Thread: Nuisance calls purportedly from Telstra/Austel

Over the years, how I deal with these nuisance calls has changed as their practices changed.
In the beginning, whenever I found out that it was a sales call on the other end, I just asked them to hang on for a minute, then I just leave them waiting..... They usually got the message and did not ring back.
Then the technology changed. Nowadays, when a call centre from India rings. It is not an operator who is on the other end of the line waiting for you to answer. It is a automatic dialing system and your call is routed to the next operator as soon as you answer. As long as your name is in their system, they will keep calling back.
This is what I do now.
Quite often during the day, I let the call go to my answering machinel. The automatic calling system detects it is a voice mail and hangs up automatically. But if I happen to answer the phone, I will hang up immediately when there isn't a person on the other end after I say hello because I know I am being routed. The system moves on to annoy someone else. It is a minimum effort strategy, it saves me time and I avoid the nuisance conversation.

Originally Posted by Mobyturns

Friends in Perth a number of years back were contact by the police to change their answering machine greeting as it was causing alarm to some. Apologies in advance!

The message in their best King Billy Coke Bottle accent went something like "the bitc%es aren't home, me & morton are robbing the place..."

The officer calling said they had a very concerned caller and that the greeting was not appropriate but admitted off the record it was one of the best he had heard.

Gotta say, I love this one too. I'm tempted to buy an answering machine simply so I can put a similar message on it.

Originally Posted by justonething

Over the years, how I deal with these nuisance calls has changed as their practices changed.
In the beginning, whenever I found out that it was a sales call on the other end, I just asked them to hang on for a minute, then I just leave them waiting..... They usually got the message and did not ring back.
Then the technology changed.

It would be handy if leaving the phone off the hook would still keep the line to them open making their phone unusable, like in the old days. That was a favourite phone prank for some kids, from memory. Not me, of course.

Unauthorised customer transfers (slamming) are a major source of complaints to the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO) &the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA). The Telecommunications Consumer Protections Code (TCPC) sets out acceptable practices. A failure to comply with the TCPC can result in infringement notices being issued and fines of $10,200 per infringement.

This page sets out some consumer protections

http://www.acma.gov.au/Citizen/Consumer-info/Rights-and-safeguards/Phone-contracts-and-charges/unauthorised-transfer

http://www.acma.gov.au/theACMA/Newsroom/Newsroom/Media-releases/acma-takes-a-stand-on-customer-transfers

OK, I got onto Telstra about this. Glad I made a cuppa in advance, one hour on the phone - 40min waiting in the queue, then 20 min to make the arrangements.
I made lots of notes so I could report it all here accurately.

First, Telstra are not associated with these calls. (We already knew that though.)
He suggested the 'Do Not Call' register and when I said I'm on it he said he didn't think there was anything that could be done, maybe I should ring the register and report the calls. I told him that would be a waste of time since the callers appear to be overseas, but he said that even overseas callers must respect the register.

So, the first thing I asked for was to have all international incoming calls blocked, but he said they can't do that. I explained that I knew someone else who was receiving these same calls who'd had that done, so he double-checked and confirmed that they can't do it. I guess that's a thing of the past.
He did say that an individual number could be blocked, but I'd need to know the number. I don't.

Next I requested a silent number. He said that he could do that, but since these people already have my number, it would not stop them. That's right - when they give you a private number they don't automatically give you a new number! That was a surprise.

So I asked for a number change plus a silent number. Good idea, he says, wish I'd thought of that.

End result, he's arranging that for me and it will happen on Thursday sometime between 8am and 5pm. He said there would be a disruption to my phone and internet service because to achieve it, they have to disconnect me then reconnect. That got me worrying about disconnection and reconnection fees, but he said that in this case he would do it for free, implying that usually they do charge.

The silent number will cost $2.93 per month. No biggie, it's well worth that.

He said he'd call me on Thursday afternoon to make sure the change went OK and that the new number is working.

At the end of the call he also reminded me to make sure I put the new number on the 'Do Not Call' register. I'm glad he did, I might have overlooked that.

Hopefully this will be the end of the problem.

All I have to now is let everyone know the new number. (He told me the new one today.) I hope I don't forget anyone important.

