I think fake callers are getting nastier

I have clearly got it right. (see link above) I answer the phone, but say nothing. If it is a tape that is about to play, and it usually is, if there is no voice response, after about 5 secs it clicks off and I end the call.

I do not ignore the call because I do not want the call running to answerphone and letting people know there are real people at the end of that number, even if they are not answering. For calls with real people, as soon as they speak, I end the call.

It seems to work because the number of calls we now receive has dropped right off.

I always just hang up. I don't see the point of engaging.
I do like the man "from" hmrc who tells me what to do so that I do not become arrested for fraud, nice, deep voice. I let him just witter on to the end. I think he's just a recording anyway, and I worry that pressing end call might somehow be translated as to pressing the key he wants me to.

Someone kept phoning about environmentally friendly home improvements and asking if we're the home owner.

DH said, no, he'd have to ask the landlord as did I.
Next time he phones I'll tell him I have to ask my Mummy.

This person phoned someone near here 20 times in one day.

So you didn't read the bit about how even the whistling makes it worse for you, makes you much more likely to be scammed?

Okey doke.

Then do what you like but understand that nothing you do makes any difference.

Then we might as well have a bit of fun at their expense, mightn't we! Sorry Alegrias you're not selling this Pity Party for Scammers to me any more than than the scammers can sell me an upgrade to an internet provider I'm not contracted to. I'll save my sympathy for people like this:

A stranger on the phone claiming to be an inspector from the National Crime Agency and told Geoff Harper* that he was the victim of a complex fraud involving banks, police and, possibly, members of his own family.
He has lost everything: his home, his confidence and self-esteem, the few friends he had and even his cat, as he couldn’t take it with him when his house was sold. He has had a total breakdown, is still suicidal at times and still goes to bed hoping he never wakes up.”

The call was the start of a 16-month ordeal that left Harper homeless, penniless and suicidal. At least three other elderly victims have been defrauded of their life savings in the same scam

TalkTalk also have a great system for screening calls, doesn't cost anything and you can choose to allow calls always, allow them only once or block them. Since we activated ours we haven't had any scam calls so it definitely works.

Sky Talk Shield works in much the same way as BT Guardian. It's free and works wonderfully. I wish I could get one for my mobile to stop the lady who keeps asking about my recent accident.

www.forbes.com/sites/kellyphillipserb/2016/05/28/six-reasons-not-to-engage-with-scammers-no-matter-what-your-facebook-friends-tell-you/

Read number 1 and number 6. Then do what you like but understand that nothing you do makes any difference.

Chewbacca

^If the agent can't terminate the call, (which they probably can anyway) it means they get fired^ and just means the organisers just carry on recruiting other people who can't find another job, and have to put up with abuse in order to feed their families. You're not really carrying out a public service. Just hang up.

These people are carrying out a job, that they know is deliberately scamming innocent people out of money. They're sole aim is to extract money by deception. If I can make that job even just a little bit more difficult for them, I will. So, if they fail to scam me and lose their job as a result; tough. I've had a quick look round for some sympathy for them but sorry, none to be found.

The guy at the bottom of the food chain loses his job, the gangmaster doesn't. Its not just someone sitting there with a phone book and a mobile, these are sophisticated operations.

If making their life even worse makes you feel superior, then knock yourself out. Its childish and petty. I'm not suggesting you engage them in meaningful conversation to try to win them over. Just hang up.

infoman

Alegrias1
Suggest you tell all the senior members who have been scammed out of their tens of thousands of pounds of pension money.
That may have took up to fifty years to accumulate, being lost in a matter of just a few hours.

I don't think being spiteful towards people on the telephone will get their tens of thousands of pounds back. I just find it unbelievable that people are so petty as to think blowing whistles and leaving the phone off the hook are in any way suitable ways of dealing with scamming cold callers.

Just hang up. Or don't answer in the first place.

If the agent can't terminate the call, (which they probably can anyway) it means they get fired and just means the organisers just carry on recruiting other people who can't find another job, and have to put up with abuse in order to feed their families. You're not really carrying out a public service. Just hang up.

