Telephone Preference Service Options

[JeffG]

Can sales people legally get round TPS by sending you a flyer by post first? I just had a call from someone saying they sent me a leaflet about solar energy recently (which presumably went straight into the recycling, because I don't remember it).

[gel]

Can sales people legally get round TPS by sending you a flyer by post first? I just had a call from someone saying they sent me a leaflet about solar energy recently (which presumably went straight into the recycling, because I don't remember it).

TPS have few teeth, and many of these nuisance callers claim they are doing research as that gets round the restrictions.

And of course overseas companies are exempt where many of these calls emanate from.

I tend to answer on speakerphone and say nothing on unavailable/withheld calls; often you can hear noise of call centre in background.
Sometimes they'll utter "Hello" or simply hang up

[JeffG]

And of course overseas companies are exempt where many of these calls emanate from.

Which is why I never pick up calls showing International or Unavailable (Withheld can be a legitimate UK caller, however). They always hang up when the answering machine kicks in.

[Simon Kirby]

Complain here.

[Strafin]

It's tricky if you have ever given out your number, or are in the book as well.

[JeffG]

Complain here.

I don't know if I have cause to complain without a definitive answer to my question in the OP.

[blackdog]

I don't know if I have cause to complain without a definitive answer to my question in the OP.

So complain anyway - the worst that can happen is that you get an answer to your question.

[On the edge]

Think gel's solution probably works best. We had a spate of such calls whilst i had a bit of time on my hands - so I simply held stupid conversations; as you know, don't find that difficult. Great fun! I haven't had any since and suspect 'they' have taken me off lists.

NB - Best one I did was to say to the chap on other end after initial few words - Stop right there - I'm from Employee Surveys and your manager has nominated you as a star operator - you've won top prize......Even got to speak to his manager!!!

[Simon Kirby]

I don't know if I have cause to complain without a definitive answer to my question in the OP.

It's the first I've heard that putting a leaflet through your door invalidates your registration with the TPS, but anything's possible, but like blackdog says, just make the complaint because it's the TPS who will give you the definitive answer.

[Exhausted]

It's the first I've heard that putting a leaflet through your door invalidates your registration with the TPS, but anything's possible, but like blackdog says, just make the complaint because it's the TPS who will give you the definitive answer.

Yes but the TPS cannot do anything other than tell another department and is it worth the hassle. You are unlikely to not get further calls and even if you get off one list you will be on another.

I went through a spate of calls in the middle of the night and it turned out to be an auto fax dialler which had a wrong number, my home non fax number, on it. I found out that a company locally had purchased materials from a national company and at some point their fax number was transposed to my number hence it appeared on several fax marketing lists. A call during the day or early evening, no problem but in the middle of the night, that gets the heartbeat pumped up.

[Jayjay]

I kept getting calls from an overseas company who call themselves British Consumer - sometimes three times a day. Have now purchased a whistle.

[Leolady]

I kept getting calls from someone asking to speak to someone called "Taormina" (I think that's in Sicily). I kept on telling the person who rang that they had the wrong number and eventually asked them to alter their records, whereupon it was clear that it was a sales call and that they did not care who they spoke to. The next time they rang and asked for Taormina, I went very quiet and then said "I'm sorry, but she's dead!". They have not rung since.

[Exhausted]

I kept getting calls from an overseas company who call themselves British Consumer - sometimes three times a day. Have now purchased a whistle.

Blow it as hard as you like, the sound will be attenuated by the telephone system so you won't do anything to the callers eardrums but you might cause some mild amusement the other end.
The best bet would be to connect them to a telephone answering machine which asks questions and waits for an answer and then asks another similar silly question. That way you could tie them up for quite a while. However, Auntie Flo ringing to see how the kids are would be very confused.

[lordtup]

I kept getting calls from someone asking to speak to someone called "Taormina" (I think that's in Sicily). I kept on telling the person who rang that they had the wrong number and eventually asked them to alter their records, whereupon it was clear that it was a sales call and that they did not care who they spoke to. The next time they rang and asked for Taormina, I went very quiet and then said "I'm sorry, but she's dead!". They have not rung since.

One of the better ideas banded on here . I will try the " sadly no longer with us " next time one of these wretched individuals invades my hollowed abode.

[JeffG]

my hollowed abode.

Are you a Hobbit?

[lordtup]

Are you a Hobbit?

You have a prejudice against Hobbits ?
Or have you been speaking to Lady T ?

[JeffG]

No, some of my best friends are Hobbits. And they live in hollowed-out places, too. (It's the hairy feet that give you away.)

[lordtup]

No, some of my best friends are Hobbits. And they live in hollowed-out places, too. (It's the hairy feet that give you away.)

So you have been speaking to LadyTup !!!!!! Is nothing sacred.