Scam calls

[claudiesc52]

I had a call from a scammer at 13.48 today. some guy in India I guess from the accent, telling me he was calling on behalf of my energy supplier. Then he aske who my supplier was. DOOOH!

Anyway, I blocked the number. However at 16.34, same day, the same number called again and got through. Why?

[gg30340]

Because they are spoofed numbers using Internet calling which can not be easily blocked in the same way as "traditional" calls can.

Number spoofing scams - Ofcom

What is Phone Number Spoofing | Phone Scam (kaspersky.com)

[claudiesc52]

OK, Thanks.

So I'm guessing I cannot block this number myself?

[Keith_Beddoe]

You would need a phone with BT Call Guardian built in, like the BT4600. That can stop all scam calls.

[claudiesc52]

I have  a BT Premium cordless landline with 100% nuisance call blocker which is only 1 year old. Obviously, it is not exactly 100%. So , looking at the BT4600, it does not appear, from the description, to have anything better to offer than mine, and I am slightly unconvinced about the 100% claim.

 

[Keith_Beddoe]

@claudiesc52 

Does it have BT Call Guardian, which has an "announce" option which forces callers to announce themselves first, if they are not in the phone`s directory? That blocks 100% of scam calls, because they are automated, and never announce themselves.

Just blocking numbers alone, will not work, as there are an infinite number of them. 

If it has Call Guardian, then enabling the "announce" option, should block all scam calls.

[Keith_Beddoe]

If its this one https://www.bt.com/content/dam/bt/help/legacy-ug/phones/Premium%20Phone%20Quick%20Set-up%20and%20Use...

Then that does have Call Guardian, so you should not be bothered by scam callers, if its enabled, and callers have to announce themselves. The one that was bothering you, would have to announce themselves first, so you could reject the call. Unless you have added it to the phone directory by mistake.

Your Premium Phone has four
Blocking modes to help you
manage incoming calls:
• Announce – All calls from operator,
Ringback and those not in your
Contacts, Allow or VIP List will hear,
“Callers to this number are being
screened by BT Call Blocking, please
say your name after the tone then
press and wait to be connected”.
Those on your Blocked list hear,
“Callers to this number are being
screened by BT Call Blocking,
the person you are calling is not
accepting your call. Please hang up