Nuisance Calls — How to Stop Them

Nuisance calls are non-emergency calls that you find unwanted, repeated, or invasive — even if they are not strictly illegal. Marketing surveys, accident-claim cold-calls, and silent calls from automated dialler systems are the three most-reported categories on GhostCallers.

Common signs

• Same number calls more than three times in a week.
• Caller refuses to identify the company they represent.
• Background sounds of a busy call centre with a long pause before someone speaks.
• Pre-recorded marketing message without your prior consent.

Typical scripts

• ""We understand you may have been involved in an accident in the last three years...""
• ""Can I speak to the bill payer about your energy supply?""
• "Long silence followed by a hang-up — typical predictive-dialler abandoned call."

What to do

• Register your number with the Telephone Preference Service (TPS) — it is free.
• On iPhone, tap the (i) next to a call and choose "Block this Caller".
• On Android, long-press the number and choose "Block / report spam".
• If a UK company breaches TPS, report it to the ICO at ico.org.uk.

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