I have recently been besieged by a particularly nasty kind of cold call.
A year ago, I had a horrible accident, knocking a woman off her bike. Neither John nor I saw her, and to this day, I have no idea how it happened. It was one of the worst moments of my life, as for a few long seconds, I really thought she was dead. But she was quite amazingly forgiving and nice about it, the police were kindness itself, and I had to go on a (very useful) Driver Awareness course. End of. Or so I thought.
Then the calls started to come, on both landline and mobile. I'd had an accident, hadn't I? I might be due compensation. One text regularly specifies a sum of over £3000 which awaits me, if only I'd call them.
Quite apart from the small matter of confidentiality (who exactly leaked my details to these scumbags?), these calls are a real nuisance. But the other day. I did get my own back. Just a bit.
Yes. I said. I'd had a horrible accident. I'd lost both legs, and was in a very sorry state.
Ooooh! Both legs? The glee was audible. I was immediately passed on to someone higher up the chain. We discussed my terrible problem and then I told the man on the phone that it was quite untrue and that there was nothing wrong with me. He was enraged.
"It is very bad to tell these lies!" said he.
"Well, it's very bad to pursue people in this disgusting way," I told him, and rang off.
But the calls keep on coming. They are horrible and unsettling, and pander to the worst in everyone involved. I don't like being rude to cold callers (my preferred option is to tell them I'm dead. It works every time, and is at least not unkind). They have a living to earn. But these really are the pits.
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If this was Germany, I'd strongly advise you to sue the insurance company for this illegal breach of privacy. As I am not sure the same strict laws in terms of privacy protection apply in the UK, I can only say, ask someone's legal advice on this. Are there consumer organisations in the UK where one can go with such matters?
ReplyDeleteMeike, there's no way of preventing these calls, sadly. We just have to put up with them.
DeleteI suspect these are just random nuisance calls, Frances - we've had them in the past. I can't imagine how they would know you'd actually had an accident unless it was reported in the local paper or some such place. The fact they're offering you compensation doesn't make sense anyway. Just put the phone down on them. We're sick of all kinds of random calls these days and they took up precious space on husband's answer phone while away.
ReplyDeleteThey are not random Rosemary. I too suffered them for years. Some police and some hospital staff give them these contact details. Both the recipients and the providers should be locked up.
DeleteRosemary, I think Adrian's right. After a few months, following an accident, these details get released, and then presumably, leaked. But I'm sure there are random ones as well.
DeleteFrances, this is an invasion of your privacy but just report your poorly arse to the Devizes Gazette. They will delighted with such salacious information.Ted or whatever he is called caused me serious bodily harm. Don't tell them it's a horse and after the lawyers pick it up they send folk out and you can parade the naughty little boy.
ReplyDeleteGet your own back and waste their time.
Hmm. I'll think about it, Adrian.
DeleteAre you subscribed to the Telephone Preference Service ? It doesn't stop them all, but it stops a lot.
ReplyDeleteTim, I think we used to be, once. Will have to consider it again, I think.
DeleteI suspect Rosemary is right. I, and many people I know, get these random calls about some fictitious 'accident', despite being on TPS for years - these people just flout the law and scatter spam in the hope they'll hit a few targets.
ReplyDeleteI don't think Adrian's suggestion in his reply to her comment can be widespread enough to solely account for the volumes.
Thanks for that, Tim - Adrian may well be right but if they're not random, I can only imagine it must be leaked by the hospital if police are not involved. Anyway - we are all suffering terrible invasions of privacy these days, whatever the source!
DeleteAs I said ( above), in sure these calls are lnkiedmto my accident as there has been a flurry of them, which I've never had before.
DeletePS I hope you can unscramble all the typose! My iPad wont let me correct them. Now I e done it again, with "typose"...,oh dear.
DeleteInternet scams, Nigerian benefactors, ambulance chasers, no win no pay, cold callers, insurance fraud, all new occupations of the 21st C; and all new occupations we could do without. Be as rude as you like to all of them.
ReplyDeleteI do try not to be too rude as some of the calls come from underdeveloped countries where I suppose it might be the only job some people can get. It must be pretty unrewarding work!
DeleteWelcome to the club. I get these calls several times a week. So does my husband and so does everyone I know. None of us have had accidents. Random calls. Add those 'You've had an accident...' to the 'You are owed PPI..' and we would have very busy days. We no longer answer our phones. If it's a real person they can leave a message.
ReplyDeleteI can't leave a ringing phone, Lynne. I'm far to curious (and optimistic, I suppose!).
DeleteLynne's advice is good. If you are bombarded with such calls, don't answer. Fortunately we rarely receive these calls although we did go through a period of nuisance calls. Mobile phones are easier because you can see who the caller is, and if I don't recognise the number I never answer. After having an accident a year ago I did receive one call and thought it was genuine until I realised it was a coincidence and put the phone down. It's the only thing to do.
ReplyDeleteI don't answer unknown calls, either, Maggie.
DeleteI've pretty much stopped answering unknown calls too, except when I know I may have reason to expect a call from some such number. It's annoying even when the background is not as disturbing as I understand it must be in this case (reminding you every time of a traumatic experience).
ReplyDeleteThe trouble with our landline is we don't know calls are unknown until we've answered them, DT!
DeleteI see, Frances. I still have a landline too, but have a phone (and service) that lets me see either the number calling or the word 'unknown' (or the name, if I've registred that in the memory on the phone). And if I don't want to answer I can let it go through to voice mail.
DeleteYou are not alone with this problem. We are plagued night and day by cold callers and now ignore our landline when it rings! I know this is bad form on our part and we may well be missing important calls, but we communicate within the family via or mobiles.
ReplyDeleteThe only reason we have a landline is because we can't have broadband or TV without it...
These companies have now started harvesting mobile phone numbers in earnest and when you answer they tell you to press a number key if you DON'T want to receive any more calls. Whatever you do - don't press the key. I've been told it sends a message to charge you £10 and guess who reaps that money?
They have also got crafty, they ring off your generic area code numbers so you think its a local call...
It is about time something was done to make this sort of thing illegal, yet it is rife!
So sorry you have to put up with the trauma of it after your awful experience.
Oh, I'm made of pretty stern stuff, Maria. I'll cope!
DeletePut it in perspective. In the overall scheme of things in the world today, I hope this is the worst thing that ever happens to you. It's definitely "a first-world problem"....
ReplyDeleteOf course worse things have happened - much worse (if you count small matters such as losing a beloved husband), but these calls as still irritating...aren't they?
DeleteWe signed up to the Telephone Preference Service, but still get some of these nuisance calls and some do claim to be about an accident or PPI. I even get them to my mobile phone and I don't give that number out to anyone except people I know and trust xx
ReplyDeleteThere's no real answer, Teresa. I think we just have to put up with time, and indulge in the odd rant!
DeleteOf course these calls are offensive and distressing but they have been going on for many many years. The TPS is ineffective because most of the calls are generated abroad. I got rid of the problem completely on my landline (though not my cellphone) by using BT 8500 call screening phones. They are brilliant. I think I may have blogged about them. If I didn't then I shall. I can't understand why everyone doesn't have them.
ReplyDeleteGood idea, Graham. Something to think about.
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