Blocking an unknown number?

TenLeftFingers · 07-12-2002 3:11pm #1

Hi folks!
My girlfriend wants to block a number that she is getting calls to on her mobile. The caller is hiding his number when he calls so she does'nt know what to do ( neither do I

)

Anyway there's probably nothing she can do but I though this would be the best place to find out.

Thanks,
merlin_bar

Mr. Fancypants · 07-12-2002 3:17pm

Not too sure, but if the caller left any message you should be able to dial "22" in the message and get the number of the call.

Hope that helps

phreak · 07-12-2002 3:31pm

as far as i know there is no way to block calls from a specific caller that blocks his number.

Ruaidhri · 07-12-2002 3:34pm

try ringing your service provider(o2,vodafone etc) and explaining your plight. then ask them if they can stop that number from calling your phone.

okonski · 09-12-2002 4:21pm

There is a facility mandated by the EU to protect users from this problm, and it is called ACR, for Anonymous Call Rejection. Currently only eircom offer a phone with ACR - it crudely prevents the phone ringing when a 'Withheld' number arrives.

The mobile companies say they offer a similar service, but requires the user to 'buxy' the incoming call by looking at the display to see that there IS no number, then forwarding it to Voicemail. Not ideal, but at least a solution.

Gordon · 09-12-2002 4:32pm

Ring the police, all numbers can be traced (possibly unless coming from abroad). But ring the police for sure.

okonski · 09-12-2002 4:45pm

Can I also ring the police for receiving annoying Telemarketing calls to my mobile? I don't think so. Unless a crime is being committed, the Garda will not be interested. As the call is delivered either with or without the number, it's up to the recipient to choose whether to answer.

Gordon · 09-12-2002 4:55pm

Nuisance and prank calls you can call the Gardai.

As for telemarketing, the reason you are getting telemarketers could be because you ticked the wrong boxes when applying for certain services so the Gards wouldn't be able to see that as prank/nuisance calls.

If someone is calling your number consistently and causing you nuisance you can call the Gards for sure.

okonski · 10-12-2002 2:39am

Perhaps you should read the regulations regarding cold calling and telemarketing calls? Anyone who is listed in the public telephone directory is already deemed to have have given permission to be called - no question, you don't have to opt in or out.

Perhaps next time you receive a call you don't want you actual go to the Garda Station and try to report it - you will be disappointed with their response. 'Nuisance' calls have to fit a profile, and calls from an unhappy former boyfriend or vengeful wife will not be acted upon unless it gets out of hand, and believe me, the Garda officer will treat these complaint on their merits - a youthful 26 year old will have to lump it, but a worried pensioner will not.

If you don;t believe me - try it for yourself - I already have first hand experience and the only solutionwas a civil, not criminal court case/ But we're way off topic, at issue is the receipt of calls that are classed as PRIVATE. Just don't answer them, or play a message on your voicemail saying you do not accept such calls. NTL offer this service free of charge in their Belfast franchise. Only calls that are not withheld are connected.

Gordon · 12-12-2002 10:09am

Fair enough, I'm just talking from personal experience also where the Gards were actually helpful.

Anyway, back "on topic" so.

michaelanthony · 12-12-2002 10:17am

If it's a telemarketer on a cold call, technically they have to stop pushing the sales pitch after two refusals from you. After this, it's harassment and you could have them on that.

TenLeftFingers · 12-12-2002 2:30pm

Thanks a lot for all your help! In this case, we know the caller, however there are other private numbers that calls are expected from so blocking all private numbers won't work in this case.

Calling the Guards will be a little extreme in this case, as it IS in fact an ex boyfriend, as someone guessed earlier. I think the words "f**k off" might be more practical than anything the guards could do:). The calls seem to have stopped for now at least.

I appreciate all the help, thanks again!

merlin_bar

okonski · 12-12-2002 8:24pm

As a temporary solution - why not get the callers who usually keep their numbers private (for info, I'd never accept such a call, as if they don't want me to know who they are, they can whistle!) to release it for the call they make to the mobile. This way the phone can be answered safe in the knowledge that its not the nutter! (they just dial 141 before the mobile number, and that releases the number for that call only).

