to be utterly bloody SICK TO DEATH of cold callers?

[sickoftheholidays]

I work from home, and in an average day, I get 6 or 7 calls from companies wanting to sell me something. Every time the phone rings, I have to stop work, get up, go into the living room and answer the phone. Only to have a 3 second silence until it clicks through to the person at the other day, who will then lie to you to get you to stay on the line so they can attempt to sell me something. I'm always polite, and tell them firmly that I'm not interested and to remove me from their call list as I dont want to be contacted again, but they are endless!
This morning I finally lost my temper with someone and told him (he had asked to speak to the lady of the house) that if he didnt know my name he was obviously cold calling, and that I wasnt interested. He then very rudely answered that I shouldnt assume anything because I'm very bad at it? wtf? so you arent trying to sell me something then? are you perhaps calling from the lottery to tell my I've won? I think not.
What I want to know is how do they get my name and number? I dont give that to ANYONE except my bank/mobile phone/credit card applications. I always tick the box saying I dont want to be contacted and I always tick the box to say I dont want my information shared.
How can I get rid of them? I cant not answer the phone in case its a genuine call, even though 9/10 times its not

[Flisspaps]

Are you registered with the Telephone Preference Service? It's free. They stop most cold calls, but can't stop calls from overseas call centres. We get very few marketing calls.

Info here

[PepsiPopcorn]

I'd suggest you register your number with the Telephone Preference Service

(Click "register" on the left menu).

[CBear6]

We registered with Telephone Preferences and hardly get any now. When they do call I just hand the phone to my 18mo DS and he has a fine time chatting away until they hang up. They never call back after that :)

[worraliberty]

TPS are brilliant although it does take a few months for word to get around and to be removed from all the data bases.

The only thing it can't stop are those stupid recorded 'public information' messages.

[worraliberty]

CBear You have to tell them you're registered with TPS or you wont be removed from their data base.

[exexpat]

Another vote for TPS here - and I have found it has stopped the 'public information' ones - I used to get loads of those annoying automated calls for debt management services (I'm not in debt....) but they have completely stopped since I signed up.

I do still get the occasional call from people called 'Karen' or 'John' with very strong Indian accents wanting to do a 'survey' but not so many. And they are always from withheld numbers, so if you have caller ID display, you can screen them out (must get myself a more up-to-date phone system).

[AllGoodNamesGone]

TPS helps but doesn't stop them completely. Can't stop ones from abroad. We have a fax machine that tries to get through quite often, comes in fits and starts, also a recorded American voice that tells me I've won a holiday! Yipee!

Can you get a telephone extension put through to where you are working to save trailing to the lounge every time. And just put the phone down as soon as you realise it's a cold caller, they will be used to it! Perhaps get caller ID and don't answer if it's a withheld number? I have theory that if you answer, they will keep trying as it gets onto their system that you are around during the day.

[poopnscoop]

Oh it is SO frustrating! I also work from home and have the cold callers... and when I say I belong to TPC and they'll be fined for calling me, they say they aren't selling anything, they're just letting me know about a promotion...??

I got into quite a state last year when I would have btwn 4 and 7 people PER DAY phoning me from India... and the 'being polite' didn't work, they will NEVER, no matter what you say (yell?) to them, take your number off their system - they buy your number.

So... I kept the phone on answer phone for a few weeks. My business contacts have my mobile number so it didn't affect business. The calls from India stopped after about 2 weeks of not answering the landline.

I still get calls from SKY and energy companies (a couple a week) who want to know which other company I am with... and when I say I am not telling a stranger personal details... they have got huffy and said they're only trying to save ME money (haha). Then they ask to speak to my partner, what time will he be in etc... I just make up rubbish now.

Oh it stinks. BUT cold calling does work for these bally companies, otherwise they wouldn't do it.

There is NO getting rid of these guys in a decent, polite manner, sadly. The only option (perhaps) is to use your answerphone for a couple of weeks and then it will be noted you're not home during the day and the calls hopefully will stop/ease.

[poopnscoop]

I meant TPS, not TPC.

[Rabat]

We are registered with the TPS (DH works from home) and we very rarely get cold calls now.

[ddubsgirl]

i joined the TPS and still get calls,had the computer one the other day,sick of it!

[Toygirl]

I am registered but I still get calls and not from abroad either. I clicked on the link to make sure I was still registered and I am. It's very annoying, especially when your not supposed to be getting them

[mmsmum]

TPS is fantastic. I still get the odd call but usually I say TPS and they apologise and go, sometimes though they try to argue like that's really going to get them anywhere lol

Make sure you are also un-listed, BT messed up with me once and I wasn't ex-directory for about a week, thankfully not long enough to do any damage

If anyone knows what to do about text messages from loan companies please tell me because they are coming through all day every day and getting worse. I haven't responded to any of them as I don't want to get caught in a scam where it costs me