Anyone else getting these calls

Since I bought my new cordless BT phone a month ago life here has been quieter because I can block out International and numbers witheld.The phone rings once and then it takes over.

A fellow rang me a few weeks ago trying to sell me stocks and shares in diamonds and also wine with little risk to myself financially. I tried putting on my poor pensioner cap but that did not work so I said that I preferred to wear the diamonds and drink the wine, that got rid of him.

When it is a recorded call, you can't tell them anything, in any language, and when it is "out of area" you can't even block it.

I have stopped lifting the receiver when the caller id shows "out of area".

We tell them we are about to move. It seems to do the trick.

The latest trick by these cold callers is to somehow use your own number, twice last week the house phone showed our own number when it rang. When I answered the phone it was an Indian call centre. I am wondering if I am also paying for these calls.

In this week's Woman's Weekly there was a letter from a lady who always answers nuisance calls in Portugese or Italian. So today I tried answering a call very politely in Italian. The stunned silence at the other end was wonderful! Then she said she couldn't understand me, so I repeated what I'd said and she hung up - can't think why!

If I get calls I do not want they seem to fall into 2 categories.
International or Unknown me thinks.
These 2 are marketing calls mainly with an Asian voice on the end.
Calls when number is witheld is either ex directory or an official dept such as bank, housing association my case, or other local authority.
I hold a list of friends/family on my phone and those numbers display except if made from an ex directory number then it displays witheld.
Mick

Our hospital phones with a number withheld which I feel I have to answer but just wait until someone speaks.

@Ana - No - the first thing one does with a letter is read the signature - or at least that's what I do!

@PRINTMISS - serves them right! They should leave a message...

The screen on our phone identifies the caller by name or number. If the phone rings and the screen says 'number withheld' we leave the phone in the cradle and do not answer it.

How can you answer 'number with-held' calls, if they with-held their number?

Wouldn't you? Surely you'd have read it before you realised it was anonymous...!

I made up my mind not to answer 'number withheld' calls - after all, I wouldn't read anonymous letters...

The trouble with 1471 is that if someone else has called in the meantime, you can't find out the previous number that called.

I would normally leave the answerphone to pick up the messages but both my brother and my mother (who live in Australia) are unwell and I answer in case it is a family member ringing with news.

We now leave all calls for the answerphone, our friends/relations will always leave a message, and if we really want to know who called, we do 1471 when convenient for us.

Ofcom should force BT and the other phone companies to provide a number that you can ring after a call, that reports that call as a nuisance call. BT does have the number of number withheld calls so more of this calls could be traced and stopped.

these calls are to machines with a recorded message. There is no one there so whistles, radios etc etc are pointless.

I get them too and they are infuriating.

phoenix unfortunately the calls are "number withheld" so I can't look them up. I did report the silent calls to the Information Commissioners Office (ico.gov.uk) - you can report calls to them even if you don't have the number. I suppose I will have to start again with these

Thank you Nonu

shysal I was told that using the whistle could be illegal!

I believe that keep pressing the # key annoys them.

Phoenix , that is Neat !!

I like your style !!

Nonu with the "selling" ones, I try to bear in mind that it might be a student or some one just trying to earn, and if it's things like solar energy, double glazing etc I fib and tell them that I am only renting the house on a 6 month tenancy. This gets them out of my hair and gives them the chance to make another call where they might get lucky.

Oh & turn radio UP !!

Make a note of the number (use 1471 if you don't have caller ID) then just put it into Google. There are several sites that you can use, but one called "Who calls me" is pretty good. You can pretty quickly find out if it is (for example) a PPI one, or energy etc.

Shysal , I have heard that it does not make it any less annoying .

I do I am afraid , if I get someone trying to sell me , just quietly place the phone down and walk away .