To ask if there's any way to stop a repetitive scam caller?

[Lookatyou]

I've been getting at least one call a day for six months. They always say the same thing; "Hello, it's [name] from O2 Network."

I'm not with O2 and never have been. It's not a mistake, because if I ask why they keep calling me they hang up. If it was genuinely O2 they wouldn't hang up at a polite question.

It's always a different number, either mobile or UK landline from different places, so I can't block them. I am registered with the TPS but scammers aren't exactly known to adhere to this!

It is obviously one scammer group, because they never vary what they say. Always O2 Network. So why on earth are they doing it? After two hundred odd calls I am obviously not suddenly going to fall for their scam am I.

Why? What do they gain? And how do I stop them?

Get yourself a shrill whistle and blow their eardrums!!

Do you have to answer? I don't answer the phone unless I know who it is or I am. Expecting a call which might be withheld/random number
I know there are situations where you might have to though

If you have an iPhone, Apple has just rolled out an update where you can screen unknown callers. The alternative is to just not answer unknown callers. I always figure that if it’s important the person will leave a message or text me. By talking to them (even to tell them to go away), they know you’ll engage with them in some way.

If you have an iPhone it can be set up to silence suspected spam calls, not sure about android but I am sure they will have something similar. It’s been a godsend because I was also being inundated with this rubbish.

Just stop answering unknown numbers.

If it's genuinely someone trying to reach you they'll leave a message.

Can't you block numbers on your phone? The landline we have with EE you can block people.

It seems really weird they keep calling you if you keep telling them to go away and never call again.

What about if they call from a (slightly) different number each time? How do you screen those?

I don't engage with them usually. I say hello when I answer, then they say "hello it's Louise from O2 Network" then I hang up.

I can't ignore all unknown calls because I volunteer doing something where people I don't know often call me.

Android does highlight known scam callers, but doesn't detect these ones. I guess because they spoof the numbers they are calling from.

I like @Charel2 's idea though 🤔

I did have some fun playing the dotty old lady.

O2? The mobile people. Ooh how exciting. Have I won a mobile phone? When are you sending it? Do I need to get the interweb for it?

Alternatively I said it would be better to talk to my husband as he knows about these things. He's a policeman you see and uses all sorts of technology. What is your name? I'll just call him.

(I got as far as having a go at giving my (a) name to them once - Mrs Tupid. Mrs S Tupid . . . But the caller got very very abusive at that point. Left me quite shaky . . . )

Like others we don't answer to unknown callers now.

How do you know they're in UK? When I've bothered to trace numbers, although looking like British numbers, they've turned out to be in Pakistan or India. There's only so many numbers (digits), after all. I now just don't answer any phonecall unless I'm expecting one or it's obviously someone I know. Anyone beyond those people will phone back or contact me another way. Also, my phone alerts me to possible scam calls.

I believe the whistle thing is illegal these days - and I always worry in case Louise is following an online script, and maybe genuinely things she works for O2. Wasting her time wittering on may get you blacklisted as a time waster?

Answer it x next town along - eg Waterloo police station, duty sergeant here- what’s the nature of your emergency?

I have used that one a few times. They repeat I’m from O2, and I say you have phoned the duty sergeant at Waterloo police station what’s the nature of your emergency. If they repeat again - say we are tracing your number for dispatch …..

TPS is now even more useless than it ever was before, as it only covers calls from the UK. Scam calls will be from abroad - even though they spoof a UK number.

Air horn.

If I don't recognise the number I don't answer. Problem solved.

I don't think they are from abroad as the vast majority have UK accents.

Ooh, that's unusual. Even so, they could be putting on fake British accents, I suppose.

Fuck em!

Very loud whistle - bonus points if you can get them to turn up their headphones be talking very quietly.... :-) Don't want your hearing damaged, dont fucking try scamming me

Yes, important calls from the hospital and GP surgery generally call from withheld numbers so it doesn’t help to block everything. As you say, what do they have to gain from constantly calling you? My curiosity would have got the better of me by now though and I’d have had a conversation with them ending it with telling them to stop the harassment.

Ooooo I love this idea so much! 😈

Tell them they've been sold a really bad sucker list and they should complain to whoever sold it to them.

Haha yes. I’m suspicious of TPS for this reason.

NHS numbers usually say NHS or sometimes private number.

Mine from both the hospital and surgery are always withheld unfortunately.

edit, apologies, you’re right, private.

The thing you volunteer for - is it life/death type stuff? If not, could you set up voicemail and ask them to leave name and number and you’ll call back. Just screen unknown numbers that way? Scammers never leave voicemail in my experience.