Mobile Phone Question

[Midland Beek]

Okay, my mobile phone rings out as if someone is calling me. I answer it just like I always answer it. But instead of hearing someone on the other end I hear the sound you get when you are making a call to someone and it is ringing out for them to pick up. Confused.

If anyone could explain this I would be grateful. Never had this before.

 

[Dusty Rhodes]

Is it one of these irritating call centres, cold-calling you?

They are on automatic dial to several phone numbers, and the call centre worker gets connected to the first who picks up.

The rest of those who answer their phones either get silence or the ring-out tone (which you are getting) until another call centre person is free.

Irritating. If I've got time, I try to waste theirs as much as possible. Or ask if they've been saved and found Jesus. Best are those who try to tell you they're from Microsoft and you've got a virus on your computer. They're trying to get you to give them remote access to your computer then do nasty things to it and you. However, with a bit if creativity, you can string the b*ggers along for 10 minutes or more, whilst peeling the spuds or making up frames etc. then you tell them you use a Mac. Really p*sses them off!

Anyhow, sounds like its a call centre issue.

Dusty.

 

[Mike a]

If you get the same thing on your home phone ask your provider for 141 barring. This will cut the number of cold calls from being able to ring you, if they do still manage to ring you then by dialling 1471 you can find out the last number who rang you.

If you know what the mail preference service do to cut out junk mail there is also a telephone preference service or TPS which should cut down the amount of business cold calls.

 

[The Cumbrian]

telephone preference service or TPS which should cut down the amount of business cold calls.

I would put the stress on should cut down the number of calls. I still get 5 or 6 on a bad day.

 

[darrenperrett]

I would put the stress on should cut down the number of calls. I still get 5 or 6 on a bad day.

Same here. If i ever get to talk to someone i ALWAYS agree to a salesman's appointment and them when he arrives tell him where to poke his windows / kitchen / bathroom / solar panels etc.
They waste my time, i waste theirs. I think it's called Karma

 

[FreeFall]

i ALWAYS agree to a salesman's appointment and them when he arrives tell him where to poke his windows / kitchen / bathroom / solar panels etc.

Brilliant!

I get calls from time-share companies looking for the previous owner of our house. I ask them to hold while I go find him and then just come back every 5 mins or so and say he's on his way, in the bathroom, just pulling up etc. Have held them up for 40 minutes before now

With the Indian Microsoft guys, if I have time, I string them along for as long as possible - not 'understanding' what they are asking me to do and then ask casually "how do you tie an IP address to a phone number"... 'click' is the normal response to that.

 

[alanf]

If you get the same thing on your home phone ask your provider for 141 barring. This will cut the number of cold calls from being able to ring you, if they do still manage to ring you then by dialling 1471 you can find out the last number who rang you.

If you know what the mail preference service do to cut out junk mail there is also a telephone preference service or TPS which should cut down the amount of business cold calls.

Most annoying I find are the 'legitimate' businesses who collect your number for a real service reason, then abuse it by trying to flog insurance. Kwikfit come to mind.

Many of the real 'cold' calls are from outside the UK; TPS doesn't apply. Barring anyone who calls from anonymous numbers is a possibility, but it can bar those calling legitimately, e.g. a call centre calling you back or relative from abroad. If your number is out there, it will be on a list and sold on. Stringing a caller out can be satisfying as a one off but it means you're a real potential lead, you stay on the list and that will get sold on.

There are a few tactics that help. One tactic is not to give your real number to anyone who just asks for it, particularly online such as insurance comparison sites. A random sequence can work, but some web sites check that it's plausible - find one close to your own that's not in use. If officialdom query the number, it's just a mistype. Another possibility that gets you off a few lists is to say you are only a tenant if it's glazing or insurance. Or use the 'I only work here' line which can get you struck off some of the domestic lists which get called early evening.

Ultimate tactic is just don't answer calls. Any legitimate caller will always leave a message. I know some can't leave a ringing phone unanswered but if you can it really works.

 

[Mike a]

You'll never stop every unwanted call but I just wasn't prepared for the amount of calls after I registered the company details and started my business.

A few days later it started....It felt like every water, power, gas, ISP provider, advertising, business link, stationary company, parcel delivery firm, small ad papers, local listings, search engine, office supplies, religious groups and even some charities wanted me to spend my money with them. As fast as I dealt with one another one had left a message, on one particular day I had to keep my mobile on charge just in case it was an offer to do a job.

Worse of the lot was a well known printing company beginning with "Vis" every day for 3 weeks solid they sent between 1-5 emails to me. Got to love spam filters.

 

[Stephenw]

Hi midland bee,

What type of mobile is it?

Thanks

Steve

 

[Bucks_Boy]

What I hate most is the profiling of the target.
I turn 50 in a few months and I've noticed a steady shift from travel insurance and computer help to funeral insurance, saga membership and stairlifts.....

Mind you the stairlift one I accept the free quote and enjoy the saleman turning up to a bungalow .......

 

[Nose Ma]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jpm-leztWco&hd=1

That is all.

 

[nosmoking]

For a mobile 'tele sales' I use this: 'Where did you get this number? Do you realize that this is a Police work mobile?' The response is usually ...... click! End of call. No doubt this could bee used for a land line as well with a variation on wording.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

My huntsman has been put on a cold calling blacklist - i was with him one day when he took a call which I think was from one of those companies promising to get you thousands in compensation for vibration white finger and the like (he used to be a miner BTW); the conversation went something like this.
Good afternoon sir we are calling on behalf of moneygrabbing lawyers 4 u - were you ever employed in heavy industry.
Yes I was for over thirty years.
Would you mind telling me what exactly your job was.
Certainly - I was a gynaecologist
Click......................................................

 

[REDWOOD]

Brill

 

[betterbee]

Mobiles

Only time i tried to answer my mobile while working with my bees got stung on the ear,never checked who was on the phone

 

[hedgerow pete]

we are getting a dozen a day at the moment the wife silly cow filled in a online form with the real telephone number rather than an false one, we always change the last number to a 5 instead of a 9.

any way i looovvvvvvvvvvvvveeeeeeeeeeee THESE PEOPLE

we have done the lot form " good mornings , sir can i flog you insurence" replied with my faith is the best value insurence i need, DO YOU HAVE FAITH?? and from then on its a battle to see who drops first,

then we have when talking to the person on the phone, pretend to have sex with the wife at the same timem lol.

pretend to be hard of hearing to see how loudly they are willing to shout, even told one person to speak up as i was blind, and they did!

prentend to be walking the dogs in the park, and then benton escapes again, that funny

to me i find them as sport rather than a pain,

but at the end of the day i just drop the hand set and carry on with my life instead

 

[Luminos]

Well done HP, reading that had me in stitches!

 

[Hachi]

Hello who are you after?

Would you mind hanging on I will just go and find them for you?

Then put the phone on speaker and put it down on the table.

Longest I had wait before I got the two tone cut off noise was close to 40 minutes

Sweet..........

 

[Drew]

then we have when talking to the person on the phone, pretend to have sex with the wife at the same timem lol.

I thought the general idea would be to keep them hanging on for ages..... Not just a couple of minutes