Scam a again

But were you ever told to eff yourself or that you’re a cxxx daddima
The point of this thread was to point out that the calls seem to have moved from being a nuicence to being abusive

I had a 'new' one today. A recorded message saying there was something wrong with my password and would I press 1 to reset it. Needless to say I put the phone down. But it is worrying that someone might just do it.
I've only had one or two abusive responses - perhaps my attitude is why they've changed to recorded messages

Our phones have a call screening function, so that any caller not in our phone's address book is intercepted and asked to say who they are. On answering the phone, we get a recorded announcement of the caller's name and asked if we want to take the call. I'm sure the scammers can get round this, but very possibly they just get put off by it, as we haven't had any of these calls for a very long time.
I'll get zillions tomorrow no doubt

We've got the same screening Bathsheba it's very effective, but it does mean I don't get to play with them anymore. I swapped between chatting them up and telling them what a lovely sexy voice they had and how I was sooooo lonely and could really do with the attentions of a nice young man (embarrassed the hell out of most of them) or just speaking Italian and seeing how long it took the Indian ones to realise it wasn't English.

We’ve had plenty of scam calls but never any abuse from them, possibly because I say I don’t believe a word they say and then hang up quickly! I let the call go to message nearly all the time now, they rarely leave message

I can't believe how rude these people are! Maybe they should try and get a proper job. I was being inundated with these nuisance calls last year. By chance, I was at a boot sale and found someone selling some BT call screening phones. I paid £12 for them. They work perfectly and I haven't had a single nuisance call since getting them! I wish I'd known about them sooner as I would have happily paid full price for them, they're that good!

I don't have an actual phone attached to my broadband line so no nasty calls. I have 1,000 minutes on my mobile which suits me nicely and the few cold calls I get are blocked at source.
I'm shocked to read of the language some of you have had to listen to.

This sounds like a new development, screaming obscenities - could it be that we are all getting too wise for the scammers and the total frustration of getting nowhere with anyone at all is making them hysterical? Let's hope so. We had so many when moving into this house that we got BT phones that would block nuisance calls; just a couple of buttons pressed after a call and that number is blocked. They are worth their weight in gold as at one point we were having up to six calls a day from pests wanting to talk about a new boiler/double glazing/your computer is about to crash/can I speak to Mrs (previous owner who seemed to owe money everywhere) and now life is far more peaceful.

Perhaps you could get a phone with caller display. Then you would know whether to answer or not.

I used to just put the phone down ( not hang up) and go off and do something. We don't have so may now as we are registered with the TPS.

I wonder if these call-centre operatives ever get a positive response to their assertion that I've had an accident that wasn't my fault. Can it possibly be worth their while to make what must be hundreds of calls if they are constantly rebuffed? Has anyone researched this question?

Reading your posts made me giggle I’m getting around 3 a day to my mobile number I’m just polite and say “ no thank you” then put phone down but now I’m going to join in the fun and do what some of you are doing.Cant wait for phone to ring now.

When I get one of these calls and they ask for me I ask them to hold on while I go and find her. I leave them hanging on for at least 5 minutes. it costs them rather than me.

we have Sky phone and they filter all calls from unknown numbers. It is brilliant and all spam calls have been stopped. If it's someone who needs to talk to you they can say their name and company and you can choose to accept the call or not

We get a huge number of these calls with Asian sounding me saying that they are form BT and that there is a virus on my router. I have huge fun with them when I have the time. I pretend I can’t understand them and get them to repeat their opening lines at least 10 times. Then my computer takes ages to load up,and it is on the top floor of a 4 storey hose and that the fixed phone is in the basement and I have to run up stairs every time to press a button.....etc. I usually finish by telling them that I only have an iPad. I also ask them where they are phoning from and they give a spoof address in London. So I look it up on google earth and ask them what they can see out of the window!
Apparently they target area codes for a while and we will get 4 calls a day for a couple of weeks then none for ages.
They do make me laugh especially when they beg for you not to cut them off and can sometimes become very abusive. The last one called me a “wizend up old cow”. He begged me to end the call as he couldn’t make another till I had hung up. I spent several fun minutes describing the lovely cup of coffee I was having.

Phone rings ,I pick up and say hello.? The usual garbage comes over, I listen without further comment.If nothing of interest to me I leave the handset off and walk away. Its the caller who is being charged not me. After a few minutes I then replace the handset. I have my mobile with the number only available to those I want to hear from. Other than that then email me which I delete if of no interest.

“Me” should be men

I once had a 'gentleman' with a strong Indian accent call me back after I told him firmly but politely (I thought) that I wasn't interested in whatever it was he was trying to sell. He seemed quite outraged by my reply and said "Don't you know how to talk on the telephone?"!
I can only think he was new to the job because he would surely encounter many more rude than me!

We don’t answer any phone call that isn’t in our ‘phone book’....if we’re expecting a doctor or hospital call (why are these ALWAYS withheld numbers)...then we have to answer as they won’t leave a message. It’s annoying but it staves off 5/6 unwanted calls a day!

I am seriously considering getting rid of my landline and just having an internet line. We all have mobile phones and more or less the only calls I get on the landline are stupid ones trying to sell me something. I have noticed that if you answer they call again and again so I have stopped answering the phone unless I know who is calling and guess what I now get fewer calls. These were not all calls from abroad so BT get your act together.

Perhaps you could get a phone with caller display. Then you would know whether to answer or not.

Not that simple, GabriellaG. Many of these calls show 'Number withheld' and if all such calls were ignored, we could potentially miss important calls from the hospital, doctors' surgery etc, as they routinely use the 'number withheld' feature. Call screening phones, such as the ones we've got, are far more effective.

I no longer answer the phone unless I recognise the number coming up on the screen. If I'm nearby I listen to ensure that there isn't a message being left on the answerphone; invariably there is only silence.

I had a phone call apparently from my bank asking if I still had my credit card on my person as someone had just used it and spent £450 to Argos online. Well I knew it wasn’t me and I don’t have a BOS credit card only a debit card. He asked me to check the card and give him the phone number of customer services that was printed on my card. Well I figured you must know it if you work for them. Anyhow knew it was a scam and hung up. My husband took the phone and dialled my son’s number and got a woman saying “customer services”. Turns out they had obviously anticipated we would dial the number on the card to check if it was legit and had not hung up from their call although we had.

We do the same sarahellen, just put the handset on the table, walk away then pick it up after a few minutes, say a firm 'goodbye' and replace it. That way we don't hear any abuse.
I do seriously wonder why they bother with these calls as I don't know anyone who would actually buy anything over the phone. How is it worth their while?

We keep getting calls that seem to originate in this country and a robotic sounding female voice says she's Shirley from your internet provider and goes on about trying to get hold of us! I don't even get a chance to call her out on