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Can BT trace withheld numbers? |
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#26 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: The Kingdom of Nye
Posts: 2,915
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Quote:
BT were very helpful actually when I eventually got through, a very nice bloke said they will put call tracing equipment on the line this afternoon and will call me to test it later, they said that will trace withheld numbers and they will get the police involved if it happens again!
I think you are overreacting a little bit. Perhaps it would be better to see if the calls go on for several days first. |
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#27 |
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Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 142
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I used to get loads of these on my landline 5 or 6 a day, either silent calls or ones that hang up when you pick the phone up. I felt sure they were automatic dialers of sales companys. I registered with TPS "Telephone Preference Service" and the Silent call register, after about a month thankfully these calls dropped down to just about zero. I maybe get one every couple of months now. It has also stopped all the double glazing companys etc ringing me so thats a bonus.
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#28 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Destination: Hard Brexit
Posts: 6,364
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There is a way you can trace withheld calls without getting anyone involved - all it takes is a bit of know-how, and the willing to pay BT for call divert. If you want to know more, PM me.
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#29 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Sep 2004
Posts: 987
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Quote:
and I don't have the facility to view or trace a withheld number at all.
The system DOES know who made the call! That's how "Right to Refuse" works! If people have problems with just a few numbers calling at stupid times, consider using this service. It can block calls from any number (it sees the number even if withheld, but won't let you know what it is), and last time I checked cost LESS than the Anonymous Caller Rejection, even though it must be harder to administrate. It has the added bonus of not nuking every single anonymous call! |
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#30 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Milton Keynes
Posts: 260
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Personally don't worry about it, no voice on the other end etc etc, don't be suprised if it is a genuine wrong number or auto dialler (but a bit strange at 4am!!)
I doubt the police will do anything at the moment, telecom misuse cases normally need a little more that 2 random calls, but I know the line trace equipment may work, but it's worth telling friends and family about it, you may find that the calls stop becuase someone finds it funny to prank call you but when they think they will get into serious trouble they normally stop. One the other hand when we had an 0800 number all calling number were displayed in the format of 01234 56****, so we always got to see where the customer called from even if they used caller withhold. So the telco's can do the same anyway. |
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#31 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Nov 2003
Posts: 12,053
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Quote:
I called BT to ask if they were able to find out the number as it was withheld and they said it wasn't possible.
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#32 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Sunderland Pontop Pike
Posts: 734
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Quote:
Why dont you just turn on Anonymous Caller Rejection on your line ? If someone calls you with a withheld number, the caller gets a message saying "This number does not accept anonymous calls", and your phone wont even ring.
To turn it on dial *227# and to turn it off you can dial #227# -Chris
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#33 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Milton Keynes
Posts: 260
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The anon caller reject also causes proplems for all the emergency services, for example, Police, Fire and Ambulance crews who use Airwave cannot call you as the radios do not transmit caller ID due to the set up of the network.
This can cause delays as the vehicle crews have to contact the control rooms to get them to call you, all this takes time. It can very easily add 5-6 minutes to a call response. |
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#34 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 1
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Quote:
There is a way you can trace withheld calls without getting anyone involved - all it takes is a bit of know-how, and the willing to pay BT for call divert. If you want to know more, PM me.
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#35 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Destination: Hard Brexit
Posts: 6,364
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As I keep getting emails about this all the time and I can't always reply to them, it's probably easier if I just post the information here...
Best bet is to use this service - it's basically a virtual switchboard. http://www.switchboardfree.co.uk/ Get yourself an 0844 number. Costs nothing, and remember to set up email alerts for missed calls! Set the main divert for the number to go to an invalid number, for example if you lived in Exeter (01392), use 01392000000, or for example, Plymouth (01752) use 01752000000. If anyone calls that number, they'll just get hold music and give up after a minute or so, or you can set the queue to be closed so it just plays a message and hangs up (cannot guarantee you get an email this way though). Now, the trick is to set up your landline to divert to this 0844 switchboard number after a set amount of rings. Now, this is easy to do on a mobile as you can set this up and remove the divert "on the fly", with a BT landline you actually have to be there to set the diverts. Now, basically when the withheld number calls you, you leave it to time out and divert to the 0844 number. When the person hangs up, you get an email with the caller ID info, even if it is withheld. Bit longwinded, but will get the result you want. Cheers!! ![]() (PS: Yes I know the last time this thread was replied to was nearly a year and a half ago - but I get emails every other day about this - once just this morning - thanks Dean )
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#36 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Norfolk
Posts: 3,673
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Quote:
As I keep getting emails about this all the time and I can't always reply to them, it's probably easier if I just post the information here...
