK.

[Mark_J_W]

I've also been getting this, its hugely annoying and sometimes happens two or three times in a row. I have the landline TPS registered but as allready said this does not apply if they are not UK based.

Anyone know how to stop these?

[BigRichi]

If the people withold the number your telephone line provider should be able to block them

[mouseymousey]

TPS doesn't actually apply to these automated callers anyway. You need to complain to the Information Commissioners Office, see the FAQ HERE

If you are a business which has CLI and a half decent phone system you can also do what I've done and setup in-bound call routing to route known numbers of these auto diallers to phantom extensions.

Blocking withheld numbers doesn't help as you may get plenty of legitimate business calls from people who don't show their number, for one reason or another.