Hello, I am a recorded message trying to sell you something...

[Lace Neil Singer]

It's bad enough getting spambots calling on my mobile, but we keep on getting them ringing our work phone. The moment I hear a recorded voice, I put the phone down, but there's no way to stop them due to our prehistoric phone. It's annoying, cuz we have to answer the phone in case it's an important issue, a customer or tech calling us up.

[Deserted]

It's bad enough getting spambots calling on my mobile, but we keep on getting them ringing our work phone. The moment I hear a recorded voice, I put the phone down, but there's no way to stop them due to our prehistoric phone. It's annoying, cuz we have to answer the phone in case it's an important issue, a customer or tech calling us up.

Does England have an equivalent to the US's Do Not Call list?

[notalwaysright]

Does England have an equivalent to the US's Do Not Call list?

Unfortunately, this only applies to personal numbers, not businesses. My parent's companies got SO MANY calls. "Would you like your business to be number one on Google??!"

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

The no-call list is a joke. I don't even register for it any more. Being on the list didn't stop me from getting robo-calls that either couldn't be traced to anybody or were coming from outside the United States.

[Lace Neil Singer]

Unfortunately, this only applies to personal numbers, not businesses. My parent's companies got SO MANY calls. "Would you like your business to be number one on Google??!"

The ones we get the most are the PPI calls. Grr.

[mjr]

The no-call list is a joke. I don't even register for it any more. Being on the list didn't stop me from getting robo-calls that either couldn't be traced to anybody or were coming from outside the United States.

Where's the like button???

So much this. The DNC list is a complete, utter joke. It's only good for those who follow the law or are domestic.

"Would you like your business to be number one on Google??!"

Well, whoever it is that is trying to scam your parents out of money doesn't realize that they can't guarantee that their company will be #1 on Google...

That's just the first thing wrong with that.

Of course, you and your parents know that already...

[Crai]

The no-call list is a joke. I don't even register for it any more. Being on the list didn't stop me from getting robo-calls that either couldn't be traced to anybody or were coming from outside the United States.

Yep I have signed up on the Do not Call list... I get called min once a week by robo. I also get one collections call for someone names Leroy Jenkins. I have had my number for over 8 years. This started 2 years ago... They wont listen they never learn.

[Kit-Ginevra]

Just be glad it's not Leroy Brown they want

[EricKei]

DNC -- Actually, it works great -- But only for legitimate callers. Real businesses WANT to know which numbers will never, ever buy anything from them, so they can be avoided. Note that collection agencies (ProTip: Tell them you want to change to snail mail contact ONLY, and do NOT admit to owing them any money!!), political campaigns, private citizens, charities, and companies you have done business with in the past are exempt. Also, if your number is listed as a business contact number, DNC does NOT apply, for some inexplicable reason.

As for collectors trying to reach someone who doesn't live at your address -- They may be breaking the law; look it up. More than a few (but not all) agents ignore little things like the law, especially if they are dealing with people who are either young/inexperienced or elderly and easily confused.

On the one hand, it means that any solicitation calls you get (once past the 30 days' grace period) are illegal, along with ANY robocalls that don't give you a way to get through to a human in one button press (possibly all robocalls; unsure). On the other hand, that means you should feel free to get really, really creative with your invective. The FCC can't exactly do anything about overseas calls, anyway.

I look at it this way: Being on DNC reduced my incoming unsolicited call volume by 90%. Well worth the five minutes it took to set it up.

PS There's a related program to stop "pre-approved" credit card solicitations via snailmail, as well.

[Kaylyn]

I also get one collections call for someone names Leroy Jenkins. I have had my number for over 8 years. This started 2 years ago... They wont listen they never learn.

Of course there's no way to know for sure, but it sounds like someone may have signed up for something with a fake name and a random phone number that happened to be yours. Le(e)roy Jenkins is a fairly famous World of Warcraft meme:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLyOj_QD4a4

[KellyHabersham]

Unfortunately, this only applies to personal numbers, not businesses. My parent's companies got SO MANY calls. "Would you like your business to be number one on Google??!"

Sometimes it does work for businesses, though - when I was the church secretary, I put the office number on the DNC list, and it cut back on the number of "junk" calls we received.

[EricKei]

KH -- Good to know. Don't worry; I won't tell them

[wolfie]

Just be glad it's not Leroy Brown they want

If those collectors had been going after Leroy Brown, they'd wind up looking like a jigsaw puzzle with a couple of pieces gone.

[Mr Hero]

If those collectors had been going after Leroy Brown, they'd wind up looking like a jigsaw puzzle with a couple of pieces gone.

Or end up talking to a kid who solves mysteries for the local neighborhood kids.

[Racket_Man]

Or end up talking to a kid who solves mysteries for the local neighborhood kids.

Encyclopedia Brown??????