Annoying cold calls…

[richard_smith237]

The usual cold calls I receive are from Thai folk & its immediately obvious what’s going on, I drop the call before they get to their pitch… 

 

The irritating part if that is the timing of the call sometime at 8am etc.

 

BUT…. I also get cold called from a British male, London accent, quite brash sounding….  Same guy has called numerous times over the past few years to the point I recognize his voice immediately & tell him… nope & cut off - whatever he’s trying to sell or scam

me for I’m not I interested - but the disturbance is annoying such that I’m

100% against what’s he’s possibly offering before his finished his intro. 

 

Anyone who else ???  His voice is very recognizable.

 

 

[brianthainess]

I just shout very loudly FORK OFF!

[richard_smith237]

12 minutes ago, brianthainess said:

I just shout very loudly FORK OFF!

I’m polite but direct - no need to swear at the poor chap….

 

I kind of feel sorry for him - he must be financially desperate to feel no other option than to do this job. 
At the same time patience is now thin with this guy… surely he’d drop me of his list by now. 
 

Telling cold callers to fork off is also a risky game - they have our details, we don’t have theirs.

 

While working in Qatar I received a cold call from the Ministry of Interior - but when pressed they couldn’t tell me my full name….  I had to be polite (just in case) but told them I’ll call them back on their official line & hung up (never called back)…

 

 

[Photoguy21]

Just block them

[Kinnock]

I've managed to add most of the Thai spam calls numbers to my block list, plus the extensions for VOIP spam calls. 

Unfortunately, I also get the annoying Brit with the South London used car salesman accent .... he's trying to sell financial advice but sounds like he trying to flog a clocked Cortina.  

[richard_smith237]

2 minutes ago, Photoguy21 said:

Just block them

Take a wild stab in the dark at what number I’ll get called from next ?

 

Pretty much all cold callers rotate their numbers, often routing a number from overseas too.

 

They’re already ahead of the game when it comes to avoiding getting blocked.

 

 

[Photoguy21]

Just now, richard_smith237 said:

Take a wild stab in the dark at what number I’ll get called from next ?

 

Pretty much all cold callers rotate their numbers, often routing a number from overseas too.

 

They’re already ahead of the game when it comes to avoiding getting blocked.

 

 

So? Can still block them or what they dont like is just leave the phone on with them talking while you get a drink.

[noobexpat]

33 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

BUT…. I also get cold called from a British male, London accent, quite brash sounding….  Same guy has called numerous times over the past few years to the point I recognize his voice immediately & tell him… nope & cut off - whatever he’s trying to sell or scam

me for I’m not I interested - but the disturbance is annoying such that I’m

100% against what’s he’s possibly offering before his finished his intro. 

 

Anyone who else ???  His voice is very recognizable.

 

 

 

On a thai number?

 

Some of my clients actually pay pretty good money for a qualified lead that ends up as an introductory meeting. About £400.

 

[bunnydrops]

A friend of mine used to answer those calls with "XXXX police department, Sargent Wilso speaking" or sometimes "I'm glad you called. Did you accept that bid I put in." and then lead the conversation off into another direction.

[richard_smith237]

6 minutes ago, Kinnock said:

I've managed to add most of the Thai spam calls numbers to my block list, plus the extensions for VOIP spam calls. 

Unfortunately, I also get the annoying Brit with the South London used car salesman accent .... he's trying to sell financial advice but sounds like he trying to flog a clocked Cortina.  

 

it’s 100% this guy….

 

He went under the pseudonym John Walsh today…. 

He’s got my name & number - so someone has sold his company personal data… That no surprise for here.

 

Nothing I can do about it….  This is more of a rant on here - so I don’t end op boring the Wife !!! 

[Denim]

My mother has a good way of

dealing with these. Asks them to wait a second while she turns off the gas.

She then gets on with whatever it was she was doing before returning to the phone 15 minutes later and immediately  hanging up.

 

If she is bored she will try to string them along for as long as possible without agreeing to anything. Pretends to be senile then gets them to keep explaining everything over and over again ad nauseum. Tells them she is lonely and is happy to have someone to talk to at last. Then asks them if they are married , do they have a family etc etc. All the time having a laugh at their expense.

[richard_smith237]

5 minutes ago, noobexpat said:

 

On a thai number?

 

Some of my clients actually pay pretty good money for a qualified lead that ends up as an introductory meeting. About £400.

 

Is that you John Walsh? Do you have any second hand Cortina’s to sell 

 

 

(yes - it was a Thai number) 

Edited March 26 by richard_smith237

[simon43]

46 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

The usual cold calls I receive are from Thai folk & its immediately obvious what’s going on, I drop the call before they get to their pitch… 

 

The irritating part if that is the timing of the call sometime at 8am etc.

 

BUT…. I also get cold called from a British male, London accent, quite brash sounding….  Same guy has called numerous times over the past few years to the point I recognize his voice immediately & tell him… nope & cut off - whatever he’s trying to sell or scam

me for I’m not I interested - but the disturbance is annoying such that I’m

100% against what’s he’s possibly offering before his finished his intro. 

 

Anyone who else ???  His voice is very recognizable.