You d think if it is a silent number there would be no need to put it on a silent call register lol

I take it you aint going to post your number on the forum


Dave the turning cowboy

turning wood into art

Originally Posted by DaveTTC

You d think if it is a silent number there would be no need to put it on a silent call register lol

That's a very good point, Dave. It didn't cross my mind. Still, just to be sure I will put it on the DNC register.

I take it you aint going to post your number on the forum

I'll protect it with my life. Don't need any of those characters calling me again.

Originally Posted by Hermit

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.

If you go the unlisted number route,you would need to get your number changed then notify your bon fide callers of the new number. If the varmints already have your name and number, just getting the existing number removed from listings won't solve the problem, and it would take up to a year for the directories to update and reissue.

EDIT

Should have finished reading before replying, glad they told you about changing the number because they don't do it automatically.

I suggested the International call blocking. I did not think it was possible or viable but one of my clients in their 70's arranged it about 6 months ago to successfully eliminate daily Indian 'computer problems' calls. Since then I have spread the message and so has she, so about 8 seniors have done this since at our suggestion. The most recent was about 3 weeks ago. Don't know how the Telstra system works, but there's a good chance that if they can block individual numbers by typing them into the computer, they can block all by typing wildcards into the data entry field. All I know is that it was still possible 3 weeks ago.

And Telstra will for free automatically redirect your old line calls to your new silent one..





Just joking......

Originally Posted by malb

If you go the unlisted number route,you would need to get your number changed then notify your bon fide callers of the new number. If the varmints already have your name and number, just getting the existing number removed from listings won't solve the problem, and it would take up to a year for the directories to update and reissue.

Yep. Done. New number + unlisted. Just need to let (almost) everyone know now.

Originally Posted by _fly_

And Telstra will for free automatically redirect your old line calls to your new silent one..

Gee, that's nice of them. I hope they don't forget the telemarketers.

Hermit hope it all goes well for you.

16 years ago my mum requested a "silent" number when she move back to QLD from WA but most unfortunately she acquired a recycled phone number with some very colourful history. She received quite an education of the nocturnal activities of the male species before Telstra relented and gave her a new "silent" number.

There is no guarantee that you will not inherit someone else's old number.

I have been sitting upon a second number for many years as insurance - $6 pm. Only reason I have done that was because I was involved in multiple organisations some with potential for harrasment from trouble makers which did occur from time to time. Initially on the second number we received a number of calls from debt collectors who would not accept that we wern't "the droids you are looking for." They were very insistent we pay up for the previous phone number subscribers misdeeds. A couple of the debt collectors got a nasty surprise from the federal police for intimidation and harrasment using a telecommunications device. Water off a ducks back though. No calls for many years on that number now.

Originally Posted by Mobyturns

Hermit hope it all goes well for you.

16 years ago my mum requested a "silent" number when she move back to QLD from WA but most unfortunately she acquired a recycled phone number with some very colourful history. She received quite an education of the nocturnal activities of the male species before Telstra relented and gave her a new "silent" number.

There is no guarantee that you will not inherit someone else's old number.

I have been sitting upon a second number for many years as insurance - $6 pm. Only reason I have done that was because I was involved in multiple organisations some with potential for harrasment from trouble makers which did occur from time to time. Initially on the second number we received a number of calls from debt collectors who would not accept that we wern't "the droids you are looking for." They were very insistent we pay up for the previous phone number subscribers misdeeds. A couple of the debt collectors got a nasty surprise from the federal police for intimidation and harrasment using a telecommunications device. Water off a ducks back though. No calls for many years on that number now.

That's another very good point. I didn't consider a 'recycled' number. I might get rid of my nuisance and inherit someone else's.
I'll just have to cross my fingers and see what happens on that score.
(And some other poor bugger might end up with my old number in the future, too.)

If you want a Silent number for free, just ask for it to become a FAX line.
They are not listed in the phone book.
Tell them you'll use your mobile for normal calls.

Then just plug a phone into the line and off you go.

I had a second line installed for the old modem dial up days, asked for a fax line and it does not go in the book.
Had a handset connected and when it rang I answered with "you've called the wrong number".
When they asked how did I know? I told them I was physic, freaked a few out, but I knew it was a wrong number as I didn't even know what it was,
guess it was on the bill somewhere.

Then when I went cable modem I dropped the normal phone and went to the fax line with a handset. silent number at no extra charge.
(OH and your guaranteed a better quality line as well).

Peter