Claireabella Posted October 15, 2014 Share Posted October 15, 2014 We have had a number of calls today from someone asking us to complete a survey. Well, my OH answered the phone and politely declined the request to complete their survey and all was well. Then they called again... this time my OH replied with "no thank you", twice, after which the man on the phone said "don't tell me no, I'm not trying to sell you anything!". He said "no thank you" again and the man shouted "fine, we won't call you again '#%^*%$*!%*" They then called us twice after that and everytime my OH answered the phone they hung up straight away!! The cheek of some people! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickencam Posted October 15, 2014 Share Posted October 15, 2014 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lavenders_Blue Posted October 15, 2014 Share Posted October 15, 2014 That is absolutely terrible! No one should be spoken to like that, but some people in particular could be very upset or frightened about being spoken to in that way. Is there any way their phone company can trace the calls to find out who they came from? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Claireabella Posted October 15, 2014 Author Share Posted October 15, 2014 I know, I'm glad it wasn't me that took the call. I think I would have been quite upset, I don't like confrontation at all. It always comes up as 'caller withheld their number' but we have a feeling that the call was from overseas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted October 16, 2014 Share Posted October 16, 2014 Did you make a note of the number? I'd be finding out what I could, in order to complain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted October 16, 2014 Share Posted October 16, 2014 Yep; trading standards and TPS take a very dim view of that sort of thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gavclojak Posted October 16, 2014 Share Posted October 16, 2014 I personally find the overseas cold callers to be polite, persistent but polite as opposed to the internal cold callers who are RUDE RUDE RUDE Although you probably won't find out who it was I would call the representative company and give them what for, after all these morons are speaking the their behalf.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Claireabella Posted October 16, 2014 Author Share Posted October 16, 2014 How would I go about tracing a withheld number? I don't think they should get away with this sort of thing. My nan called me last week after a cold caller rang her and said she was calling about a recent accident - my nan immediately thought one of us had been hurt in an accident and panicked. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted October 16, 2014 Share Posted October 16, 2014 I get almost none - I'm on the TPS listing, and have caller ID on my homeline, so I just don't answer any unrecognised numbers, overseas or number withheld calls. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lavenders_Blue Posted October 16, 2014 Share Posted October 16, 2014 I'd try ringing your phone company, explain what happened and see if they can trace it. I am sure the call must be traceable - I would imagine that even though the number is withheld at your end there must be some way of tracking it back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lavenders_Blue Posted October 16, 2014 Share Posted October 16, 2014 Forgot to mention - and if the call is traceable, I wonder if it is recorded for 'quality and monitoring purposes' (or whatever the phrase is)? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluekarin Posted October 16, 2014 Share Posted October 16, 2014 We wee getting loads of these. As has already been said, you can phone your phone supplier and report it. They can trace it and find out who is calling you. Not sure if they'd tell you though. You can also sign up to TPS which helps a bit, but can't do anything about calls from abroad. We have now signed up to a paid for service from our phone company so went don't get any withheld number. The only problem so far is the hospital seem to withhold their number, which is problematic with regards to my daughters hospital appointments They do have my mobile so can get through, but it's a bit worrying for other companies or places who might no longer be able to get through. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvachicken Posted October 16, 2014 Share Posted October 16, 2014 We are on the TPS but still get the odd call too. My parents also have it but one day someone from some far flung place called my Dad. She had the same first name as me so he decided to have a nice chat with her. He asked her how her week was, what she'd had for dinner, if she enjoyed her holiday and where she went. He kept her chatting for about 1/2 hour and in the end said "well it was nice chatting to you but I have to go now" and he put the phone down. They never called back I would really like to ask them to hold on for a moment and then pop them in front of the radio for a bit and then hang up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted October 20, 2014 Share Posted October 20, 2014 TPS handles a fair amount but can't deal with the special numbers - you then have to take it further and they give you options. This is one of them: https://www.snapsurveys.com/swh/surveylogin.asp?k=138312369469 Ofcom is another I think. Even if you have a withheld number you make a note of the time - 1471 will give the details and then fill in the complaint. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlottechicken Posted October 20, 2014 Share Posted October 20, 2014 The only problem so far is the hospital seem to withhold their number, which is problematic with regards to my daughters hospital appointments They do have my mobile so can get through, but it's a bit worrying for other companies or places who might no longer be able to get through. I used to work for a government department, and our numbers were automatically withheld on external calls. However, if we ever phoned a customer and got a message (where withheld numbers are blocked you generally get an automated message) we had a little code we used before dialling to unblock our number and get through to the customer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluekarin Posted October 20, 2014 Share Posted October 20, 2014 Aha! Good to know, thank you! That does explain how one caller withheld sales person got through as I did wonder Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
majorbloodnock Posted October 21, 2014 Share Posted October 21, 2014 http://consumers.ofcom.org.uk/complain/phone-and-broadband-complaints/privacy/ Scroll down to the section on "Abusive calls". Abusive calls are a criminal offence. Ofcom recommend you immediately phoning your telephone provider's nuisance calls team and/or contact the police. I'd say leave the technicalities of how one traces a withheld number to the service provider, since they are the experts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Claireabella Posted October 22, 2014 Author Share Posted October 22, 2014 Thanks for the advice everyone, I'll bear this in mind for the future. Unfortunately, I haven't taken this any further due to having a raging cough and head cold all week and other things going on with chooks and kids etc I did find that the TPS can't do anything about this as they deal with marketing calls and not companies conducting surveys and simply asking for opinions . Oh well, haven't heard from them since - I hope it stays that way!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
