Nuisance calls can be both annoying and very stressful. Which is why I have compiled a few tips to help deal with these calls. Included is also a guide to help spot fake NHS cold calls along with some tips to avoid Christmas shopping scams.
Nuisance calls
It was reported in June that following an extensive investigation by the Information Commissioner’s office and a subsequent 10-week trial, eight men had been convicted of unlawfully accessing and obtaining one million people’s personal information from vehicle repair garages to generate potential leads for personal injury claims. It was further noted that the case involved the ICO seizing the “widest body of evidence it had ever seen”.
How to stop nuisance calls
Nobody likes to get a nuisance call and indeed nobody should have to put up with receiving them.
To help the public to stop receiving them, Which? has helpfully put together a checklist of five things you can do, so that you can stop receiving them.
The five tips are as follows:
- Report nuisance calls. If you are receiving nuisance calls or unwanted texts from a company or a number, there are a range of organisations you can complain to.
- Register with the TPS. If you’re receiving unsolicited phone calls, you should register with theTelephone Preference Service (TPS).
- Talk to your phone company. If you’re still receiving unsolicited or harassing phone calls, you can contact your phone company to report the phone number.
- Don’t consent to be contacted. If you’re registered with the TPS, third parties are not allowed to call you but some companies still do so. However, companies must stop calling you if you explicitly ask them to. So if you’re receiving phone calls which you find harassing, make sure you request for them to take you off their call list.
- Consider call blocking technology. Phone companies offer a number of services that can help block unwanted nuisance calls.Some of these services are free, but depending on the company monthly charges may apply.
NHS fake cold calls
It was reported in November that NHS patients were facing the threat of being removed from their GP practices as a result of a disturbing new phone scam spreading through the country. It was noted that “the public is being advised to remain vigilant after reports emerged of fraudsters masquerading as receptionists and doctors in automated bogus calls”.
How to spot NHS fake cold calls
Which? has warned that the calls seem to be coming from UK mobile numbers, which are probably ‘spoofed’, which means that technology is used to conceal the true origin of the call. The caller is not a human being, but rather is an automated message telling you that “you must update your GP record as it’s out of date, and you’re at risk of being removed from the surgery”.
Which? also points out that while it is normal to share personal and sensitive information with a medical professional, you should be extremely cautious about unsolicited calls claiming to be from the NHS or your GP surgery.
Which? goes on to say that “the NHS says it will never contact you by phone to demand updates to your records, threaten removal from a GP list, or request personal or financial information. It also says you should only expect calls from official practice phone numbers, which can be found by searching for your GP on the NHS’s official site”.
You can report instances of fraud involving the NHS on its website or by calling 0800 028 4060.
Avoiding Christmas shopping scams
The government has issued advice about avoiding phishing scams, reminding the public that “fraud comes in all shapes and forms. New scams are constantly emerging as fraudsters exploit different methods and media channels to get people to part with money, financial data or personal information. Anyone can be targeted, and anyone can become a victim”.
Similarly, Which? has issued advice to spot and avoid AI shopping scams.
Watch out for:
- Images that look cartoonish, overly airbrushed or too perfect. By using an image search tool, you can see if the image appears elsewhere and if you use Google in your search and can quickly find that the images appear elsewhere, this suggests that the website wasn’t genuine.
- You should always be wary of claims or offers or claims which sound unrealistic or too good to be true – exclusive offers for sold-out goods, flash sales with heavy discounts or bargain deals are all red flags.
- “Website addresses that differ from what you’d expect. Look up the website’s address on who.is to see when they were created. Newly created websites are almost always a red flag.
- “Multiple reviews of the company claim that customers were scammed or received items that weren’t as described, and those customers weren’t able to get a refund.
Scam Sharer tool
For information on how to share scam warnings and help protect others, see Which?’s Scam Sharer tool.
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