HiFi Subjectivist ¦ Audio Forum ¦ NVA User Group

Thank you! I keep saying to myself "I'm a doctor, I'm a doctor!', with a big silly grin on my face.

joe wrote: ↑Wed Aug 07, 2019 11:14 am We've got a call blocker on our phone, mainly because we got pissed of at being rung several times a day by people selling solar panels, PPI insurance claims, 'just a short survey, sir' etc etc.

My method I think is more fun.

Colin Wonfor wrote: ↑Wed Aug 07, 2019 12:06 pm

joe wrote: ↑Wed Aug 07, 2019 11:14 am We've got a call blocker on our phone, mainly because we got pissed of at being rung several times a day by people selling solar panels, PPI insurance claims, 'just a short survey, sir' etc etc.

My method I think is more fun.

It may be, but they will record your details as a live number and one that answers - then sell that number to others. On the bright side, even more 'fun'.

Colin Wonfor wrote: ↑Wed Aug 07, 2019 12:06 pm

joe wrote: ↑Wed Aug 07, 2019 11:14 am We've got a call blocker on our phone, mainly because we got pissed of at being rung several times a day by people selling solar panels, PPI insurance claims, 'just a short survey, sir' etc etc.

My method I think is more fun.

My method is less effort, and I'm one lazy bastard.

joe wrote: ↑Wed Aug 07, 2019 11:14 am We've got a call blocker on our phone, mainly because we got pissed off at being rung several times a day by people selling solar panels, PPI insurance claims, 'just a short survey, sir' etc etc.

I've got one of those too, and while it stops most of the chancers I do still get those annoying bloody calls that just hang up once you've answered them. I've had two today; the first was at 08:20 this morning.

Talking of call-blocking, by the way, that can be another scam. There is a company that cold-calls people purporting to offer a call-blocking service. All they actually do is charge you for signing up to the free services that are available, and then bombard you with phone calls telling you that you owe them money. The easiest way to get them to f*ck off (other than just putting the phone down) is when they first contact you, ask them to send you a brochure through the post. That actually works with most of the arseholes who try to sell you stuff over the phone.

We have caller ID on the home phone/answer machine. If the number looks unusual we just leave it, if it's important they'll leave a message. Same goes for my mobile.
The thing is, I like to think I'm pretty savvy with these things but I still got half caught out. I was at work and we had asbestos concerns so were waiting for a call from the asbestos company. Phone went, weird number but thought it might be them so answered it only to be greeted by a pretty official sounding bloke introducing himself as Mr so & so county court sheriff. The call was to inform me that a team of bailiffs were on their way to my house to secure goods against a financial arrangement I had started but not kept up repayments on. Caught unawares I panicked for a moment as I have such a shite memory that, that is quite possible!! I then proceeded to ask him what the arrangement was and he told me that I had entered into an agreement at £150 a month but only paid three months. It was at that point that it clicked as I would never set up anything at £150 a month! I told him to send his blokes and I'll meet them at the door. Fine he said, we'll see you at ******** my address. Even at that point I was uneasy but sure enough nothing happened.

CN211276 wrote: ↑Tue Aug 06, 2019 2:47 pm I was locked out of my Sky account and had to reset the password with security questions. Seems more than a coincidence. Be warned.

Clearly no co-incidence.

My advice is to create a long password by combining three or four random words. Easy to remember, difficult to crack.

I have a call blocker now,but i am starting to miss,just a little bit,the opportunity to enquire about the weather in delhi.Ha

Had a call today from my Internet Service Provider, saying there were lots of red and yellow faults on my line.

When I asked "Before we do anything, can you give me any proof you're from (my service provider)?" she hung up faster than a ferret up a drainpipe.

A lot of these around at the moment. (Since Feb this year, I think). We had three calls on work numbers in the past week that I've been alerted to. All automated, all claiming that some illegal activity/problem had been detected on the internet line and to press 1 to talk to the provider. I've heard a lot of reports from people with private numbers of this or a similar scam.

The sting is either you get directed to a premium call service at £3.60 a minute (in my view telephone pay services are simply a license for criminals, the regulation of the service is so ineffective) or you get onto someone who gets you to divulge personal information (named, address, details of bank account) which can then be used or sold on for another sting.

Ask yourself why you really need a landline? Mobile devices allow you to block calls and report malicious calls.