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?

I told one that the number they were calling was a national security one and that if they came to GB they could be tried and hung for treason!

Put on an Official sounding voice and say
"The number you have been calling from has been associated with a number of illegal operations. This call is therefore being recorded and anything you say may be used in evidence against you and against your employer. If you would like to cooperate with the investigation and give evidence against your employer please press 5 and then end the call. When you are safe and away from your employers please contact Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 - you will be protected as a Whistleblower if you share everything you know"

If it has their number on screen, report to the ICO. It takes a couple of minutes, but eventually - if they get enough reports - they do take action and fine.

They’re calling from different landline and mobile numbers every time though.

Whenever I phone to make a complaint about a company/customer service, I always tell them I’m recording the call.

My FIL used to tell the Energy scam people that he didn't have electricity and lit the house with candles! That stopped them calling back.

I've taken to just telling them, "You're wasting my time and yours". That normally gets them to hang up, and then I block them. Don't answer any questions! But I wouldn't use the whistle or be really rude - it's probably just some poor sod in India trying to put food on the table.

Are you answering really quickly?
I find they cut off after exactly 2 and a half rings, must be an auto dialler.
Drives me potty and clogs up my phone screen with missed call notifications

Yes - but report them each time. The same number will be used by them for multiple calls to other people. The really annoying thing is that the phone companies can easily block the calls at source, but don't... so it's up to users to have to deal with them.

"Heiio, before you continue with this call, please note is it is being recorded and you may be asked to provide details to verify your identity", is my stock answer to scammers. Suprisenly they hang up without saying a word.😆

My friend´s husband, who is a cool cucumber, talks to them for about 40 minutes and then tells them he can´t do anything as his wife is the holder and she is away in Romania with her mum who is sick. They never call back, I wonder why.

Ooh, I've had this one half a dozen times, woman with a very distinctive accent. Next time I'll try the candles one.

They don't choose to call you specifically. They'll have a computer that calls from a predetermined list. It's why they know nothing about you when you answer.

It's not Jo from The Energy Centre, is it? She has a ( to me) lovely Cockney accent. She phones here a lot. I do feel a bit sorry for her as sometimes it's Saturday night and I think, what a way to spend your life!

These really piss me off. I get some too. I think o2 and “the review team” for life insurance I never had. They always just put the phone down even when I’m ultra polite and say please stop calling me. Cunts.

I don’t know how they get round the laws. I guess they are just chancing it. I’ve had a few that quote an address o left 15 years ago so I know it’s not GDPR compliant.

id say most people don’t have a life where you can just block unknown numbers confidently

No, Zimbabwean. Rings as I am about to sink my teeth into my lunchtime sandwich.

You know its a scam just tell them to run away. Or say hello xxx police station can I help you.

Well nobody will die, no. But the people phoning are sometimes vulnerable/shy/might have struggled to get the confidence to call, and probably wouldn't leave a voicemail so I'd feel I was letting them down. If I stopped answering unknown numbers I'd really have to give up this volunteer position altogether.

Yes, I know it's a scam. But it's more that the phone rings and I'm in the middle of cooking or whatever, and I wash and dry my hands, and then answer the phone, and it's bloody O2 Network AGAIN. It's just really really annoying.

It also annoys me because there is absolutely no point to it. After 200 calls why oh why won't they realise I am not going to fall for it?!