Protecting yourself

from nuisance calls

and messages

For many of us nuisance calls

are an irritating and annoying
interruption to our daily lives.
But for some vulnerable
people they can also cause
anxiety and distress. This
guide provides some tips
on how to reduce the number of
nuisance calls and advice about what to do when
you receive them.

How to reduce nuisance calls

1. Look carefully at the marketing “opt-in” or “opt-out box”
Be careful who you give your contact details to. When
you need to provide them, for example when you buy Opt-in example:
something, enter a competition, or use a price comparison
Tick if you would like to receive information
website, make sure you look carefully at the marketing
“opt-in” or “opt-out” boxes. Sometimes these boxes can be about our products and any special offers by
buried in the small print and are often found near the part post /by email /by telephone /by
where a signature is required. text message /by recorded call
An “opt-in” box generally refers to a box which, if ticked,
confirms that you are agreeing to be contacted by the
company or other companies (known as “third parties” or Opt-out example:
“trusted parties”). By submitting this registration form, you
With an “opt-out” box you are agreeing to be contacted, indicate yourconsent to receiving email
marketing messages from us. If you do not
unless you tick the box. Look out for phrases such as “tick
want to receive such messages, tick here:
here to opt-out” or, if you’re online, pop up boxes inviting
you to receive a company’s newsletter.
2. Register with the Telephone Preference Service for free
The Telephone Preference Service (TPS) allows consumers to opt out of receiving any
unsolicited telesales calls. You can register your phone number - either landline or mobile
– online at http://www.tpsonline.org.uk or by phoning 0845 070 0707. It’s free to register
and takes up to 28 days to come into effect.
It is a legal requirement that telemarketers do not call a number registered to the TPS.
However, registering with the TPS won’t stop all unwanted calls. Firms may still call you if you’ve previously
given them permission to contact you by phone. To stop these calls, contact the firm in question (preferably
in writing) and ask them not to call you for marketing purposes. Firms will also still be allowed to call you
for genuine market research purposes, provided the call does not include any marketing or collect data
for use in future marketing calls. Some firms do break the rules, although the Information Commissioner’s
Office (ICO) is working hard to stop this. Complaining about such firms can help the ICO take action (see
point 7 below).
Although there are some commercial companies that offer similar services for reducing
nuisance calls (and may charge for this), the TPS is the only register that organisations
are legally obliged to check against before making live telesales calls. TPS and Ofcom
are not affiliated with any of these commercial organisations. If you choose to explore
options provided by these commercial companies it is advisable to make sure you
understand exactly what services they are offering you and any applicable charges.

3. Ways to block different types of calls

There are various products and services that can help block nuisance
calls, although you may need to pay to use them. These may block
particular types of call (such as international calls, or calls where the
number has been withheld) or a selected list of around 10 numbers. You
need to ensure that you are able block the calls you want to block and
nothing else. To find out more you can:
• Talk to your phone provider about the services they offer.
Different providers have different charges and so you may wish
to shop around for the best deal. For more information on some
of these services and charges that may apply take a look at http://
consumers.ofcom.org.uk/2013/12/phone-company-services-that-
can-help-tackle-nuisance-calls/
• Consider a call blocker. These are devices which you can attach
to your phone, or which may already be part of a phone. These
can be used to block different types of call. Some ask the caller
to give their name before the call is put through to you. For more
information on call blocking devices you may wish to look at advice
by Which? available here: http://blogs.which.co.uk/technology/
phones-3/call-blocking-devices-eveything-you-need-to-know/.
Ofcom has no affiliation with Which? and the provision of this link
should not be taken as an endorsement of its findings.
Before you decide on, activate or install these products, carefully read
the instructions to make sure they will not block calls that you want to
receive.

