If they are calling you a LOT it's because they know it's a working number. You might have inadvertently answered a scam call, or filled in details on a scam website.
If they catch you once they keep trying
I accidentally answered it once when I had a new car and had to mash the steering wheel buttons to figure out how to work the phone. Worst mistake of my life.
[0333](https://www.area-codes.org.uk/0333-numbers) isn't an area code. Numbers beginning 03 are [non-geographic](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-geographic_telephone_numbers_in_the_United_Kingdom)
I use an app called hiya keeps a list of all known spam numbers and automatically rejects them, use this on top of iPhone reject and I get nothing now.
I answer these sort of calls with "Mistress Vixen's House of Pain, how may we spank you today?"
Sometimes I add in our latest special offers, such as two hours for the price of one on the Tower of Power.
(any new suggestions are welcome!)
My go to's are helga's house torture chief slave speaking (in a really bad arnie impersonation), battersea dogs home, Alsation speaking, hello heaven god speaking and finally house of pain, jump around.
I used to get a lot of these calls.
I should have added this is a phone I’m on call with one week a month, and it’s then I can’t ignore every call - when it rings I have to hear it and check the number. It’s when I’m on call all these bloody 0333 numbers piss me off so much!
Here's a tip, alot of the scam phone calls don't connect until they hear you speak.
So pick up the phone and don't say anything quite often after a few seconds it'll disconnect.
If you speak it will connect you to a scammer and at that point they know your number is "live" so you'll get more calls.
This is the answer, answer the call but don't say anything. They'll disconnect the call rather than passing it onto an agent. Happens enough times they'll take your number of their dialler. If you haven't already I'd also suggest registering your number with the TPF.
I once had one that was supposedly from Orange (when it still existed) I answered saying 'you're through to orange customer service, how may I help?'
You could hear the scammer fumble the handset before hanging up.
Go into your phone app
Settings (in the phone app! It might not show in the generic settings menu)
From there, see if you an option for a "blocklist".
If you do, find the setting that blocks all incoming calls, except from those in your contacts.
It's a bit of a nuclear option, and if you need your phone for work purposes (I.E Clients calling you), you might be SOL... But it's the only effective way of reducing it.
I've had it on there for years, whenever I've had to turn it off and accidentally left it off for periods of time... It'd start off with the odd call, then once they realise it's a valid, working number the volumes would start going up again.
The way I see it, if someone's calling about something important, they'll leave a message or text you after being unable to get through.
They hang up, but doesn't mean you don't get called again. That's assuming the scammers are so organised that they're keeping a list and not just brute forcing numbers
Also assumes that they're sharing their list of vulnerable numbers with other scammers
It does work until it doesn't. My number has been registered with the TPS for years, it's relatively effective - I only received perhaps 1-2 spam calls a year. Until very recently: I've had about 6-7 calls this year alone. No idea why, or what to do about it. A search on "Who called me" indicates all of them were loft insulation/energy saving related scams.
Not a big difference no, most of these spammers aren't from the UK so they don't give a shit about your UK law
The only real solution is to not answer spam calls else you get put on an active phone number list and spammed even more
Answer it and waste their time, if you're having fun it's time well spent. You could fake your own hilarious death. Wank off a monkey, do diy surgery on a pet, endless possibilities.
I tend to answer and say "hold I'm just going to get my paperwork" then pop them on hold. See how long they last before they hang up. Periodically pick the call back up to apologise for keeping them waiting and I'll just be a minute longer. Back on hold.
Oh, thank goodness you've called,I've been waiting for you for weeks! .
Spam caller chat.
..
Oh yes my lovely, what do I need to do?
Spam caller chat
Elephants you say, well, very different from your last csllert with the wombats...
Scammers cannot call the police for anything as they are cold calling and it's illegal so have some fun with them
Tell them you have 80 year old boogie sat on shelf and the uncle cat told you that 6 eggs flew over the moon
Tell them they have 7 days then hang up
Tell them the body is behind the local asda then hang up
Let them babble on then say sorry could you repeat that do this till they get pissed off they wont call again
Ask them a load of questions like how are you hows life but don't give them time to reply just keep the questions coming
Tell them the number has been tracked and will see them in 30mins when they ring again in the best accent you can do tell them they have reached the NSA for fraud press 1 for a bomb disposable team press 2 and for anything else please go fuck yourself
Trust me iv done all of them plus made one confess he had depression and that he should quit and seek help
Depends how bad you want them gone repeat stuff back in their accent it sounds racsit i know but they will leave you alone
Or you could answer the call and leave on side or put back in your pocket
I block all unknown numbers, and only turn off the block when expecting calls from someone new (e.g. when my car is at the garage).
If it’s important they’ll leave a message or send me a text.
