middle aged moment and Microsoft

Ignore my last post, actually making the post seems to have fixed it

Have had knuckles rapped ☹️

btw I never get cold called on the phone, Im ex directory so that maybe explains it. I have always been polite in the past bearing in mind what I do.
None of my calls are already requested I am cold calling all the time. I have even been headhunted by sales companies, followed by managers of sales companies to see what I do and offered a sales job many times but I stick to research.

I don't invite strangers into my house nor do I expect them to intrude into my home via the phone.

Message deleted by Gransnet for breaking our forum guidelines. Replies may also be deleted.

maryXYX. I think Ethel has made it quite clear what her job is and it's rather hurtful, I imagine, to be told you hope she and her relatives are not cold calling criminals. Rather harsh don't you think?

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Ethel, it was a very ignorant comment, best disregarded if at all possible. Easier said than done, I'm sure, but do try to put it behind you and go on enjoying what you have described as an interesting job.

I think the point Mary was making, no, let me rephrase that, the point that Mary was clearly making, was that she is registered with TPS and that any calls she does get are from people who choose to ignore that.

Whether that is a criminal offence or not, you being in the trade could better answer that I, ethel , but it is definitely unethical.

I do find it ironic though that someone who claims to be always polite and can hold down a job which certainly requires tack and a positive disposition can resort to calling someone 'ignorant' on such small provocation

anya My job is not a criminal offence. I work for a huge multi national company and pay tax like anyone else. You have to be highly qualified to do this (degree level). I think that anyone who confuses what I do and says it is a criminal offence is being ignorant of the facts. I cant help that, if someone who doesn't know the difference between market research and selling, however if those people slam the phone down/slam the door, they will never know what it is about so all Im saying is, don't just assume we are all after your money, give people a chance and listen to what they say and if you aren't interested then just say so politely. The ignorant ones are the ones who are rude and mocking. Everyone deserves a chance to have their say.

You've missed the point ethel yet again.

Just forget it.

ethel I think that poster was probably similar to the callers that posters on here would call 'scammers'.

There is a difference between 'scammers' phoning out of the blue and wanting to get into your computer, your bank account, boiler room share sellers, or someone who is 'only in your area for two months and could come and re-tarmac your drive' etc etc and the sort of work you do which sounds like responsible research on behalf of bona fide companies.

small provocation
Anya
I missed maryXYX's post but it looks from other posts that she inferred that ethel and her relatives are criminals?
That to me would be huge provocation!!
Obviously GN must have thought so too because they deleted it.

I looked at this thread because we are registered with the TP but apparently you have to give them all the numbers you want blocked, how can you know in advance which numbers they may be?
And we have had someone insisting they can help us reclaim PPI which we have not paid (another scam to get bank account details?).

rosequartz that's not right about needing to give the TPS the numbers you want blocked. I think you have misunderstood something. You can give the TPS the numbers of companies who keep calling you even after you have told them you have signed up to the TPS. Could that be what you mean?

This is a link from the TPS website about if you are still getting calls - TPS - still getting calls

Wilma is correct Rosequartz and you are wrong, which invalidates your arguemnt. The point being made is that many firms ignore the TPS.

Criminal or not on the part of the firm? I think they can be fined so yes, they would be breaking the law. Most of them get away with it which is why these cold callers get the cold shoulder from many people.

Incidentally I've found that those who start off doing research either end up selling or asking for information which I find intrusive, and which doubtless would be sold on to other agencies were I stupid enough to divulge it.

rose my point about provocation was that if someone responds with name calling on an anonymous forum such as this, even if we disagree about the level of provocation, ....well I'm sure you get my drift.

Good link Wilma

I assume this post will be deleted to, but while it is up:

Yes I am registered with TPS, and yes I do still get cold sales calls. If it is illegal to make these calls, then are the people making them criminals?

I also get frequent calls from people claiming to be doing market research and trying to get the sort of information that would allow them to steal my identity. If someone here knows from their own experience that this sort of call is legal then I'll accept that.

I don't think either of those are illegal Mary.
I stopped cooperating with telephone market researchers when one 'gentleman' started off asking me what paper I read and progressed to asking me what colour knickers I was wearing and how he'd like to put his hand up them

When not criminal in intent cold callers are an intrusion, a pest. Yes, if bored we may amuse ourselves with clever answers but the bottom line is that most of us simply want to be left alone.

From the TPS website....the legality is mentioned so it must therefore be against the law to make calls deliberately

"Any reputable company that values its customers and its brand image takes the TPS very seriously. Sometimes mistakes happen, when they do if you make a complaint we can contact the company and ask them why they contacted you, warn them of their legal obligations and ask them to add you to their own Do Not Call list so that you do not receive any further calls."

Anyone can call the MRS and they will confirm that the call is from a genuine market research organisation, who would never sell anyones details or try to do anything illegal. If anyone calls or rings ask them if they have their MRS registration number and they will willingly show it, if they cant then be very wary of them. Genuine market researchers must show their ID cards with their numbers on at all times. Sackable offence if they don't.

All market research findings is passed on as statistics i.e. 20% of the population interviewed said they ate cereal for breakfast etc.

Many people ask me if I want their bank details and I assure them I do not and always tell them never to give such information out to anyone on the doorstep.

All retail outlets pass on names and addresses for mailing purposes, the post office sells such details to companies for mailing for a very low price, every time someone buys something large where you must give your address/phone number etc it is passed on. That's how so many people get telephone calls and mail.

BTW anyone going on the 'deep' web can get any sort of personal details about anyone they like, you just have to know where to look. I found this out by chance on the internet. Companies don't have to pay callers to find such stuff out when they can get it for free. Go on the 'deep web'.
If anyone doesn't know what the 'deep web' is then google it.

I spent about 15 minutes one Sunday afternoon on the telephone answering market research questions about whether I would like an 'unknown' high street department store to open in a town a few miles away. I said I thought it would be a good idea, the woman was very pleasant and did not ask intrusive questions.

I am pleased to let you all know that about 15 years later the high street department store beginning with D finally opened last week and very welcome it is too.

As Anya says, the TPS website says there is a legal requirement for companies not to cold call people who have registered. So any company that makes a cold sales to me is breaking the law. If they are happy breaking that law they are likely to be happy breaking other laws, like sending counterfeit goods or even taking my money and disappearing.

The "survey" call I get most often is the one that asks "Which of the following age bands are you in?" and later asks which bank I have my current account with. There is no way that information can be aggregated and be any use. If you want to know what proportion of people bank with any bank the statistics are available. It can be used to target me with a more accurate phishing email or phone call though.

As to having an MRS number, if I ask a caller if they are genuine won't all callers say they are?

as Ive said before anyone who so desires can get bank details, names addresses etc without resorting to calling. The web is a wonderful place for finding out information, However if anyone quotes an MRS number then check them out, the MRS has a big web site and will happily check anyone out anyone can also report someone who is pretending to do market research and is selling.

So let these nuisance callers - as the TPS calls them - get their ruddy information off the web and leave us all alone