Good Luck...!

TenLeftFingers · 12-12-2002 11:15pm

Really? Does that work for private land lines as well? Thanks for that, I'll pass it on to the lady with the ever shortening fuse

elexes · 13-12-2002 10:13am

a while ago my gf had this problom she rang vodaphone and they "looked" into it for her calls have stopped

Kell · 13-12-2002 12:18pm

Originally posted by okonski
Unless a crime is being committed, the Garda will not be interested.

As Gordon says, it's a nuisance call or prank call. Same happened to a mate and my fiancé. I rang the cops and hey presto, the calls stopped.

okonski · 13-12-2002 3:57pm

Originally posted by Kell
As Gordon says, it's a nuisance call or prank call. Same happened to a mate and my fiancé. I rang the cops and hey presto, the calls stopped.

....and the Garrda did ....what? exactly?

Many 'prank' calls stop as quickly as they begin as the nutter gets bored. Let's not credit the Garda for great policing of phone calls - when I've already had the law shown to me at Shankill Garda station - basically, 'sorry mate' try eircell/digifone. "But I don't know whichnetwork the calls are coming from?" the answer was 'Neither do we, unless we ask for a trace on your line to log incoming calls... and as no crime has been committed, come back when it has.

Gordon · 13-12-2002 4:07pm

The Gardai call the number and ask to speak to the bill payer in many cases.

I work in a chain of "Talkshop"s where customers come in and use the phones to call anyone they like. Our numbers are all hidden and we have had several Garda queries. I personally got a query from the Gardai as I was trying to get through to someone that hadn't paid our bill.

I guess it differs station to station/shift to shift.

okonski · 16-12-2002 10:50am

I know having a good relationship with the local station can pay dividends in this regard, but it won;t be long before this kinda flexibility is outlawed... imagine the complaints if addresses matched to car registration numbers became easier to obtain.... a telephone number should be no different! <g>

LFCFan · 17-12-2002 11:49am

the 8310 has a facility where you can add different numbers to different categories like friends, business etc and then you can specify whether those categories can call you. Dunno about unknown numbers though.

cerbeus · 07-09-2004 5:42pm

This might be slightly different but is there any way of tracing a number which is persistently calling?

I am receiving daily calls from a number that I have never seen before which is nine digits in length. Today I had five calls from this number and am starting to get annoyed as they arrive when I'm out and although I have an answering machine they never leave a message.

Sorry if this is considered thread hijacking but there doesn't seem to be a forum for nusiance calls.

okonski · 14-09-2004 8:07am

Non unless there's some form of harassment involved. Having only 9 digits displayed is interesting, though. Are they significant...? Some company PABXs provide the ability to configure CLI on-the-fly (to reflect the number of the extension making the call) and this may be set up incorrectly. If all else fails, you could tery complaining to ComReg, who may feel they should do something about this....

samo · 15-09-2004 9:28am

As far as I know if you have an idea what the guy hassling's number is and ask operator to bar it they will and this will work even if ID is witheld as the witheld number does appear on operator's system but tht information cn only be accessed by fraud. Short of that iff issue is reported to the gards and you have a crime reference number, operators can at their discretion change number at no cost to customer.....whether they do or not though remains to be seen!

govinda · 15-09-2004 10:41am

Kinda related. My aunt in the UK is a Telewest phone/Internet customer and as we're ex-directory (number sending blocked by default) we can't ring her without showing the number (dialling 142 before 0044) - if we forget, we get a message "The Telewest customer you are calling is not accepting your call as your number is withheld". She was getting nuisance calls at all hours of the night before...
Useful service, hope its offered here soon!

Paulw · 15-09-2004 12:21pm

No number is unknown, it's just withheld. Your operator (O2, Vodafone, Meteor) can all see what number called you. They can then block that specific number.

Make sure you have enough details - 2 or 3 dates/times when you were called from that person harassing you. Then they can pin it down.

Doublezero8 · 15-09-2004 12:59pm

Even though it is possible to block a number as far as i know the blocking of one specific number is not a service provided by opertors in ireland.

Any problems like this need to go through the Gardai who will investigate with the operator.

008

Blocking an unknown number?

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