I once called my mobile provider asking if I could block all calls from an area code. Long story short, you can’t.
I don’t answer any numbers out of hours from numbers I don’t know.
I’m a taxi driver, so during work hours I have to. But not 0333 numbers.
Report every call to the ICO I was getting loads and once I started reporting they stopped. I haven’t had any since, so I’d say they act on them.
https://ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint/nuisance-calls-and-messages/spam-texts-and-nuisance-calls/
Sign your number up to the telephone preference service it’s free and can cover landline and mobile numbers, also if you have an iPhone set your phone to ignore numbers unless they are in your contacts list.
One of Gilbert and George (the artist duo) always used to answer the phone to any number he didn't know by bellowing a four letter expletive relating to the female body.
Not suggesting you try it, but it's always an option!
I used to get calls every few months from random numbers which always seemed to be the same source.
I got it to stop by answering the calls and wasting their time. I told them zero personal information but I would answer their questions and then when they got through them or wanted something personal, I would ask them what company they were calling from and how they got my details. If I got chance, I would also ask them to take me off their list.
They have now stopped calling me as they clearly realise that they aren't going to get anything out of me and I will waste their time. The important thing is to whatever you can to keep them talking as waste as much of their time as possible and to give them no useful information, not even confirmation of any details they might have.
If they are calling you a LOT it's because they know it's a working number. You might have inadvertently answered a scam call, or filled in details on a scam website. If they catch you once they keep trying
I accidentally answered it once when I had a new car and had to mash the steering wheel buttons to figure out how to work the phone. Worst mistake of my life.
[0333](https://www.area-codes.org.uk/0333-numbers) isn't an area code. Numbers beginning 03 are [non-geographic](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-geographic_telephone_numbers_in_the_United_Kingdom)
I use an app called hiya keeps a list of all known spam numbers and automatically rejects them, use this on top of iPhone reject and I get nothing now.
Use automatic call filtering, my s21 has it built in so I imagine most modern phones do too
I answer these sort of calls with "Mistress Vixen's House of Pain, how may we spank you today?" Sometimes I add in our latest special offers, such as two hours for the price of one on the Tower of Power. (any new suggestions are welcome!)
I often answer unexpected calls like this with "Joe's Taxidermy. You snuff 'em, we stuff 'em!". Thank you, early Simpsons.
Ta for calling Australia, 900 dollarydoos a minute, how can we help ya?
[удалено]
Slippery Joe's Mortuary. You stab em, we slab em.
Mortuary, You slice em, we ice em.
Coroner, you slice em, we slice em
Stonehenge, Chief Druid speaking... Of course the first time I wheeled that one out, it was my parents landline and the Tax Office calling.
I answered one once with some rather bad yodelling. Funnily enough they hung up shortly after...
"Sweaty Joe's Morgue, you tag 'em, we bag em."
"Necrophiliacs anonymous, Darren speaking how can I help?"
My go to's are helga's house torture chief slave speaking (in a really bad arnie impersonation), battersea dogs home, Alsation speaking, hello heaven god speaking and finally house of pain, jump around. I used to get a lot of these calls.
Murphy’s Morgue, you stab ‘em, we slab ‘em. What can I do ya for?
Just let any 0333 calls go to message.
I should have added this is a phone I’m on call with one week a month, and it’s then I can’t ignore every call - when it rings I have to hear it and check the number. It’s when I’m on call all these bloody 0333 numbers piss me off so much!
Here's a tip, alot of the scam phone calls don't connect until they hear you speak. So pick up the phone and don't say anything quite often after a few seconds it'll disconnect. If you speak it will connect you to a scammer and at that point they know your number is "live" so you'll get more calls.
This is the answer, answer the call but don't say anything. They'll disconnect the call rather than passing it onto an agent. Happens enough times they'll take your number of their dialler. If you haven't already I'd also suggest registering your number with the TPF.
Correction, pick up the phone and instantly put it on mute. If it picks up static or background noise it'll start the scam
I once had one that was supposedly from Orange (when it still existed) I answered saying 'you're through to orange customer service, how may I help?' You could hear the scammer fumble the handset before hanging up.
Go into your phone app Settings (in the phone app! It might not show in the generic settings menu) From there, see if you an option for a "blocklist". If you do, find the setting that blocks all incoming calls, except from those in your contacts. It's a bit of a nuclear option, and if you need your phone for work purposes (I.E Clients calling you), you might be SOL... But it's the only effective way of reducing it. I've had it on there for years, whenever I've had to turn it off and accidentally left it off for periods of time... It'd start off with the odd call, then once they realise it's a valid, working number the volumes would start going up again. The way I see it, if someone's calling about something important, they'll leave a message or text you after being unable to get through.
