Ohh that’s an interesting piece of info. Thanks El 

I don't run a business

 . . . hope that helps 

El Loro posted:

This is only relevant to you if you run a business.

 

I have been getting phone calls from people with Asian accents with supposedly English names ringing me from time to time over the last few weeks talking about trade directory listings, online presence, and Google.

 

If you get such a call do your best to avoid saying "Yes" as they may be recording what you say, then edit it as if you are saying "Yes" to confirm an order for an advert which might be a real one or fake.

 

What is really suspicious is that the number that appears on your caller display seems to be that of a real small business in this country. So far I've had one from a newsgagent, a wedding dress boutique and the one just now is a garden designer. It won't be the number of the person who rang you.

When they ask if i'm Saint -  born in Jesmond    I always reply with the phrase,

"Who's calling?"

It always creates a moment of hesitation in their voices LOL

Saint, I just say "speaking".

I've told the people who are making these calls to stop ringing not that it has any effect, Today's caller asked if they were ringing me on Tuesdays, probably hoping that I would say "Yes".

I once told an insurance salesman I was going to prison for fraud

Went right over his head 

Years ago I used to get quite a few phone calls from dodgy businesses trying to get me to put adverts in various things for the local police, the local fireservice or similar. The dodgy business might pay 1 p per advert to the local police etc and keep the rest for themselves. I knew this so never took out such an ad. One time Ron was the name of the man who called me. I told him that I knew this was a scam and at the end he admitted this and said that in their offices he was called "Ron the Con"

I received a call yesterday

I said he should get a proper job

When he asked what he should do

I suggested he come and sweep my street

He hung up 

Saint posted:

I received a call yesterday

I said he should get a proper job

When he asked what he should do

I suggested he come and sweep my street

He hung up 

I just had someone phoning enquiring about a washing machine we got rid of about two years ago ....obviously trying to sell us insurance ....he got right shirty when I wouldn’t answer any of his questions 

Baz posted:

I just had someone phoning enquiring about a washing machine we got rid of about two years ago ....obviously trying to sell us insurance ....he got right shirty when I wouldn’t answer any of his questions 

I've had similar calls about my Hotpoint washing machine.

Not that I've ever had a Hotpoint one

They just ring people on a random basis in the hope that they'll be able to sell them insurance as you guessed.

We get loads of these at work, on a busy shop its annoying when you answer the phone to 'David' who most certainly isn't in this country. We get a lot about our gas and electric supply 

El Loro posted:

Baz posted:

I just had someone phoning enquiring about a washing machine we got rid of about two years ago ....obviously trying to sell us insurance ....he got right shirty when I wouldn’t answer any of his questions 

I've had similar calls about my Hotpoint washing machine.

 

Not that I've ever had a Hotpoint one

 

They just ring people on a random basis in the hope that they'll be able to sell them insurance as you guessed.

Yes 

Jen-Star posted:

We get loads of these at work, on a busy shop its annoying when you answer the phone to 'David' who most certainly isn't in this country. We get a lot about our gas and electric supply 

Ditto Jen 

It's remarkable that so many people ringing from Asian call centres (typically in India or the Phillipines) have English first names

El Loro posted:

It's remarkable that so many people ringing from Asian call centres (typically in India or the Phillipines) have English first names

Yes, I had a very strange sounding Sebastian today , wanting me confirm my  postcode ....I just kept saying * who are you ? * ... in the end he lost his rag and said he’d told me three times his name was Sebastian 🤣🤣At that point I put the phone down on him