Thread: Nuisance calls purportedly from Telstra/Austel

Originally Posted by Hermit

...
When I ring Telstra tomorrow, I'll ask about a private number. That seems to be the most likely answer to the problem.

Not a good idea if you want to make calls on that line, a lot of people simply won't answer a call from a private number because they think it is a telemarketer.

Originally Posted by Cliff Rogers

Not a good idea if you want to make calls on that line, a lot of people simply won't answer a call from a private number because they think it is a telemarketer.

Well that'll be their loss. Most people answer their phone regardless, and in the case of landlines, in most cases there's no way to know. I very rarely ring mobiles.

Edit: Tomorrow I plan to:
a. Report the matter to Telstra and request a block of all incoming international calls
b. Request a private number
c. Ask them to look into my slow connection and constant dropouts - at least 10 just tonight, including a minute ago when I first tried to edit this post

Originally Posted by Cliff Rogers

Not a good idea if you want to make calls on that line, a lot of people simply won't answer a call from a private number because they think it is a telemarketer.

Also private number does not stop the "auto dialler" telemarketer. Computer dials with a 1 on the end, then a 2 and so on. Friends with private number get less nuisance calls but cliff has it right they have trouble ringing their friends so revert to mobile calling.
cheers
p.s. I usually have a play with them to waste as much of their time as they do mine

Originally Posted by Wrongwayfirst

Also private number does not stop the "auto dialler" telemarketer. Computer dials with a 1 on the end, then a 2 and so on. Friends with private number get less nuisance calls but cliff has it right they have trouble ringing their friends so revert to mobile calling.
cheers
p.s. I usually have a play with them to waste as much of their time as they do mine

It'll stop some, and I don't give a **** one way or the other about wasting their time - I just don't want mine wasted!

Originally Posted by Wrongwayfirst

Also private number does not stop the "auto dialler" telemarketer. Computer dials with a 1 on the end, then a 2 and so on. Friends with private number get less nuisance calls but cliff has it right they have trouble ringing their friends so revert to mobile calling.
cheers
p.s. I usually have a play with them to waste as much of their time as they do mine

I just realised that my last reply sounded like I'm having a shot at you - I'm not.
The **** just reflects my feelings on the matter. I've had a gutful of them.

My friends will be told that I have a private number. Businesses that I call will not care, and only businesses I've given my number to need ever call.

Regarding the time wasting, it seems counter-productive to waste even more of my time just to waste a little of their's. Let's face it, they're already wasting their time, often the whole day.

While I'm on my little high-horse, just thought I'd mention that these days the charities fall into the same bracket with me, as with A Duke. If anything, I need charity at times.
After calls from both Guide Dogs and the Smith Family over the last couple of years, I made donations to both. Since then they've constantly hassled me by mail for more donations.

Hi,
Well we have answered one of your questions really and truly, You are not alone, 36 responses in a few hours.
Regards

Originally Posted by Cliff Rogers

Not a good idea if you want to make calls on that line, a lot of people simply won't answer a call from a private number because they think it is a telemarketer.

If you have a silent or blocked number and you want your number to show up on the call line identification on the phone of the person you are calling you dial "1832" then their number and it overrides the number blocking. So if you are calling someone who you trust to have your number and doesn't answer silent numbers then dial "1832" then their number or if their number is programmed into your phone then store the number with the "1832" already on the front of it. It only works for the one call.

Alternatively if you have an open number and do not want it to show up on the receiver's phone, dial "1831" before the number and your number will be blocked for that call only.

Cheers

Doug

Originally Posted by A Duke

Hi,
Well we have answered one of your questions really and truly, You are not alone, 36 responses in a few hours.
Regards

Yep. It feels good to get the support and all of the replies, but it's a shame that others have to go through it too, and that there's no easy way to stop this crap.
At least now I have a couple of options, starting with the steps I mentioned a few posts ago.
And others are aware of those options. It was a real eye-opener to learn that Austel aren't all that I thought they were, too. A private business shouldn't be able to re-register a name like that.

Originally Posted by doug3030

If you have a silent or blocked number and you want your number to show up on the call line identification on the phone of the person you are calling you dial "1832" then their number and it overrides the number blocking. So if you are calling someone who you trust to have your number and doesn't answer silent numbers then dial "1832" then their number or if their number is programmed into your phone then store the number with the "1832" already on the front of it. It only works for the one call.

Alternatively if you have an open number and do not want it to show up on the receiver's phone, dial "1831" before the number and your number will be blocked for that call only.

Cheers

Doug

Thanks for that Doug - it makes a private number look even more attractive.

From a friend who in a previous life manged a call centre in India the simplest and most effective method is to let your calls go to the answering machine, eventually the will list your number as a " no progress" and won't use it, private numbers won't work as they source numbers from a computer generated list, and as anybody who has put their number on the do not call list knows it is a big white elephant

Originally Posted by China

From a friend who in a previous life manged a call centre in India the simplest and most effective method is to let your calls go to the answering machine, eventually the will list your number as a " no progress" and won't use it, private numbers won't work as they source numbers from a computer generated list, and as anybody who has put their number on the do not call list knows it is a big white elephant

Thanks China. I appreciate the extra info. That was one of the better suggestions last night, and it's good to hear that it actually gets rid of them.

I don't have a physical answering machine any more, just the Telstra message bank. Could buy one though.
The one drawback with this is that many (valid) callers hang up when they get either.

I think I'll still go with a private number + blocking of international incoming calls for now, then if that doesn't work I'll go the answering machine route.

It's not just a call to a random number generated by a computer or picked out of the air because they already know my name. That's why I think a private number could be the go. Worth a shot, anyway, and it will get rid of some of the other annoying calls that know my name in advance.

Have a listen to this. It will make you feel better
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cIVfrBFc5og

Originally Posted by NCArcher

Have a listen to this. It will make you feel better
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cIVfrBFc5og

That's a crack-up. I love it.

I've actually heard that recording before, on TV I think. Still got a good laugh out of it again.
Perhaps I should put something like that together myself. Might keep the buggers off my back.