with the Telephone Preference Service and other ways
Stopping cold calls to landline telephones
- Register with the Telephone Preference service.
- Report every cold call to get the company banned or fined.
- Ask your telephone company to add call blocking services.
- Get a phone which blocks calls without a number and common numbers.
- Buy a call blocking box that you add to your phone line.
- Register with Which’s campaign against cold calls and spam texts
- Waste the cold callers time efficiently.
- Avoid being added to any mailing lists in the first place.
- Disconnect your landline.
1. Register for free at the Telephone Preference Service.
Registering makes it illegal for companies to make unwanted sales calls to individuals.
- http://www.tpsonline.org.uk/tps/number_type.html
- Or call: 0345 070 0707
More Information:
- More information: http://www.tpsonline.org.uk/tps/
- FAQ: http://www.tpsonline.org.uk/tps/contactfaq.php
- Still getting calls: http://www.tpsonline.org.uk/tps/stillgetcalls.html
Works for both individuals and companies.
2. Report every cold call to get the company banned or fined.
If you have spare time and energy then report the company to the relevant authorities. Ask the person calling for the company’s name and contact details (though they won’t necessarily tell you) and/or call 1471 after the call to find their number. Tell them very firmly that you are registered with the Telephone Preference Service and that it is illegal for them to call you, and instruct them to remove your number from their mailing list before putting the phone down.
The authorities do not do anything without being told a lot of times about the same companies (unfortunately because you would think they would take the initiative if they had the money to do so). So a lot of us need to report all the calls to make anything happen and help others too.
Go to our page on reporting these
3. Ask your telephone company to add call blocking services.
Nearly all companies will have some type of call blocking service so ask them what they can do for you. They may be able to automatically block call from withheld numbers or add Caller ID so that your phone can block them instead.
4. Get a phone which blocks calls without a number and common numbers.
The newer phones can block calls when the caller withholds their number and some phones have a call blocking system where you can quickly stop any further calls from a known number.
5. Buy a call blocking box that you add to your phone line.
Similar to the system just mentioned for phones, you can add a separate box between your existing phone and the phone socket that will do the same job. Some will give a voice message that tells the caller that you do not accept cold calls, lets your friends and family to get through immediately, includes blocking known problem numbers and will screen your calls for you. Which magazine recommend the TrueCall Call Blocker and the cheaper CPR V108.
7. Waste the cold callers time efficiently.
If you’re not worried about missing any calls some people choose to waste the caller’s time as the only thing they can punish them with. One quick way with no effort is to tell them that you don’t mind finding out more but that there is someone at the door so could they hold on a minute – put the phone on the table then go and do something else instead while they waste their time waiting for you. Put the phone back on the receiver some time later when needed.
8. Avoid being added to any mailing lists in the first place.
A lot of people accidentally or unintentially sign up to mailing lists by not unticking boxes when filling in forms from companies. The basic rule is: Whenever you fill in a form with your contact details always look for a box to tick or untick to say you do not want to be added to any mailing lists. Or better still, don’t give out your telephone number to anyone without there be a very good reason for them having it – tell them you don’t have a telephone number or fill in a non-working number if necessary.
9. Disconnect your landline
Many people now only use their mobile phone for calls but have a landline purely because they want internet access. Tell everyone to call you on your mobile phone then unplug your landline phone. It’s cheaper for cold callers to call a landline than a mobile phone so you will get more nuisance calls on a landline.