So that's how they know my name.

[Techno]

Thanks, Yahoo.

Being ex-directory, I wondered how these wonkers in India or Pakistan, pretending to be Norton, knew what my name was.
Though they don't all read it properly......"Hello, Mr Leevis, this is Norton"....."No you're not !.....**** off !!"........Click.

Must have had 30 or more calls in the past three weeks.....Just let them go to the ansaphone, normally.

Answered a few, to mess them about....But they WILL NOT take the hint.

Cheers - Phil. (Who's off to check if his Yahoo a/c still actually works......Haven't used it for AGES !)

[Steve J]

We're ex-directory and also that telephone call barring thingy to stop cold calling. However we still get the odd call now and then

[fsn]

*tut*

Do you know what's fun? Ringing Techno up and putting on a stupid accent. Nearly had him sell me his MiL the other week.

The thing that worries me is that I'm not sure who owns what anymore. If you use Flicka, then isn't that a Yahoo owned thingy nowadays? One may inadvertently have ones data stored by Yahoo for all to pinch.

[Techno]

Do you know what's fun? Ringing Techno up and putting on a stupid accent. Nearly had him sell me his MiL the other week.

It never works, Nobby.
"The Oik from Runcorn", showing on the caller display, is too much of a giveaway.

We're ex-directory and also that telephone call barring thingy to stop cold calling. However we still get the odd call now and then

Auto dial machines from overseas......Don't you just LOVE them. 

Cheers - Phil

[Techno]

Having had some completely nonsensical crud from 'Yahoo' after changing my password....(I'm pretty sure it WAS them...But I'm not taking the risk)....I've deleted that account, too.

Doing well, this year. 
Dropped eBay, Paypal and now one of my spare e'mail addys. (Yahoo...as mentioned).

Soon be back to using a fax machine.....And a good job too.  ....(Fekk al these intraweb companies.)

Cheers - Phil 

[Subedai]

We're ex-directory and also that telephone call barring thingy to stop cold calling. However we still get the odd call now and then

We are the same and like you still get the occasional call. What the cheeky gits are doing now is they are phoning from wherever but somehow the call has been routed somehow and the the number displayed will have your local STD code, thus making you more inclined to take the call.

The Telephone Preference Service at:

http://www.tpsonline.org.uk/tps/index.html

There is also more information here:

http://www.which.co.uk/consumer-rights/advice/can-i-stop-unwanted-direct-marketing

MickS

[Wulf]

Funny enough, I've had the opposite experience - since I moved from Demon to BTInternet a few weeks ago I've been bombarded with email spam (the 4th email I received on my new address, before I'd sent out a single one, was spam... The other 3 were confirmations of changes). But in the past week it's all tailed off.

I am a Yahoo! Groups user, but I can't remember having anything but the most basic info there. Certainly not a telephone number, although I also get constant cold calls, often daily (and I'm on the TPS as well).

[Orcs]

The trouble I find is that when you get an unexpected call from a genuine caller who's number you don't recognise you get very defensive.

Ring! Ring

Orcs: (very gruff voice ) Hello!

Caller:  is that Mr Webb?

Orcs:(very gruff cautious voice )  Why!  

Callers: Its the X bank I need to speak to him about his account

Orcs. :(very very gruff sarcastic voice  voice ) You do, do you?  

Caller:  I just need to go through some security checks.

Orcs. :(very very gruff pissed off  voice ) hang on , you called me!  I think I need to do some security checks so you can prove who you are.

Caller: I am sorry I can't give out any information

Orcs. :(very angry voice ) Well you can F**k Off then  (Orcs hangs phone up, unable to slam these new fangled DEC phones down)  

Ring!  Ring !

Caller  is that Mr Webb?

Orcs. :(very angry voice ) F**k Off you stupid B*tch

Ring! Ring!

Caller(obviously upset and  in very rushed manner)  Mr Webb Its Katie from X Bank. the replacement card you requested is being sent out today.

Orcs: ( very embarrassed and humble voice) Oh I am very sorry, I thought you were a nuisance call  

Caller (Katie now sniffing and wiping her eyes) Its ok Mr Webb it happens quit a lot  

Orcs hangs up feeling a bit of a Sh*t

[d_Guy]

Being in the final stages of the national election, we have robo-calls queued up for a chance at us. We have turned off the ringer and once a day the missus empties the voice mail. If friend or family want us they'll send a raven.

Orcs - I like your style!

[Last Hussar]

Its unlikely to be the Yahoo hack - this sort of thing has been going on years.  Phone numbers are out there, and also easy to work out.  Like email spam they can try every possible combo, as there is no charge for failures.

Our phone shows 'International' - we usually avoid those.  Sometimes I'll play; How long can you keep the scammer going "I need you to do this in Windows." [pouring tea] "yes I'm doing it." "No, can you do x y z" "I am."

Or give a weird answer.  Picks up phone "I've done what you've asked, but there is blood everywhere" Puts phone down.

Before we were married, people would assume I was my wife's ex, so ask for Mr G..  I once handed the phone to my Stepson, who is Mr G.  After 10 minutes he said "I'm only 14, I don't think my pocket money can afford double glazing"

[Wulf]

I got a call supposedly asking me to rate my experience visiting my bank's local branch. I asked "Which branch was that?" and the girl told me a branch I haven't been to in years, although it is the closest to my post code. I told her to go away, but fortunately more politely than usual, as it turns out she was genuine, and the bank had given her the wrong information!

But, yes, I do love stringing them along. Especially the ones asking for IP addresses. I usually give the IP address of the firewall in the government office where I work...

[Last Hussar]

My dad managed to string a Windows scammer along for about 15 minutes before saying "How do you know this- my computer isn't on"

[Lord Kermit of Birkenhead]

Best questions are :-

My computer - which one

Which version of Windows

What type is it

IanS

[Ithoriel]

Ring, ring

9819

Good day to you sir, my name is Kevin (unlikely his mother calls him that from the accent but who knows) and I'm phoning on behalf of Microsoft ...

(Interrupting the speil) ... and what would Microsoft want with me?

Sir, we have detected a problem with your computer ...

Oh, I'm so glad you called, I'm no good with computers, son. (Despite over 30 years working in IT   )

Several minutes elapse purportedly getting to the computer and turning it on.

Now Sir, if you click on the Start button ...

Dinnae think Ah hiv wonnie those, son (Cod Scottish accent now rivals that of Scotty from Star Trek and much mutual incomprehension ensues to general amusement .... well at this end at least)

What version of Windows do you have Sir?

Double glazed

No sir, on your computer, what version of Windows do you have?

Ah dinnae hiv Windaes, son

Oh, you're on a Mac then ...

Naw son, Ah'm no Mac onythin'

What version of the Mac operating system are you using, Sir?

Ah dinnae think mah Amstrad uses onything Mac dis it no use CP/M?

Why ae you wasting my time you firkin bar steward (I may have misheard that - the accent thing was regularly foxing both of us   )

Also .... what happened to "Sir" then?

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

  not AMSDOS then?