4. Other options for reducing unwanted calls

Consider going ex-directory. Some businesses use directory services to build their sales lists. Going ex-
directory may help prevent these businesses from getting your phone number through this route.
You could also screen your calls by using a phone that displays the number of the caller, known as
‘Caller ID’ or ‘Calling Line Identit’ (CLI), or using an answer machine or voicemail. This will help you
choose whether to answer the call or to call the person back. Please note that some providers charge for
displaying the caller’s phone number. Click here for more information about this.
 What to do when you receive nuisance calls
and messages
5. Ask for the caller’s details
When you receive a nuisance call, of course you can just put the phone
down. Many people do this. But if you choose to talk to the caller, they
must give you the name of the organisation and, if you ask for it, its
address or a free telephone number. You can use this information to
notify the organisation that you no longer wish to receive sales calls.
If you’re unsure whether you want the product or service that is
being promoted and are being put under pressure on the phone,
you may want to end the call. You can then give yourself time to
consider further and shop around.

6. Don’t give out your personal details

Be careful about who you give your personal details to, including when you answer the phone, particularly
if the caller asks you to carry out an action which might have financial consequences. Avoid answering the
phone by saying your telephone number and name as a greeting and avoid including these details on your
answerphone or voicemail.
Before you start a conversation, make sure the caller gives you their details first. This will help you to check
that they’re calling from a credible place (for example, from your electricity supplier).
Be aware that sometimes the caller may not give you the correct detail such as the
correct”Caller ID” or “Calling Line Identity” (CLI).
If someone rings you asking for personal financial information, don’t provide it.
Instead, hang up and call the phone number on your account statement, in the
phone book, or on the company’s or government department’s website to check
whether the call was genuine. Wait at least five minutes before making the call –
this ensures the line has cleared and you’re not still speaking to the fraudster or
an accomplice.

7. If you receive an unwanted call you can make a complaint

Complaints information helps regulators such as the Information
Commissioner’s Office (ICO) and Ofcom take targeted action against those
making calls unlawfully.
When you receive a nuisance call, make a brief note of the call if you can, including the date, time, name of
the firm (if it’s known) and also the number you were called from (even if it doesn’t look like a valid phone
number). Then make a complaint to the relevant organisation or regulator. But, even if you don’t have all
the information available, you can still make a complaint. For details on who to complain to and how to do
it, please see http://consumers.ofcom.org.uk/tell-us/telecoms/privacy/.

8. If you receive an automated marketing call

These calls may ask you to press a number to speak to a live agent. You can of course choose to put the
phone down. However, if you choose to speak to someone you will not be charged for the call.
If a phone number was provided with the call, our advice would be to refrain from calling it, unless you
are familiar with the firm trying to contact you. If you do decide to call the number the call charges will
depend on several factors, such as the type of number called and whether you call from your landline
or mobile phone, as set out in our guide on call costs, available at http://consumers.ofcom.org.uk/
files/2010/01/numbering.pdf.
 9. If you receive spam texts....
If they’re from a sender you are familiar with, or from a
shortcode (a shortcode is usually 5 digits long but can
be up to 8), reply ‘STOP’ to the telephone number or
short code shown in the text message. You should not be
charged for this. This will inform the sender that you no
longer wish to receive their text messages.
However, if the text message is from an unknown sender,
or from an organisation you are not familiar with, we
recommend you don’t reply. Responding will confirm that
your number is active and might actually result in you
receiving more messages, or even voice calls.
Instead, report the spam text to your network operator.
Simply forward the text to 7726. An easy way to remember ‘7726’ is that they are the numbers on your
telephone keypad that spell out the word ‘SPAM’.
You may get an automated response thanking you for the report and giving you further instructions if
needed, such as forwarding on the number that the spam text message was sent from. You will not be
charged for forwarding spam texts to 7726.
If you are unhappy about receiving such texts or continue to receive them after asking the sender to stop,
you should complain to the ICO. You can complain to the ICO by phone 0303 123 1113
or online http://www.ico.org.uk/complaints/marketing/2

These tips are intended to help you reduce and deal with nuisance calls and messages. Please remember
that sometimes your existing service providers may need to get in touch with you for important non-
marketing reasons. For example, your utility provider may need to report a fault or your bank might need
to contact you about suspected fraudulent activity on your account. You should keep your main service
providers updated with any changes to your contact details, such as a change of phone number, as well
as how you prefer to be contacted, such as over the phone, by text, by email or by post . This will help to
ensure that you do receive any important calls and messages. If you do not wish to receive marketing calls
from existing service providers, let them know.