For a long time we had unsolicited calls and years ago we reg'd with TPS, and it worked, but for the past 6+ months it seems that they have increased again.
I notice there are two sites proclaiming to be TPS.
This http://www.tpsonline.org.uk/tps/
And this http://www.mpsonline.org.uk/tps/
Both look identical.
Which is the real one or is there a free phone number, possibly BT that I can phone.
I do not want to give a bad site my details.

Thanks.

They are the same. MPS and TPS are two branches of the same organisation just covering different aspects of direct marketing, (mail and telephones). So there are cross links on their websites to each other. But either get you to the genuine site.

A few things to consider. TPS can only stop calls made by UK companies or calls from overseas made on behalf of UK companies. Also there is nothing they can do really about unscrupulous companies that choose to ignore their database.

As far as I am aware once you've signed up to TPS it's for life. Or at least it was when I signed up. And of course it is completely free. So if you've handed over money to some organisation claiming to be operating on behalf of TPS then you've been conned.

Thanks, no, no money exchanged hands, it was many years ago so I thought that it might have a limited shelf life, I think we did it via a phone call though through BT, was so long ago I cannot remember.
Thanks for the info.

I just tried to reg and as the site notes if you have before then when you try to reg again it will tell you that number is already reg'd
Damn, so really as most of these companies block you from seeing what the number is and are sometimes vague about their name, you will still get the calls.

I remember some time ago signing my mum up for BT Privacy. Not sure if it still exists or not as I don't have any form of landline phone at home. But anyway it included TPS registration in the deal.

Perhaps that is what you did?

There do seem to be quite a few overseas call centres making random sales calls. Not had any to my mobile yet but I know my mum has had quite a few over the past year or so. Most of them come up "International" on the phone display so she just ignores them now.

In theory if they are calling on behalf of a legit UK firm then they should filter the calls via the TPS database but how many are legit I wonder?

I think that was it. Yep most seem to be overseas but I have had a few local ones too and in the past month those auto dialled silent ones as later at 8pm which is getting annoying.
Thanks for your help anyway

I have found TPS to be extremely good.

I have had a few International calls recently. I can't just ignore them due to Swiss family but I give them the "Silent Call" treatment - lift the handset and say nothing. Poetic justice?

I signed up to both companies nearly 2 years ago and its cut down on the junk mail I get though the post by 90% and cut the number of sales calls we get by 70%.
We have also signed up to BT Privacy a good 2 or 3 years ago.

Darren

I've been signed up for some years now, and it does generally work, although one or two rogue firms get through. I had one recently, when the girl phoning told me the company was doing a special promotion in my postcode area, but when I asked what postcode area it was, she couldn't tell me, and I hung up on her.

Or you could try what my late Mum used to do. If she ever had a sales call, she used to tell the caller they were the first person she'd spoken to in the two weeks since she came out of hospital, and could she tell them about her operation. They couldn't get off the phone quick enough!

I've been registered with TPS for years now, but if I get an incoming call and I see the number is withheld I don't pick up the call. In saying that, though, it is actually illegal for a company calling from within the UK to call you and withold their number.

The problem is, though, that if people call using an IP phone the number often shows as unavailable. But I take the view they will leave a message!


If I do get caught out I ask them to hold on as there is someone at the door. It is always fun just to see how long they will wait before they end the call....

I do not have call screening so I have to answer in case its an emergency, This is just getting annoying now Just had another call about my computer, clearly from a call centre, no name or anything, I said I didn't have one and they hung up, so rude!

The people making these types of call are simply interested in getting you to download who knows what malicious rubbish from some dodgy website. Probably in the hope of getting access to personal data about things like bank accounts.

So they are very unlikely to be interested in the niceties of screening their calls against the TPS database or even using common politeness in their dealings with you if they don't get their way.

Yeah thats true, I had my router and computer turned off but I think they try to make you let them remote control your PC but you have to physically let them?
Either way this cold calling thing is getting on my nerves I think I will just change my number.

In many cases they try to persuade you to visit a particular website and install some sort of anti-malware software or similar. Which is of course nothing of the sort.

So yes you would have to have your PC on and connected to the internet and co-operate to a certain extent in their attempt to scam you.


Sadly changing your number might not do much in the long term. though it might stop calls like this in the short term.

The way some of these callers work is they use a random number generator feeding an auto dialler. If the number generated is a real phone and rings then the system tries to connect the call to one of the operators. If it does not produce a live number the system just generates another and tries again.

So they may well eventually stumble blindly across your new number just as they stumbled across your old one. And you would be little better off.

I know you are right, it was a auto dial phone call, I hear nothing, then what sounded like the hold music for sky and then the womans voice. I might be better off with a screener, can these block numbers?

There are devices on the market that will screen calls for you in various ways.

One of the solutions that seems to be recommended quite often on DS is TrueCall

http://www.truecall.co.uk/

It's not the cheapest device but it does have quite a few tricks up it's electronic sleeve. Certainly worth investigating.

Thanks a lot, probably much better than changing numbers!