Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Instant response to scammers...five calls this morning!

91 replies

rosepoet · 19/12/2018 11:26

I have[ successfully] tried loud barking- the phone goes dead immediately. But they are really driving me barking mad. Trying to scam people like me into handing over my banking details is vile. Any advice?

OP posts:
ArthurShelbysTash · 19/12/2018 16:45

I used to work as a 999 operator. The reason I don't now? Some moron blew a whistle down the line at me during a prank call and I now have problems with the hearing in my right ear making it very difficult to use a headset.

Hang up, sing, leave the phone on the table, swear but don't blow a whistle. It's a dick move.

BuildingQuote · 19/12/2018 16:46

My favourite guru on how to deal with scammers is a wonderful video on you tube by James Veitch- I have watched it several times so happily Smile.

m.youtube.com/watch?v=_QdPW8JrYzQ

ShinyPinkLipgloss · 19/12/2018 16:48

I used to get really annoyed by these calls. Bought one of those BT anti cold call telephones and I’ve not had a single cold call since. It’s bliss.

That was £25 well spent!

CornishYarg · 19/12/2018 16:49

We're with Talk Talk and have started using their Call Safe service (currently free - hopefully that will continue!). You set up a list of approved callers that are automatically let through. Anyone not on our list has to state their name then when we answer our phone, we're told it's Bob, say. Then we can decide whether to add Bob to the approved list, just speak to him now but not add him to the list or block him. I think only one nuisance caller has made it through since we set it up.

BreakfastAtSquiffanys · 19/12/2018 16:50

I ask them for The Password.
I'm sorry but I only talk to Companies who can provide the relevant password
There is no password

BrieAndChilli · 19/12/2018 16:53

I’ve said before ‘oh I work for Sky/Microsoft etc, which department do you work I ? I’m on the 6th floor’ they normally hang up

WWlOOlWW · 19/12/2018 16:55

I don't answer my home phone. Ever.

I've an app on my phone who tells you if it's a scam call - so just don't answer or reject it.

Onescaredmuma · 19/12/2018 17:05

My DH sings to them usually something with hello in it.
I pretend to be 5 and see how long I can keep them on the line telling them all my favourite things and that I don't know where the babysitter went.

yawning801 · 19/12/2018 17:08

When I was about twelve, I kept answering calls from some funeral director. In the end my mother answered and told them that they were asking for a twelve year old Grin

More recently I've answered one from another funeral director and said "What makes you think I need to organise my own funeral? Oh my god... am I going to die? Is this a premonition? Can I borrow your crystal ball???"

It worked!

SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius · 19/12/2018 17:45

When the boys were little, I used to hand the phone over to ds1 - he was train-mad and could talk about his favourite trains (Class 50 locomotives, if anyone is interested) pretty much without drawing breath - and tell him they wanted to know ALL about trains!

knittedmouse · 19/12/2018 18:23

I took a pair of scissors to the phone line.

DonDrapersOldFashioned · 19/12/2018 18:52

Why didn’t you just unplug it?

LittleCandle · 19/12/2018 18:58

We had one accident one and my friend led them on to think she had amnesia, then that she was dead. It took a long time for it to sink in at the other end and possibly only because I lost control and was shrieking with laughter.

GreatWesternValkyrie · 19/12/2018 19:10

I had three BT internet scam calls yesterday after weeks of nothing. I toyed with caller 1, caller 2 threw in the towel when asked to name my actual internet provider after 5 mins of nonsense and caller 3 got laughter and a hang up. The first one this morning got a short, sharp earful and it’s been quiet since.

I’m off work from now on til Jan so I need to get a really irritating Christmas song ready to play to them.

My advice though Op is either let your calls go to answerphone, as they never leave messages or if it’s a serious problem, get something like a BT call guardian phone and caller display - I did this for my mum after she had trouble with much smarter scammers than the ones I had and it’s helped enormously.

GrimDamnFanjo · 19/12/2018 19:11

When asked about the accident that wasn't my fault I say that it was my fault and I've done my time...
Im registered with the TPS too and this still doesn't stop us cold callers.

theWarOnPeace · 19/12/2018 19:19

Wow, am I the only person that tells them that they’re a total disgrace that needs to fuck the fuck off? My DH and I like to do a silly thing, if we’ve heard one or another on the phone to a scammer, he will ask “who was that?” And I’ll say (after saying fuck off you fucking disgusting loser down the phone), “oh just now? Yeah, it was your mum”. He said to me last time “oh it was the headteacher from school. I’ve just realised how childish we are! Confused

Trippedupagain · 19/12/2018 19:25

I'm such a softie I just say 'don't waste your time with me, I'm not interested' and put the phone down, but DH has a whole rigmarole where he says 'I'm really interested in what you are saying, but first I'd like to tell you about Jesus...'

OhWhatFuckeryIsThisNow · 19/12/2018 19:27

I had one the other day from "Kevin" from the TPS. (Irony was not lost) "Hello Mrs Fuckery, I'm from The Telephone Preference service. So I laughed at him and said "No you're not" "Pardon?" "You aren't, but funnily enough I am registered with the TPS and you shouldn't...hello Kevin, are you there?"

BernardsarenotalwaysSaints · 19/12/2018 19:42

I made the last one I had irate because I kept telling him I didn't need a taxi (he was claiming to be from the 'tax office') he hung up on me eventually. 30 seconds later the same number rang back, different voice on the end. I had the same conversation, he became equally irate & also hung up on me. I've not had one since Grin (this was September time)

knittedmouse · 19/12/2018 21:14

I couldn't reach the plug because there's a cabinet and sofa in the way. The scissors were handy.

goose1964 · 19/12/2018 21:21

We have sky shield and works wonders, they need something similar for mobiles too

reallyanotherone · 19/12/2018 21:22

If i have time i will goad them for as long as i can. Otherwise i just tell them i’ll be back in a minute with my computer or whatever and leave them hanging.

At the very least if they’re waiting or talking to me it will stop them calling so many other poor fuckers who might be taken in...

MsJudgemental · 19/12/2018 21:23

I just don’t answer the landline. If it’s important they’ll leave a message. They very rarely do.

cantkeepawayforever · 19/12/2018 21:29

'I am registered with the Telephone Preference Service. Please could you give me the number you are dialling from so I can check with them that you are not breaking the law?' in my best upper-crust RP.

Or - if they ask for me by 'Mrs Can't' I say that she has been dead for 15 years and put the phone down. This is true - I am Dr Can't to all official bodies, so the last 'real' Mrs Can't was my late MIL.

BlueJava · 19/12/2018 21:30

I sometimes say "Sorry, I've heard that scam already. Try and another" and click the phone off.