Thread: Nuisance calls purportedly from Telstra/Austel

Originally Posted by Hermit

I like this idea Doug.

I've heard of a case of someone sending bills to senders of junk mail by post, for handling costs. It was on Current Affair or similar some years back. The surprising bit was that some companies actually paid the bill. (Possibly without looking at it too closely.)

I have never billed anyone for handling their junk mail, but if I find a reply-paid envelope in the junk mail, they can expect to be the recipient of a house-brick wrapped in brown paper with a reply-paid envelope stuck to it. My pile of spare house-bricks is gradually decreasing. I still have about 100 to go then I can start on the pavers.

Cheers

Doug

Hermit what they are usually trying to do is to induce you to "churn" your service/s from your current provider to them. "Slamming" or "unauthorised churning" has serious implications for the telco involved.
There are plenty of scams that operate under the guise of Telstra, another Telco or even the ACMA calling.
If it is another legitimate telco trying to get your business ask them for details of who the new service provider is going to be - they have a legal obligation to disclose who the service provider is to you and any information on the service/s you request. Clearly state that you do not give them permission to churn your service & hang up. Then report their activity to your service provider or to the ACMA.

Originally Posted by Mobyturns

Hermit what they are usually trying to do is to induce you to "churn" your service/s from your current provider to them. "Slamming" or "unauthorised churning" has serious implications for the telco involved.
There are plenty of scams that operate under the guise of Telstra, another Telco or even the ACMA calling.
If it is another legitimate telco trying to get your business ask them for details of who the new service provider is going to be - they have a legal obligation to disclose who the service provider is to you and any information on the service/s you request. Clearly state that you do not give them permission to churn your service & hang up. Then report their activity to your service provider or to the ACMA.

They have always either said they're Telstra or Austel calling on the behalf of Telstra. They claim that my next Telstra bill will reflect the new lower prices.
Obviously, though, there's some sort of scam going on. I can't work out what it actually is. Maybe Telstra will shed some light when I ring them.

Originally Posted by Master Splinter

Well, surprise, surprise - the data entry for the phone directories is keyed in India. So someone working in the data entry company just copies and sells off the data for a quick rupee.

Slightly off-topic.
In a previous life, I worked at Uni of Qld. Each year, the uni produced and distributed its own internal phone directory (I'm imagine all unis did.) They were worth substantial $$$ to the likes of insurance companies. So much so, that when I tried to get an electronic version for legitimate Faculty purposes, I suddenly found myself having to prove I wasn't trying to sell it.

Originally Posted by malb

From memory, Telstra very sheepishly admitted some time ago that it had been hacked, along with some other carriers who use the Telstra network. ......

They aren't the only ones to have major privacy breaches

http://www.smh.com.au/it-pro/securit...501-zr2j8.html

Originally Posted by malb

From memory, Telstra very sheepishly admitted some time ago that it had been hacked, along with some other carriers who use the Telstra network. Whoever did this ended up with a lot of billing and accounting information that would correlate names, addresses, phone numbers, and probably IP addresses and passwords as well. This info has possibly been sold on to a variety of underhand organisations to be used to try and draw customers away from Telstra.

Yeah, I remember that. Not so long ago, either. Telstra contacted me and suggested that I change my internet password at the time, too.

Austel was the government body regulating the technical aspects of the telecom industry after it was opened for competition, and there was a need to uniform standards, procedures, training and qualifications across a variety of service providers. It has been merged into the Australian Media and Communications Authority. Googling reveals a business on the Gold Coast with no details of its activities, and a company called Australian Telecomunications who seem to concentrate on international calling phone cards. Their websites use the address austel.

I wasn't aware of this and thought Austel was still associated with Telstra in some way. As mentioned, these callers claim to be one or the other, but none ever seem to know any of my account details, and of course, I tell them nothing.

I understand that it is possible to have Telstra permanently bar calls from international sources to your service which has helped some of my clients who were receiving international marketing calls.

I didn't know this either, but will query Telstra tomorrow. I have no valid international incoming calls.
Here's hoping they're not using VOIP.

