Home phone Guides

Avoiding nuisance and silent calls

Friday 18 June, 2010

By Becca Talbot - becca@consumerchoices.co.uk

Do you receive a lot of annoying sales calls or silent calls? Follow our top tips on what to do if you receive a nuisance call, and find out how you can avoid unwanted sales calls.

Anyone that’s received a silent call or unwanted sales call will know how much of a nuisance they are. However there are steps you can take to prevent calls like this, so you needn’t feel harassed by sales calls or distressed by silent calls.

What to do when you receive a silent call

“Silent calls” happen when a company’s call centre is using an automated calling system (ACS) which dials more numbers than there are staff available to handle the outgoing calls.

The call is abandoned and the customer on the receiving end will not hear anything.

Regulator Ofcom is reviewing the legislation permitting companies to make these calls, and has recently proposed a ban on any company phoning the same number twice in a 24-hour period. Current guidelines say that call centres using ACS technology should play an information message if a call is abandoned, to prevent the call being silent. If you are receiving silent calls however, you should:

• Try to identify the caller - All companies using automated diallers should have a Calling Line Identification number. This will appear on your phone’s display, or can be obtained by dialling 1471.
• Complain to Ofcom - Fill in Ofcom’s online complaint form to notify the regulator of the call. Report the name and number of the company that has made the silent call, plus any other details you have.

If you cannot identify the caller, you should contact your home phone provider. Most phone providers have a nuisance calls team, who can advise you what to do next. They may also be able to trace the number that called.

Ofcom said this is “continually monitoring complaints about silent calls, and may investigate any company which it believes may not be complying with its guidelines.”

Unwanted sales and marketing calls

If you want to stop receiving calls from sales and marketing companies, you should add your details to the Telephone Preference Service (TPS) register. It is illegal for a company to call you for marketing purposes if your number is on the TPS list.

You can register for the Telephone Preference Service either:

1. Online at www.tpsonline.org.uk
2. By calling 0845 0700 707.

It will take about 28 days after you’ve registered before the service takes effect. If you are still getting calls after 28 days, then you can complain to the Telephone Preference Service, using the contact details above.

How to deal with abusive and threatening calls

Abusive or nuisance calls, whether from someone you know or from a stranger, are a criminal offence. If you receive a call that you feel is threatening or malicious, you should:

• Contact your provider - Whether you know the caller’s identity or not, you should inform your home phone provider immediately.
• Report the call - Ask your provider for the number of its nuisance or malicious calls team. Then tell the team that you have received a malicious or nuisance call. Tell the team exactly what the caller said.
• Phone the police - If the caller is threatening, your provider will advise you to call the police. If the caller is making direct threats to you or your family and you believe those threats to be real and immediate, you should call 999 straightaway. If you believe that the threats made are not immediate, then you should call your local police station.

To avoid these kinds of calls, you should consider making your phone number ex-directory. This will remove it from the BT Phone Book and all phone directories. To make your number ex-directory, call BT on 0800 800 150.

You could also add the “anonymous call reject” calling feature to your call plan from your provider. This should prevent these kinds of calls in the future, though there may be a monthly charge for the service. However, this may block some calls you might want to continue receiving, such as calls from overseas. Speak to your phone provider and see what privacy features they can offer.

Can BT help?

If you’re a BT home phone customer, the following BT services may help protect you from sales calls and silent calls:

• Caller Display - See the number that’s calling you before you answer
• Choose to Refuse - Block particular numbers from getting through to you
• Anonymous Call Reject - Block incoming calls from withheld numbers
• BT Privacy at Home - A free service that includes Caller Display and registration with the Telephone Preference Service.

Call BT on 0800 800 150 to add any of these calling features to your service.