Fricken' Scotish Blokes Phoning Me

GreeBo

Hey,
over the last year I have been called at least 9 times by some Scottish bloke (might not be the same guy) trying to sell me, on different calls, SKY TV, Talk Talk & broadband.
Everytime I tell him to piss off and yet he rings back from a seemkingly different company.
How can I find out where they get my number form and does anyone else have this problem?

Sponge Bob

This lot

http://www.contact4.com/

http://www.contact4.com/success.asp

Your data is held in the UK, get onto the UK Data Protection people about it.

byte

Next time they ring, ask to be taken off their database. AFAIK, they're legally obliged to do so if the person requests it?

lizzyd66

I'm ex directory but still get lots of sales calls from Telephone companies. Talk Talk have rang us every day for the last 4 days - they coped an earful from me today - I asked to be taken off the data base so hopefully it will work. Sky hounded me for a while but that was because I rang one day enquiring about sky + so I figure they had me on some data base or other because of that and they did stop after I requested no more calls.

Brian Capture

Just tell them that Chorus/NTL/whoever else has made you promise that you won't sign up with another company or else they'll 'get you'.

elivsvonchiaing

My experience of this sort of thing leads me to believe legislation is needed.

This needs to apply across continents and not just countries.

The telephone companies don't give a **** who they do business with - law needs to change so that they do.

muffler

You can ring your phone provider and tell them you want your details recorded on the NDD (national Directory Database) so as to stop this type of "cold calling" Your details will include the fact that you do not wish to receive any type of sales or marketing calls.

Apparently what happens is that companies like the one Sponge Bob mentioned and a lot of other companies involved in telesales are legally obliged to check the NDD before calling anyone and abide by the contents. Now that doesn't necessarily mean that you wont receive another call but if you do you can make a formal complaint to the National Consumer protection agency (or some legal dept like that - not 100% sure of their title) and they will prosecute if necessary.

I dont know what the story is in relation to companies calling you from outside the jurisdiction but I would assume that as it is an Irish phone number they are calling they will have to operate within Irish law.

I have my details recorded on the NDD and I have to say that apart from getting that automated call every couple of months saying that I had won a holiday to Florida I have not received a single call from anyone else

Sponge Bob

Your data is IN the UK now so tough **** basically. Its a UK data protection issue as the calls originate there.

aphex™

I've the same problem too, I recently started speaking Irish to them. They have no idea what to do.

So hopefully they'll think twice about calling me again.

Time will tell.

EDIT: Bank of Ireland are ringing too, its funny because when i ask "Is that Bank of Ireland again??" the phone usually goes dead straight away.

MOH

Start trying to convert them. Just ignore everything they say, mention Jesus in every sentence, e.g. ask them have they thought about the role of Jesus in their life, etc. Don't acknowledge anything they say, give completely irrelevant answers.

Or simply interrupt immediately and tell them you're about to move house - that always gets rid of the alternative phone companies instantly.

mdebets

I don't know what people have against these calls. They are always the funniest calls i make.
I think the next time I have to try to convert him.

whizzbang

ask him will he hold for a minute, put the phone down and walk away. See how long he waits.

either that or blast some horrific pop music as him.

Snake Plisken

saw on RTE site that Talk Talk got into trouble for making cold calls to people.

http://www.rte.ie/business/2006/0612/comreg.html

So looks like its worth complaining!

Snake