Cold calling - what's changed?

You are right not to press 9, mollie, you'd probably have been charged for it!
I always report all these calls, every time, as I reckon it's the only way to stem the tide. As well as signing up to the TPS, of course.
Google Ofcom and you'll find links for making a complaint - the more info (like phone numbers, time of call etc) you can give them, the more likely they'll be able to prosecute.

Hadn't thought about reporting, good idea. Thanks Cosafina.

Most of them are generated abroad

I hate those calls too. People are usually smart enough to decide what to do or not to do without stupid phone calls. I am going to buy new windows and a door. 10 windows 1door. I will not b easking for quotes from any of the companies who have phoned up with their window scrappage schemes and quotes valid for 18 months. I don't know if they have ever thought that telephone sales calls might put people off.
I don't think that I would press any number instructed in a call like that. I don't answer the house phone any more. If Iam beside the phone when it rings I will check the number calling but unless I recognise the number I will not answer. If they leave a message I will decide whether to delete or act on it.
It is a real nuisance having these calls
SPF

I tend to listen to the answerphone before picking up to unknown callers these days. They're devious blighters - I actually got a voicemail cold-call message (exactly the same format) on my mobile while I had it in my hand - no call, straight to voicemail. How was that done? I was playing lexulous at the time - does that stop calls?

I have caller display and just don't answer if I don't recognise the number. They've sneaked under the wire a couple of times when DH has been waiting for a call from abroad but we don't even engage in conversation, we just hang up.

I keep getting a text offering me a loan. Don't want to text stop in case ( of what I'm not sure ) so I delete it daily. Boring

Report it LullyDully and sign up to TPS (the Telephone Preference Service). If you're signed up to that, they're breaking the law if they call you, so at least OfCom and prosecute them.

"...OfCom can prosecute..." rather than "...OfCom and prosecute..."

I reported a company to TPS for cold calling. Received a phone call this morning from a company of the same name saying it wasn't them but another company using their name and that is why they were on the TPS list. Although he was polite and didn't try to sell me anything I was a bit put out that he had called me, particularly as my complaint was about cold calling!!

I do miss GS3 now that's he's at school. At a 3-year old, and keen to answer the phone, he was a great firewall between me and cold callers. I've never had the same volume of cold callers since

I let everything go to answerphone because I have a different ringtone for family members so I know if it's worth tripping over the dogs to pick up.

I then have the pleasure of deleting the rubbish.

We actually had cold callers at the door the other day trying to convince me I should have solar panels, I told him to place his panels where the sun don't shine

Went to Mums today and she was worrying ( for the first time) about the mail from charities. She was slightly tearful at being unable to help all that came through her door. Hopefully I have settled her mind but wish I could stop the stuff coming through her door.

The charities are still at it despite there supposedly being a government crackdown. Today in town I was stopped by someone trying to get me to make a regular payment to The Red Cross. This evening I have had someone asking me to make a regular payment to Great Ormond Street Hospital. Yesterday I had a call from another charity asking for the same. I wish I could give to them all but I can't.

Before the charity gets one penny of your money they have to collect a year's salary for the CEO, do not feel guilty the ones in the wrong are the chuggers. I was actually told, on the phone, that xxx charity was aiming to raise £600,000 and the fund raisers would receive £110,000 of that money.

harrigran

At this time of year we get charity letter after charity letter through the letterbox. I bin them all - or send them back. I do make regular offerings to my pet charity but can really do without all this scrap paper landing in the hall. Why don't charities realise that their annoying missives totally discourage people from donating - they have the opposite effect to what was intended most of the time. I, too, thought the government was cracking down on them after that poor lady committed suicide but it seems just as bad as ever.

harrigran It's terrible isn't it? I don't give to them. I have been giving to two charities for years and, apart from the occasional disaster appeal etc, I stick to my own.

harrigran - my grin was for your earlier post but I completely agree with what you've just said. Some of those charity bosses are paid an absolute fortune and then there is the new and luxurious HQ to be paid for.....

Oh yes, the charity letters pre Christmas where they enclose a pen, or some free cards, or a couple of coasters. We get lots of those too. My DH has a saying 'my tear bowl is full'. We all do what we can.

I am going to start taking the bumf from charity 1, put it in the paid postage envelope addressed to charity 2 (and vice versa) and post them back. If enough people did that they will get a taste of what it is like to receive piles of unwanted junk mail!!

sunseeker - what a good idea, I'll do it.
KatyK - it's only done to make us feel guilty, isn't it? And what a waste of money, too. Why don't they save the money they send on pens or coasters or whatever and put it in their own (or someone else's) charity box?

To add insult to injury, my sister was executor for our cousin's will, the charities are questioning my sister's expenses for selling the house and so on and are demanding proof of every penny she spent. Cousin died 18 months ago and because of the actions of the charities most of the remaining money is being eaten up by solicitors fees. I told her to contest the will because I thought two thirds of a sizeable estate was too much to give away when she had been left with a year of difficult work to clear up his affairs.
I have now suggested she makes a complaint against the solicitor who has dragged her heels and allowed this to continue for 18 months. The two charities that share the money are the wealthiest in the country but the solicitor told my sister she wasn't allowed to know which one was disputing her costs.
My cousin never married so my elder sister was his next of kin, when he was dying he sent for my sister on the eve of her holiday of a lifetime cruise. She cancelled her holiday and was told she could not claim on her insurance because a cousin is a not close enough relative. My sister lives abroad so had to fly to England and pay for hotel accommodation.
The greediness of the charity has resulted in a lot of stress and I will be cancelling my membership of both charities and I will be writing to tell them exactly why. One of the charities has the highest paid CEO and I think the whole charade is shameful.

That's terrible, harrigran. Sounds like pure greed on the part of the charity.

I also get annoyed by those charities collecting money at the supermarket door. I'm told they are not supposed to actually ask you for money but many of them do, or they rattle their bucket in your face.