Irritating Phone Scams

I’m registered with the Telephone Preference Service, but that doesn’t help when the caller is phoning from India.- they aren’t covered by UK law.

There’s always a pause when I pick up the phone to a nuisance call. They have called me randomly. On pick up, software allocates me as to the first free operator, who then starts reading from the script.

They used to engage when you began asking questions, but not any more. If you ask what company is calling…click! You are left holding a dead line. You are not worth wasting time on.

I used to argue and complain and inform them that they are breaking the law, cold-calling someone on the Telephone Preference Service, but they don’t care. Am I really going to follow up and report them and go though some great legal process? Of course not.

So I trained myself to answer civilly and, as soon as I am sure they are a scam or cold-calling about something I have no interest in, I put the phone down and move on.

So why do I still have a knot in my stomach?

Why do I find my muscles tensed?

Because cold-calling is an invasion of my time and privacy and an attack on my intelligence. I’m feeling tense because I’m protecting myself from an invader.

Then follows the lingering doubt – maybe they wanted information for a good cause? Maybe it was just some poor student trying to pay their way through college?

Maybe.

Perhaps.

Possibly.

But I truly don’t think so!

Comments

4 responses to “Irritating Phone Scams”

anvilhoister
May 30, 2018
Oh dear! I take a different tack by keeping them talking as long as I can without agreeing to anything they ask me do. It’s a little game I play to break up the day while sitting in front of a screen. My long term hope is that my entertainment and the confusion this approach often causes may go some way towards it costing both time and money to call me. The goal being that they may ultimately give up and stop.
Shoo Rayner
May 30, 2018
Yes, I tried that – but they don’t want to play that game anymore. If you are on a mobile you are possibly paying to receive the call too!
Angela Wheeler
May 31, 2018
Thank you for sharing this. I feel the same and I understand a little better why I actually feel this way. A few days ago I had just set down to read my favorite book got all snuggled in, phone rang and when I reached for it I spilled my tea everywhere. Was it important enough to have spilled tea and have my place lost in my book? Nope just a robo call.
Shoo Rayner
May 31, 2018
Maddening, isn’t it? I think it’s because they are coming into your home – it’s more than a foot in the door, they’ve actually come into your house before knocking! If a friend called, you’d have been happy to chat and then get back to your book. You might even give them a rain check and promise to call back. But robo calls have walked in and callously demanded your attention. They may want something legit or more likely, they are out to trick you win some way. No reason not to feel wound up! But if you recognise that that is all they are, then maybe you can just put the phone down and move on. Don’t let them win 🙂 All the best

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