Unwanted telephone calls

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Pam & Jim

Unwanted telephone calls

Post by Pam & Jim »

Does anyone have any have any ideas about how to stop unwanted telephone canvassing calls please?

Apparently we are in Pages Jaunes `on line` now but not in the last printed copy we have, dated 2010, so we seem to be newcomers!!

Is there any way we can become ex- directory? The unwanted calls seem to be increasing by the day - plus the irritation!!

Does Pages Jaunes sell our details on to companies? How does it work?
Any advice would be gratefully received.
Nigel
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Post by Nigel »

Normally very easy to rid ...just speak English....they usually hang up
monsans
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phone calls

Post by monsans »

If a phone No. does not register on the phone i.e. ID masquée, then I do not answer. They eventually get fed up. I am registered with 'Pacitel' but it hasn't worked.
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Kate
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Post by Kate »

There is a number you can ring to stop unwanted calls. I put it in the Things You Might Need To Know of a past POL but can't remember which one or where I got it from! :oops:

Thi k it was also dicussed on forum quite a while ago. Will search for both once I'm back in the office tomorrow.
Allan
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Post by Allan »

France Telecom has a system called Stop Secret, it costs €1 per month

If someone calls from a withheld number, they are asked to say who they are. You then get the call telling you who is calling and you have the choice to accept or reject.

So far I have never had a telemarketing company attempt to get through this system but genuine callers can still get through.

Alternatively get a phone that blocks withheld numbers. My Gigaset will block withheld numbers and any other numbers that I choose.

France Telecom's website lists various services to stop marketing calls.

Their English speaking helpline is 0969 36 39 00
carol sheridan
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Post by carol sheridan »

I don't get many cold callers as I chose not to be in the white pages - if I do get one I just say 'Je ne comprends pas' in my worst accent and they give up.
I do get plagued by people wanting the local camp site, which has my number on its website. Even when I explain that it is a mistake and I have nothing to do with camping, some people ring my number again, as if a few seconds will have changed anything. I went to the camp site and asked them to change the number but they have done nothing, even though they must be losing custom.
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Post by Merisin »

Can you tell us who is your phone provider?

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Post by Admin »

Aha. Here's one of the snippets from a past POL. Havent checked it out to see if it's still working though. Will leave that to someone else.

Stop those unwanted phone calls
From 1st December 2011, you can log on to www.pacitel.fr and list both fixed and mobile numbers on which you do not wish to receive unwanted marketing calls.

and another...

Spam….….
From 2011, mobile phone users in France will be able to protect themselves from spam phone call such as unwanted voicemail messages or cold callers by adding their number to an official black-list.

Spam voicemail messages and missed calls from 08 numbers, tempting the phone owner to call back at premium-rates can already be reported by calling 33700 from your mobile. These messages can now be reported

Hope this helps
monsans
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phone calls

Post by monsans »

I registered with the Pacitel site when this was posted originally on the forum. It did not make a blind bit of difference. Free in August as all on hols, but they started again yesterday and this morning but as I said I do not answer if there is no No. on the phone screen.
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russell
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Post by russell »

Many of these cold calling companies now give a caller ID number as they realise that many people block hidden ID calls.

Our numbers are listed in the Annuaire with an asterisk beside the number to denote that we don't accept marketing calls. Does that work? Does it Hell!

Various telephony providers offer services to block marketing calls but those don't seem to work either.

I'm afraid I have started being somewhat rude to these people :o

Russell.
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sue and paul
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Post by sue and paul »

I was amused to read this yesterday. It's a cunning plan....

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-23869462

Don't think it's legal, as you're not supposed to lure people into using your premium number , though this chap has managed it for now. I can't see that he's being any worse than cold callers, or companies that force you to use their premium number to contact them
Merisin
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Post by Merisin »

The way to deal with cold calls is to understand how they originate.

Legitimate companies buy lists from phone companies. The list is supplied to their own specification. Normally this information is purchased daily to ensure it is up to date. No point buying stuff you don't want or can't use.

In France the lay-out of the annuaire makes targetted cold calling a doddle. Choose your commune and off you go. Drawbacks are the information may be out of date and incomplete. But good enough if you just want to get the message out that you're in town and open for business.

Less scrupulous cold callers will obtain pirated information. Obtained in exactly the same way as the stuff exposed on Wikileaks. If, for example, your details are on the computer at your local hardware store they can be retrieved, copied and sold. Same goes for every commercial organisation irrespective of size.

So the trick is to be careful when filling out applications, ordering goods etc. If they don't need your phone number, don't give it. Recently we booked some ferry tickets. So we thought it reasonable to give them our phone number. Just in case. It may be a coincidence but not long afterwards we had a spate of cold calls.

Your phone provider will probably offer one or more services to protect your identity. Take a look at the web-site for details.

Merisin

PS Orange no longer seem to offer the Liste Vermeille which was very effective and gratuit.
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