Best bet is to use this service - it's basically a virtual switchboard. http://www.switchboardfree.co.uk/ Get yourself an 0844 number. Costs nothing, and remember to set up email alerts for missed calls! Set the main divert for the number to go to an invalid number, for example if you lived in Exeter (01392), use 01392000000, or for example, Plymouth (01752) use 01752000000. If anyone calls that number, they'll just get hold music and give up after a minute or so, or you can set the queue to be closed so it just plays a message and hangs up (cannot guarantee you get an email this way though). Now, the trick is to set up your landline to divert to this 0844 switchboard number after a set amount of rings. Now, this is easy to do on a mobile as you can set this up and remove the divert "on the fly", with a BT landline you actually have to be there to set the diverts. Now, basically when the withheld number calls you, you leave it to time out and divert to the 0844 number. When the person hangs up, you get an email with the caller ID info, even if it is withheld. Bit longwinded, but will get the result you want. Cheers!! ![]() (PS: Yes I know the last time this thread was replied to was nearly a year and a half ago - but I get emails every other day about this - once just this morning - thanks Dean )I think subscribing to anonymous call rejection would be easier. In fact, why don't BT just give the service to whoever wants it, free of charge? They could close down the 'nuisance calls bureau'. No number, not get through. Simple. Do i win a £5 book token for that brilliant idea? |
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#37 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Destination: Hard Brexit
Posts: 6,364
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Quote:
Do i win a £5 book token for that brilliant idea?
Some people want to find out who the caller is. The above method will do this. |
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#38 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Leeds
Posts: 2,475
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BT can trace withheld numbers but you have to get tell them about these kind of calls & then they will trace them
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#39 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Norfolk
Posts: 3,673
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Quote:
No.
Some people want to find out who the caller is. The above method will do this. Why not just report it to the cops in the first instance and let them (and BT) 'find out' who it is and deal with it? That way none of setting up this, that and the other to divert to here, there and everywhere is needed??
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#40 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Destination: Hard Brexit
Posts: 6,364
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Look, people have been emailing me for the information, so now I've posted it. If you use it great, if not, then no skin off my nose.
I've found it very handy. |
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#41 |
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BT Support
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 459
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Hello Sakina,
I have sent you a PM about these unwanted calls. Fionnuala |
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#42 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 1
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Quote:
As I keep getting emails about this all the time and I can't always reply to them, it's probably easier if I just post the information here...