These people are carrying out a job, that they know is deliberately scamming innocent people out of money. They're sole aim is to extract money by deception. If I can make that job even just a little bit more difficult for them, I will. So, if they fail to scam me and lose their job as a result; tough. I've had a quick look round for some sympathy for them but sorry, none to be found.

Alegrias1
Suggest you tell all the senior members who have been scammed out of their tens of thousands of pounds of pension money.
That may have took up to fifty years to accumulate, being lost in a matter of just a few hours.

well with BT call guardian, the numbers i have in my phone-book get straight through.
all others get intercepted with a message telling them to announce themselves.
so when it rings and i answer i hear the announcement. i can then press to accept the call or let it go to answer phone or block that number.
scammers do not bother going through the monitoring.
i have never had a scam call since i got it.
i also used to be plagued with wrong numbers, usually from schools. i get a few of these now; i may speak to them if i am feeling helpful, but so often they argue that they have rung the right number.
often i simply block their number, so next time they try they will get an announcement that calls from their number have been blocked.
maybe then they will believe that a commercial outfit would not block its customers' numbers.
anyway i can highly recommend call guardian for landline.

As a Hospital professional, during Covid we have run clinics (follow ups) by phoning the patients.
It a nightmare at times, as Hospital call are from "unknown numbers" we can sometimes override the unknown number by adding a code. However as previous said we are unable to leave a message due to data protection, but if you add a message on the answer system as to a Surname /Family name we know we have the correct number and can leave a brief message we have called.
Genuine calls will leave one, not a scam callers.

And another annoying call! This guy was pleasant and told me that I hadn’t updated my loft insulation. I asked how he knew that as no one has been in the loft. He hung up.

Riverwalk

Germanshepherdsmum

Riverwalk, not everyone has caller display. My current landline phone doesn’t.

What about Voicemail?

If you have neither, then you must expect to be pestered!

I have caller display and voicemail. Hospital clinics often come up as ‘number withheld’ and they’re not allowed to leave voice messages so I have to answer them. If it’s a scammer I just cut them off.

Riverwalk yes I do have voicemail but only put it on if I’m not going to be available to take calls. It’s always possible that someone might ring you, desperately needing to talk, and might not feel able to leave a message. Highly unlikely I’m sure but you never know. That person might go on to do something unfortunate. I’m sure you know what I mean. I’m not trying to dramatise but I’ve been in that position. I would never take that chance just to avoid the inconvenience of taking a call.

The "don't hang up and put a cushion on the handset" thing?

If the agent can't terminate the call, (which they probably can anyway) it means they get fired and just means the organisers just carry on recruiting other people who can't find another job, and have to put up with abuse in order to feed their families. You're not really carrying out a public service. Just hang up.

Have a nice day.

Just a top about the doctors surgerys,I think they could display the number,but you can't ring it back.
Some one might have better knowledge that me.

The possible reason that they calls are becoming nastier is we have got them "on the run"
I still say the best method is put the phone to one side and put a cushion over the phone.
This mens they can't be contacting any one else at the same time and gives others some peace.
The "supervisor" then asks "John" how much have you scammed?
as the scammer has been on the phone a long time.

M0nica

Why bother having any communication with them at all. I just end the call within seconds without saying anything.

And me. I usually weed them out with caller recognition but if I’m expecting a call from a GP I have to pick up all unknown/withheld numbers or I miss the doctor. I don’t know why, with the available technology, the surgery number can’t be made to show up. After all telephone scammers can fake bank numbers!

I once had an enjoyable chat with an Indian call centre man. It was interesting to learn a bit about his family. I hope he didn’t get into trouble with a supervisor for wasting time on not conning me into some ‘purchase’.

Germanshepherdsmum

*Riverwalk*, not everyone has caller display. My current landline phone doesn’t.

What about Voicemail?

If you have neither, then you must expect to be pestered!

Is it best to ask all unidentified callers to identify themselves before I even say "Yes"? I have been told this is so, as they can record you saying "yes" and insert the recording where it will harm you.

Riverwalk, not everyone has caller display. My current landline phone doesn’t.