 

 

 

I know that man!  He called me last week.  He works for the lottery company and his job is to call everyone who has won more than $1,000,000 to inform them of their lucky win...  🙂

[nikmar]

6 minutes ago, Denim said:

If she is bored she will try to string them along for as long as possible without agreeing to anything.

 

my Dad did this with scammers. It was like sport for him.

 

we get a lot of scammers calling. I hang up, as does my son. My wife plays a bit, a fews ago, telling whoever on the end of the line that she wanted her bag of drugs and if she was going to pay a fine, send her the drugs first.

[richard_smith237]

14 minutes ago, simon43 said:

 

I know that man!  He called me last week.  He works for the lottery company and his job is to call everyone who has won more than $1,000,000 to inform them of their lucky win...  🙂

yeah… but the only lottery I ever enter is whether or not to comment on the Wife’s cooking !!! 🫣

[Goat]

I just put them on hold.

[noobexpat]

9 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

Is that you John Walsh? Do you have any second hand Cortina’s to sell 

 

 

(yes - it was a Thai number) 

 

Yes richard, its john. 

I have a 1.6L from 1987 that fits your budget 

 

 

[SAFETY FIRST]

46 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

Take a wild stab in the dark at what number I’ll get called from next ?

 

Pretty much all cold callers rotate their numbers, often routing a number from overseas too.

 

They’re already ahead of the game when it comes to avoiding getting blocked.

 

 

Block all annoying calls and sms, numbers you receive. 

Go into your 'calls received' menu and block. 

Easy 

Edited March 26 by SAFETY FIRST

[OneMoreFarang]

I get few calls like that and I tell them right away I am not interested and end the call.

 

I know a guy who run legitimate tele sales, and he said people who call you want a yes or a no. They are not interested in long conversations.

So, the best you can do to get rid of them is make it short and don't waste any time thinking about it.

[soi3eddie]

Cold calls from Brits are in my experience typically trying to sell investments to get their hands on pension pots of expats. Your number may be shared around. I'm guessing they get our numbers from insurance or property companies who might know we have money. Tbh it's gone pretty quiet in recent years as I rarely get calls these days. 

 

[ChipButty]

There is guys out there who sell data, the problem is it gets sold a 1000 times 

[Rampant Rabbit]

I told the wife to make the noise of a chicken and repeat it, Thankfully....I dont have a  phone, lived life without one before  mobile  phones, dont see any need.

[Photoguy21]

1 hour ago, richard_smith237 said:

Take a wild stab in the dark at what number I’ll get called from next ?

 

Pretty much all cold callers rotate their numbers, often routing a number from overseas too.

 

They’re already ahead of the game when it comes to avoiding getting blocked.

 

 

I know it is annoying, I get them as well. I just put the phone down and let them talk away while I go and have a coffee. They soon give up and go away. Additionally you are stopping them from scamming someone else.

[Liverpool Lou]

1 hour ago, richard_smith237 said:

Anyone who else ???  His voice is very recognizable.

Yes, going by your description, this discussion has been done before, maybe six months ago he was calling frequently re financial services for foreigners in Thailand.  Telling him where to go doesn't do anything but calling him back many times, at very inconvenient times, was very satisfying and got him very angry and eventually it all stopped.

[Liverpool Lou]

1 hour ago, richard_smith237 said:

Telling cold callers to fork off is also a risky game - they have our details, we don’t have theirs.

They have our numbers (probably that's all because he didn't know my name, he had to ask me for that) and we have their numbers, at least we have the number of the one you're talking about.  We also have the name of the company he represents, I looked it up after one of his early calls.

Edited March 26 by Liverpool Lou

[Liverpool Lou]

1 hour ago, Photoguy21 said:

Just block them

Or don't bother answering unknown numbers.

[Liverpool Lou]

1 hour ago, richard_smith237 said:

Pretty much all cold callers rotate their numbers, often routing a number from overseas too.

The gobby Londoner doesn't, he called from a local mobile number that he'd pick up if called back.

Edited March 26 by Liverpool Lou

[Liverpool Lou]

1 hour ago, richard_smith237 said:

He went under the pseudonym John Walsh today…. 

Rings a bell!

[richard_smith237]

11 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

They have our numbers (probably that's all because he didn't know my name, he had to ask me for that) and we have their numbers, at least we have the number of the one you're talking about. 

 

He knew my name...  

 

11 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

We also have the name of the company he represents, I looked it up after one of his early calls.

 

I didn't get that far before cutting off...  What's the company name ?

 

9 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

Or don't bother answering unknown numbers.

 

That's not something I can do.. It could be the school nurse, another parent, friend of my Wife etc or a call of potential value so I answer all calls. 

 

 

9 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

1 hour ago, richard_smith237 said:

Pretty much all cold callers rotate their numbers, often routing a number from overseas too.

The gobby Londoner doesn't, he called from a local mobile number that he'd pick up if called back.

 

I can't recall if I blocked his number from previous calls...   But using the same number, especially if registered in his name (or his companies name) is a potentially risky game for him

(especially if not work permitted and I expect that such sh!££y work is carried out 'under the work permit radar' - though I could be wrong on that). 

[Lacessit]

If it's a Thai caller, I just hang up.

In Australia, I ask for their details as I am working for the Scamwatch website. Then they hang up.