I keep getting silent phonecalls ...

Chris MC · 04-08-2004, 10:34 AM

For those who don't know what these are, "The Phone rings, you go to pick up ... and there's nobody there ... not even heavy breathing. Meanwhile, on the other end of the line, a mass mailing system is waiting for your FAX machine to take the call so it can blitz you with fucking mails that you don't want.

Does anyone have a solution to this type of thing, if so, I'd love to know!!

Bloody fuming,

Chris.

wolf · 04-08-2004, 10:42 AM

Don't answer the phone.

Here in the US the silence on the other end is the predictive dialer used by telemarketers to increase the number of answered calls, but there's a kink in the system such that a live human operator is not always available to give your call. (I had written "take" there, and realized that wasn't an accurate description of the circumstance, since you didn't call anyone.)

HappyTuesdays · 04-08-2004, 10:42 AM

register with the phone or fax preference service (are you in usa or uk?) this will prevent unsolicited calls.

Chris MC · 04-08-2004, 11:02 AM

I'm in the UK, do we have a FAX preference service here?

russotto · 04-08-2004, 12:20 PM

1) Do-not-call list. However, most of the teleslime either figure some way to claim a prior business arrangement, claim to be a survey firm or nonprofit, or simply ignore the list, so this is of limited usefulness. If you can prove they ignored the list you can get them fined, though.

2) Caller ID. Yeah, it rankles to pay the Phone Company for this, but there is significant advantage to seeing "OUT OF AREA" or "CREEPY MORTGAGE COMPANY" and being able to ignore the call.

3) Telezapper. I haven't used one myself, but I'm told they work. When you pick up the phone, it plays one of the DTMF control tones indicating a disconnected number. This tricks the predictive dialing equipment into marking your number for removal.

xoxoxoBruce · 04-08-2004, 07:36 PM

I gave up on the caller ID, because not all phone companies have it. If the caller is on a system that doesn't, it comes up, out of area.

limey · 04-09-2004, 01:55 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Chris MC
I'm in the UK, do we have a FAX preference service here?

I'm in the UK and I think we do ... In fact I KNOW we do. A quick google produced this website. Good luck.

plthijinx · 04-09-2004, 02:50 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by russotto
3) Telezapper. I haven't used one myself, but I'm told they work. When you pick up the phone, it plays one of the DTMF control tones indicating a disconnected number. This tricks the predictive dialing equipment into marking your number for removal.

they work. my parents have one.

try Here

04-08-2004, 10:34 AM	#1
Chris MC IT'S IN THE TREES! ... IT'S COMING! ... Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: I moved down to Southampton on the central South Coast in 1967 Posts: 101	I keep getting silent phonecalls ... For those who don't know what these are, "The Phone rings, you go to pick up ... and there's nobody there ... not even heavy breathing. Meanwhile, on the other end of the line, a mass mailing system is waiting for your FAX machine to take the call so it can blitz you with fucking mails that you don't want. Does anyone have a solution to this type of thing, if so, I'd love to know!! Bloody fuming, Chris. __________________ "It's people who don't come to places like this that I worry about. The ones who don't have an outlet. Say ... someone like yourself." "Oh, I have outlets. I read. I study bugs. I sometimes even ride roller coasters." "And your sex life?" "It doesn't involve going to the theater." "In my experience, Mr. Grissom, some men go to the theater ... some men are the theater." -- Lady Heather and Gil Grissom (Slaves of Las Vegas)

04-08-2004, 10:42 AM	#2
wolf lobber of scimitars Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Phila Burbs Posts: 20,774	Don't answer the phone. Here in the US the silence on the other end is the predictive dialer used by telemarketers to increase the number of answered calls, but there's a kink in the system such that a live human operator is not always available to give your call. (I had written "take" there, and realized that wasn't an accurate description of the circumstance, since you didn't call anyone.) __________________ wolf eht htiw og "Conspiracies are the norm, not the exception." --G. Edward Griffin The Creature from Jekyll Island High Priestess of the Church of the Whale Penis

04-08-2004, 10:42 AM	#3
HappyTuesdays Questionist Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Bournemouth, England Posts: 8	register with the phone or fax preference service (are you in usa or uk?) this will prevent unsolicited calls. __________________ Knowledge and intelligence are two completely different things.

04-08-2004, 11:02 AM	#4
Chris MC IT'S IN THE TREES! ... IT'S COMING! ... Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: I moved down to Southampton on the central South Coast in 1967 Posts: 101	I'm in the UK, do we have a FAX preference service here? __________________ "It's people who don't come to places like this that I worry about. The ones who don't have an outlet. Say ... someone like yourself." "Oh, I have outlets. I read. I study bugs. I sometimes even ride roller coasters." "And your sex life?" "It doesn't involve going to the theater." "In my experience, Mr. Grissom, some men go to the theater ... some men are the theater." -- Lady Heather and Gil Grissom (Slaves of Las Vegas)

04-08-2004, 07:36 PM	#6
xoxoxoBruce The future is unwritten Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 71,105	I gave up on the caller ID, because not all phone companies have it. If the caller is on a system that doesn't, it comes up, out of area. __________________ The descent of man ~ Nixon, Friedman, Reagan, Trump.

04-08-2004, 12:20 PM	#5
russotto Professor Join Date: Jan 2001 Posts: 1,788	1) Do-not-call list. However, most of the teleslime either figure some way to claim a prior business arrangement, claim to be a survey firm or nonprofit, or simply ignore the list, so this is of limited usefulness. If you can prove they ignored the list you can get them fined, though. 2) Caller ID. Yeah, it rankles to pay the Phone Company for this, but there is significant advantage to seeing "OUT OF AREA" or "CREEPY MORTGAGE COMPANY" and being able to ignore the call. 3) Telezapper. I haven't used one myself, but I'm told they work. When you pick up the phone, it plays one of the DTMF control tones indicating a disconnected number. This tricks the predictive dialing equipment into marking your number for removal.

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)