OT: Inventive solutions to telephone spam?

[Dave Liquorice]

True enough but the phone number of a DEL in A&E does or even the DDI number of a PABX extension.

[Andy Luckman (AJL Electronics)]

Why should the victims of phone spam have to keep their defences inadequate because an NHS pen pusher isn't bright enough to get a presentation number setup on the PABX?

[Andy Luckman (AJL Electronics)]

Actual number can be kept private with a PN. Some PNs are answered by a machine saying "You were called by [whoever]. We will call again if we need to speak to you.".

[hudsterou]

Despite your justified scepticism, the TPS does work.

Second to that, you might try..

works quite well too.....

[Colin Wilson]

What makes you think the pen pusher has any input whatsoever to the telecomms system in use ?

We have a PABX in our place, but it isn`t possible to get that to give out a presentation number unless they spend _money_ upgrading the exchange - believe me, i`ve asked and pushed for it, and eventually got an answer.

Perhaps patient care should take second place to upgrading perfectly functional systems, just so the few who want witheld number barring can get calls.

[Alan]

In message , Colin Wilson wrote

So no-one is responsible for telephone purchase and operation in a NHS hospital? This suggests yet again that the management of the NHS don't actually know what they are doing. Aren't there more managers than beds, nurses, doctors and people providing the real service?

You obviously believe that withholding a telephone number is a serious problem for your organisation but it is YOUR problem and NOT the customer's problem. I guess that the system was bought by incompetent managers who didn't understand what they were buying. Are these managers still employed at a higher grade?

What ever the problems in your organisation, a hospital is a public service that costs tax payers million per year to operate. A hospital telephone number should never be kept secret. Perhaps the A&E department doesn't welcome return calls at busy times but it doesn't prevent the hospital giving out a main number so that the call is not blocked by a large number of people who already associate 'number withheld' with spam.

It's not just a _few_ people who now regard organisations that withhold telephone numbers spamming scum!

A company or organisation that says it provides a service should not be blaming customers for deficiencies in the service it provides.

[Dave Liquorice]

The TPS appears to work fairly effectively from the reports here.

Always assuming that the phone used is going through the PABX.

[Andy Luckman (AJL Electronics)]

Irrelevant really. PNs can go onto a normal line.

[Tim Nicholson]

For a laugh, you could also *apply* for a card - saying on the application that you're unemployed, with an income of nil, a tenant, and whatever else you could think of to drive them away. That usually gets you taken off their mailing list - and it's the ONLY way I could stop one moneylender sending me junk...

Tim

[Matt Beard]

It might also get you put on a whole bunch of credit blacklists which would be loads of fun next time you try to get a loan of any kind! That is if you use your real name... but then using anything else is a criminal offense.

Matt

[IMM]

How could telling someone you are unemployed and earn Nil get you on a black list? You have to have defaulted to be on a black list.

[Owain]

"IMM" wrote | "Matt Beard" wrote | > > For a laugh, you could also *apply* for a card - saying on the | > > application that you're unemployed, with an income of nil, a tenant, | > > and whatever else you could think of to drive them away. That usually | > > gets you taken off their mailing list - and it's the ONLY way I could | > > stop one moneylender sending me junk... | > It might also get you put on a whole bunch of credit blacklists which | > would be loads of fun next time you try to get a loan of any kind! | How could telling someone you are unemployed and earn Nil get you on a black | list? You have to have defaulted to be on a black list.

There is no such thing as a credit black list. The credit reference agencies record factual information, such as applications for credit and the financial institutions' decisions, court judgements, payment histories, etc., and this information is scored by each financial institution separately when they make a lending decision.

However having a record that an application for credit was made, and was rejected (as the intention seems to be, in this case, to get off the mailing list) will be recorded and may be treated adversely in future.

More likely is that, instead of offers pouring through the letterbox for gold credit cards with introductory low rates, the poster would then be targeted by junk mailers wanting to sell him second hand cars or satellite television on credit, or whatever else it is that poor people get offered in junk mail.

