I have just had an interesting call:

Caller: Hello is that Mr X? I am Y from company Z and I understand that you are currently receiving a large volume of cold/nuisance calls.
Me: Yes, that is correct. Sorry, what company are you from?
Caller: Z
Me: [Googling Z] How do you know that I am getting a lot of cold calls?
Caller: I don’t
Me: [Still no evidence that Z exists, but name very similar to existing registered company, alarm bells!!] So this is a cold call about cold calling? That’s ironic!
Caller: Yes [honest!],…. our company offers…..
Me: That sound like the TPS, which I am already signed up to
Caller: It is, but TPS doesn’t work very well [true]. We charge £X per month. Are you interested?
Me: I can’t find any record of your company and would never agree to anything on a cold call
Caller: CLUNK

Quick google suggests that there are a few companies offering this but no sign of Company Z. I wonder if they are just scamming payment details?

Name em! let’s hang em! with telephone cords!
I reckon about 95% of the calls to my Landline are some form of idiot company trying sell me something. In this day of rampant consumerism(sp) I can’t beleive this actually achieves meaningful results.

Playing the numbers, isn’t it. That’s why they drop the phone so fast when they realise they’re not going to get any money from you.

Yes, I get that cougs, but I also wonder if it was simple a complete scam from the off?

At least name the company so we know who it is.

If you name them I can ring them up to see if it’s legit.

The scary thing is that this thread is now surrounded by cold calling download adverts!!

Not naming them – there are no details on company/contact details available on the web – just conclude that it is more likely to be a scam. Beware!

Once on the tps you know that if a company calls you (and you have no,previous experience with them) you know they are not entirely above board.

It’s an easy business to run.

All you need is a virtual card terminal such as PayPal pro.
Your staff work from home.. No office of phones required.
You pay them on results… No cash flow required. No contract required.
If you get a customer, add them to the TPS, bank the money.
Customer pays £50, you pay staff £5. Your crappy “earn £1000 a week from home” advertising cost no more than postcards in newsagents windows.
Shut the business down after three months to clear your trail.
Start again.

Can’t say I’ve heard that one, but can certainly believe it.

Exactly the same as the scammers that charge £20 to sort out your EHIC overseas travel card thing (and yes I know people who fell for it, paid up, and even tried to convince others that you now have to pay 🙄 )

Some of the cold callers are thick as 3 planks though. Used to get one from a UK based financial company (I’m in Germany), and the phone operator would mention something like “for us UK expats here in Germany”… with a 0044 number displaying on my phone! Obviously didn’t read up on UK or German law *OR* how to hide CLI on the phone 😆
Think they’ve moved on now, and bought a staff phone list for another international organisation.

if someone calls the house or my mobile I ask for their company name, their name and their managers name and tell them the number they have called is registered with TPS and not to call it again. Will see if I get any repeat calls 😀

You have to do it very calmly but forcefully and not give them a second to think. It seems to put the wind up them quite well.

I do keep getting texts from one company, not sure if I should do the text “stop” thing as this will confirm that there is someone actually using the number.

not sure if I should do the text “stop” thing

you should if you want a premium rate text added to your bill…

Every time I receive an unwanted cold call or text I report it here:

http://consumers.ofcom.org.uk/tell-us/telecoms/privacy/

Even though I’ve been subscribed to the TPS for donkeys years, it doesn’t make any difference to these sharks.