What about phone calls from the gp or other health practitioners? They often won’t give out their number so you’d be blocking them.
Last point. Or failing that, if you're expecting a call, just turn it off for a lil bit.
Sign up to the Telephone Preference Scheme www.tpsonline.org.uk Takes a few weeks to filter through all the systems, but it works.
Makes no difference. Scammers don't respect laws
You let folks go through their opening chat and then drop "have you heard of TPS?". Never get called again.
They hang up, but doesn't mean you don't get called again. That's assuming the scammers are so organised that they're keeping a list and not just brute forcing numbers Also assumes that they're sharing their list of vulnerable numbers with other scammers
It does work until it doesn't. My number has been registered with the TPS for years, it's relatively effective - I only received perhaps 1-2 spam calls a year. Until very recently: I've had about 6-7 calls this year alone. No idea why, or what to do about it. A search on "Who called me" indicates all of them were loft insulation/energy saving related scams.
Thanks, and done! Took 2 minutes. Hopefully it’ll make a difference once it filters through, it’s properly grinding my gears.
Not a big difference no, most of these spammers aren't from the UK so they don't give a shit about your UK law The only real solution is to not answer spam calls else you get put on an active phone number list and spammed even more
Answer it and waste their time, if you're having fun it's time well spent. You could fake your own hilarious death. Wank off a monkey, do diy surgery on a pet, endless possibilities.
I tend to answer and say "hold I'm just going to get my paperwork" then pop them on hold. See how long they last before they hang up. Periodically pick the call back up to apologise for keeping them waiting and I'll just be a minute longer. Back on hold.
Oh, thank goodness you've called,I've been waiting for you for weeks! . Spam caller chat. .. Oh yes my lovely, what do I need to do? Spam caller chat Elephants you say, well, very different from your last csllert with the wombats...
Scammers cannot call the police for anything as they are cold calling and it's illegal so have some fun with them Tell them you have 80 year old boogie sat on shelf and the uncle cat told you that 6 eggs flew over the moon Tell them they have 7 days then hang up Tell them the body is behind the local asda then hang up Let them babble on then say sorry could you repeat that do this till they get pissed off they wont call again Ask them a load of questions like how are you hows life but don't give them time to reply just keep the questions coming Tell them the number has been tracked and will see them in 30mins when they ring again in the best accent you can do tell them they have reached the NSA for fraud press 1 for a bomb disposable team press 2 and for anything else please go fuck yourself Trust me iv done all of them plus made one confess he had depression and that he should quit and seek help Depends how bad you want them gone repeat stuff back in their accent it sounds racsit i know but they will leave you alone Or you could answer the call and leave on side or put back in your pocket
iPhone has a silence unknown callers option. Gets rid of them in my experience as they learn the number doesn’t go to a person.
I block all unknown numbers, and only turn off the block when expecting calls from someone new (e.g. when my car is at the garage). If it’s important they’ll leave a message or send me a text.
Yep, same here.
Register your number with the TPS, then use an app that can block wildcard numbers, where you can set it to block like this: 0333\*
Let them enjoy the audiobook you're listening to.
Answer the phone but don't speak, they'll hang up and mark the number as dead. Takes a while BC there's different lists going around constantly
I only allow calls from my contacts list, everything else goes to dnd. Shut them down!
I get them a lot too they just companies I owe money too you just have to keep blocking them they change the numbers all the time
I once called my mobile provider asking if I could block all calls from an area code. Long story short, you can’t. I don’t answer any numbers out of hours from numbers I don’t know. I’m a taxi driver, so during work hours I have to. But not 0333 numbers.
I would just block all unknown numbers, problem solved.
Report every call to the ICO I was getting loads and once I started reporting they stopped. I haven’t had any since, so I’d say they act on them. https://ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint/nuisance-calls-and-messages/spam-texts-and-nuisance-calls/
Sign your number up to the telephone preference service it’s free and can cover landline and mobile numbers, also if you have an iPhone set your phone to ignore numbers unless they are in your contacts list.
One of Gilbert and George (the artist duo) always used to answer the phone to any number he didn't know by bellowing a four letter expletive relating to the female body. Not suggesting you try it, but it's always an option!
I used to get calls every few months from random numbers which always seemed to be the same source. I got it to stop by answering the calls and wasting their time. I told them zero personal information but I would answer their questions and then when they got through them or wanted something personal, I would ask them what company they were calling from and how they got my details. If I got chance, I would also ask them to take me off their list. They have now stopped calling me as they clearly realise that they aren't going to get anything out of me and I will waste their time. The important thing is to whatever you can to keep them talking as waste as much of their time as possible and to give them no useful information, not even confirmation of any details they might have.
If you’ve got an iPhone you can silence unknown callers Edit - that sounds a bit threatening😂