Scrawling 'dead' on the mail and returning it unopened to the sender may have an effect after a while on some mailers, but Reader's Digest and Book Club Associates will pursue you beyond the grave if they can :-)

Owain

[Mary Fisher]

I'll tell you what we poor people are offered in junk mail:

insurance - health insurance - life insurance - car insurance - pet insurance - caravan insurance - house insurance - accident wine - Italian wine - Australian wine - French wine - other expensive clothes (one today offered an admittedly nice t-shirt for £119) cheap clothes - with free gifts we don't want and wouldn't give house room shoes for old and/or fat people credit cards by the shedload - all colours 'loyalty' cards loans - unsecured loans - equity holidays - Briish holidays - foreign holidays - cruises holidays - discounted air travel - discounted contractors - roofing contractors - guttering contractors - electrical contractors - plumbing contractors - fencing contractors - no job too big or small double glazing loft conversions gardeners tree-felling good causes further education computer hardware computer software book clubs art clubs magazine clubs chocolate clubs gardening catalogues Bose radios anniversary plates anniversary coins anniversary medals dolls spoons ...

... I can't be bothered thinking any more and my mind is still addled by the general anaesthetic I had today but the list isn't exhaustive.

And before anyone suggests it we've never shown any interest in any of the goods offered - except the Bose which we told them we can't afford.

Oh, and we constantly get letters from the TV licence place despite recently being inspected and found not to have a set.

I doubt it.

I got rid of RD many years ago but can't remember how ... :-(

[geoff]

In message , Mary Fisher writes

Just been phoned up by one of my card companies

" ... (strong indian accent) I'm just phoning up to tell you we're reducing the APR on your card"

"but I always pay off my cards before they are due"

"yes, but I was just phoning you up to tell you"

"AAAARRRRRRRRRRGH"

I don't suppose that comes under the TPS as it's not strictly cold calling

I have a very apologetic letter from TV licensing after I told them to stop wasting my money by sending me reminders at work.

It still didn't stop them sending me URGENT reminders though

[Mary Fisher]

It must be very irking to those who DO have licences to know that money is wasted on silly administration.

Mary

[IMM]

You should not have allowed them in. You don't have to let them in. If they call, slam the door on their face. I hate snoopers. That and council tax I really do hate paying as they are unnecessary.

[Owain]

"geoff" wrote | Just been phoned up by one of my card companies | " ... (strong indian accent) I'm just phoning up to tell you we're | reducing the APR on your card" | "but I always pay off my cards before they are due" | "yes, but I was just phoning you up to tell you" | "AAAARRRRRRRRRRGH" | I don't suppose that comes under the TPS as it's not strictly cold | calling

It doesn't come under TPS as there is an existing customer relationship, but if you ask them not to phone you they must honour that request.

I got a marketing call from one of my card companies (fairly strong Indian accent, and I don't mean Bradford Indian) ...

"would you like to buy some life assurance sir" "no" "why is that sir" "I don't think I need it" "could I ask why that is sir" "I don't have a mortgage to pay off, or any dependants" "But life assurance can provide peace of mind to your loved ones and cover funeral expenses sir" "I don't have any loved ones and I'm not going to worry about funeral expenses am I"

Nice lass, but I think she ran out of script at that point.

Owain

[geoff]

In message , Owain writes

Perhaps she took a step back at the thought of suggee

any volunteers to explain what that means to DIMM?

[Mary Fisher]

I've used the same ploy.

Good heavens, they must think we're going to die!

Or at least care about what happens if we do.

Mary

[Mary Fisher]

You're making assumptions.

The chap came and said that he didn't need to come in, he could see that we weren't telly folk just by talking to us. I insisted that he came in, he refused. I did entice him in by finding out his enthusiasm and showing him something he'd be interested in.

It was timely.

I'm sure you'll make of that what you want.

Mary