I have once in the past as Doug did.
I first ask for there billing details.
Then was asked why.
I told them I run my own business and am very busy so would be charging them $567.90 per hour I pulled that out of you know were.
When they keep going on and on I just talk over them politely.
Ask for there senior and go on and on and on.
Did this once haven't heard back.

I just snapped this screenshot from the Austel-Australia website.
Definitely not associated with Telstra or any regulatory body any more - they sell consumer database information among other things.
And obviously annoy people with phone calls:

Austel Screenshot.JPG

Thanks for the heads-up Mal.

Originally Posted by Simplicity

I have once in the past as Doug did.
I first ask for there billing details.
Then was asked why.
I told them I run my own business and am very busy so would be charging them $567.90 per hour I pulled that out of you know were.
When they keep going on and on I just talk over them politely.
Ask for there senior and go on and on and on.
Did this once haven't heard back.

I've asked for the supervisor and got in their ear in the past, but nothing's worked for me so far. I'll make a concerted effort tomorrow.

Just keep asking for the supervisor and then there supervisor.
You need to turn the whole thing around ask for a number to call them back on.
then become there annoying caller who refuses to give in till your talking to the CEO.
And remind then you charge $567.67 per hour or what ever your going rate is Tommmorow
Time is money your extremely busy lol

Originally Posted by Simplicity

Just keep asking for the supervisor and then there supervisor.
You need to turn the whole thing around ask for a number to call them back on.
then become there annoying caller who refuses to give in till your talking to the CEO.
And remind then you charge $567.67 per hour or what ever your going rate is Tommmorow
Time is money your extremely busy lol

I was going to suggest earlier that I should ask them for a number to call back on to verify who they were, but thought better because we all know they won't give me one.

I've done the 'very busy' line in the past, but they hang up and ring back a couple of days later.

Just knowing who Austel really are now is good ammo I reckon. Something else I'll make sure I tell Telstra tomorrow. (That they're claiming to be Austel. I might not have mentioned it to Telstra before I heard, but now that I know they're not associated.....)

i've learned a lot tonight from this thread.

I had one of these call last Thursday, told me i was going to get cheap calls and cheap line rental.
He was really pushy.
I hung up and rang Telstra. The automated voice asked what i wanted and i said complaints.
Got straight through.
Told the lass what happened ( i'm on the do not call register ) and she said the call was from overseas.
she asked if i still get calls from the uk ( i'm an expat pom ), i said no so she has blocked all overseas calls.
I'm happy

Hi,
I do not answer the phone any more, I just let the answering machine take it.
Because
a) It's this mob or their ilk. They usually hang up but I sometimes get beeps for ages.
b) It's a begging charity. I am not rich enough to support all the bleeding harts. They also usually hang up.
c) It's for the wife. I would get the message wrong or forget. They leave a message or call again until she is home to take it.
d) Shock horror it's one of the half dozen calls I get a year. I call back later or interrupt when I recognise the call.

The wife just tells your 'mates' (substitute the word of your choice) to send the offer on Telstra paper and it will be considered. Needles to say we have never received it.

I would also love to know what they are after because one can not make sense of their jabber, and they keep coming back no matter how often they fail.

Actually a couple of times he did know the figure of my bill and his monthly amount was lower but when converted to quarterly like the Telstra bill it was a hell of a lot more.

Anyway happy communicating.

Originally Posted by fenderbelly

I had one of these call last Thursday, told me i was going to get cheap calls and cheap line rental.
He was really pushy.
I hung up and rang Telstra. The automated voice asked what i wanted and i said complaints.
Got straight through.
Told the lass what happened ( i'm on the do not call register ) and she said the call was from overseas.
she asked if i still get calls from the uk ( i'm an expat pom ), i said no so she has blocked all overseas calls.
I'm happy

It's really good to hear this, Fred. I should have called Telstra earlier, but sometimes their waiting list is soooo long..... Tomorrow. My special project - I'll spend all day if necessary.