Best bet is to use this service - it's basically a virtual switchboard. http://www.switchboardfree.co.uk/ Get yourself an 0844 number. Costs nothing, and remember to set up email alerts for missed calls! Set the main divert for the number to go to an invalid number, for example if you lived in Exeter (01392), use 01392000000, or for example, Plymouth (01752) use 01752000000. If anyone calls that number, they'll just get hold music and give up after a minute or so, or you can set the queue to be closed so it just plays a message and hangs up (cannot guarantee you get an email this way though). Now, the trick is to set up your landline to divert to this 0844 switchboard number after a set amount of rings. Now, this is easy to do on a mobile as you can set this up and remove the divert "on the fly", with a BT landline you actually have to be there to set the diverts. Now, basically when the withheld number calls you, you leave it to time out and divert to the 0844 number. When the person hangs up, you get an email with the caller ID info, even if it is withheld. Bit longwinded, but will get the result you want. Cheers!! ![]() (PS: Yes I know the last time this thread was replied to was nearly a year and a half ago - but I get emails every other day about this - once just this morning - thanks Dean )Have my landline to divert to 0843 number after a few rings, is there anything else i should be doing? |
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#43 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Reading
Posts: 27,884
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I would be very surprised if this 0843 divert works. According to their website the alert e-mail sends the CLI only if available. Which of course it won't be if the caller withholds it. Quote:
Missed call alert - Email and SMS http://www.switchboardfree.co.uk/features.aspOnce a customer calls your number, we record the inbound CLI (The caller's phone number) when available; Should a customer hang up when they are on hold we will send their phone number to your email address in seconds so you can call them back. At a small additional cost you may also recieve your missed call alerts via SMS to your mobile phone. SMS alerts are great if you are out of the office for the day or are called away at short notice. Optional SMS credits can be purchased via worldpay once you are logged into your account. A major plus for customer service. Many companies have increased their staffing levels as a result of this useful service. When a caller withholds the CLI nothing at all is sent to the receiving phone. Which also means that there is nothing for this service to retrieve to send back to you in an e-mail. The only way they could get the callers number is to retrieve the Billing Number somehow. This number is used by the telecoms companies to identify the originator of the call so they know who to bill. It is in a separate field to the CLI and is always sent regardless of whether CLI is withheld or not. As far as I am aware this information is not sent out of the exchange on an ordinary domestic phone line. I may be wrong on this but it is my understanding that this information is only delivered via digital circuits to a switchboard. So even though this service may have the correct incoming circuits the billing number should have been stripped off by the link from exchange to your phone. And from what I have read up about the whole CLI business there may well be Data Protection implications for any company that uses this information without a justifiable cause. eg the telecoms companies using it to bill you or the 999 operators using it to identify a call in the event the CLI is withheld and the caller collapses before giving out their address for example. |
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#44 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Apr 2007
Posts: 13,309
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I've revived an old thread to ask if anyone knows if tracing withheld calls is any easier nowadays.
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#45 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: London
Posts: 3,847
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BT have never really had an issue with revealing withheld numbers (within their own service); they just won't reveal the details to a member of the public.
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#46 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Nailsworth, Gloucestershire
Posts: 10,402
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Quote:
While it may be true that CS staff at BT can't retrieve numbers that have called someone, it was misleading to the OP to suggest that the number could not be traced: it implies the identity of the caller is never known by the system. This is, of course, rubbish.
The system DOES know who made the call! That's how "Right to Refuse" works! If people have problems with just a few numbers calling at stupid times, consider using this service. It can block calls from any number (it sees the number even if withheld, but won't let you know what it is), and last time I checked cost LESS than the Anonymous Caller Rejection, even though it must be harder to administrate. It has the added bonus of not nuking every single anonymous call! If you don't know who made a call and which number they dialed, how can you charge them for that call? |
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#47 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Apr 2007
Posts: 13,309
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We have our Broadband and landline through Vodafone. I suppose they would be the people to contact re nuisance calls.
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#48 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Reading
Posts: 27,884
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Quote:
We have our Broadband and landline through Vodafone. I suppose they would be the people to contact re nuisance calls.
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#49 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Apr 2007
Posts: 13,309
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Quote:
They would. But if the caller is spoofing the CLI or withholding it you need to make an accurate note of the time of the call so they can search their logs for the actual number that called you.
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#50 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Oct 2004
Posts: 14,633
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Quote:
Thanks. What is the CLI?
Legitimate businesses can choose what number they "send" when they make a call to someone. This is used so that, for example, in a company that gives each employee their own number, any time an employee calls someone their own number appears on the phone, not that of the receptionist or "withheld". Less legitimate businesses can abuse it to display whatever number they like. It's illegal, but hard to police when the scammers are operating outside of the UK. When you "withhold" your number, the telephone companies still know that you called someone (or that you were called by someone) - it's the telephone equivalent of writing a letter to a newspaper, with your name and address, but asking the editor to please keep you anonymous So if the number is "unavailable" or "withheld", that's why you need to make a note of the date and time of the call, so you can ask your telephone company to look into it |
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