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Openreach scam

RGH1 — Thu, 09 Sep 2021 09:05:19 GMT

Has anyone else noticed how nasty the "BT OPEN REACH" scammers are getting? Yes I know that is the wrong name. They now call at silly times, early morning or late at night. They start off aggresive, every other word is "Right!? ", obviously to see if the fish has taken the hook. It leads with the usual, your Internet has been compromised garbage. The best lines out of them so far have been: "Stop your wife interrupting!" and "I've had enough of you, I am cutting off your Internet right now!". What a nice man.

I do not point out their mistakes and errors, for fear they might refine their product for use on others. But their attitude is so uniformly awful and aggressive how do they get it to fool folk? The very thick accents coupled with a very "Anglo Saxon" set of names - John, Stephen, Mary etc., tend to put one on alert anyway.

Re: Openreach scam

Keith_Beddoe — Thu, 09 Sep 2021 10:00:48 GMT

@RGH1

Just get yourself a call blocking phone, and the problem will just disappear. The BT 4600 is very popular. Why waste your time answering scam calls?

Re: Openreach scam

RGH1 — Thu, 09 Sep 2021 13:35:41 GMT

Thanks. Got one, clearly must try harder. One snag is that a range of services and some relative's numbers always show as "unavailable" . I suppose it might block the persistent "UK Energy Consultant" who wants to sort the insulation problem I don't have. Does the TPS do anything?

Re: Openreach scam

Keith_Beddoe — Thu, 09 Sep 2021 13:44:46 GMT

Unavailable callers have to announce themselves first, that does not present a problem. I have the BT4600, and genuine callers are quite happy to announce themselves.

I used to get a number of mis-dialled calls, as our number is very similar to a couple of local businesses. As soon as the get the BT Call Guardian message, they realise their error 😉

Ask your relatives to prefix your dialled number with 1470, that will allow their number to be displayed just for that call.