Forum Discussion

Hefeydd's avatar
Hefeydd
Tuning in
11 hours ago

40 calls logged on a landline number that no one has? How is that possible

From the moment I was given a new number, I was inundated with phone calls. A provider is not supposed to give out numbers to customers from a disconnected line unless that number has been held out of service for a minimum of six months. That is what telecommunications providers are supposed to adhere to. But they don't.

From the moment I had a new number, I was inundated with phone calls at all hours— early morning, late at night— it was an absolute nightmare, and VM couldn't care less. I had no apology and he said, “Well, sir, you could always unplug the phone, couldn't you?”

This meant that the new number wasn't actually new; it was a number that had been put back into service after being held on your system for less than six months. I very rarely use my landline. I checked it the other day, and I've had 40 calls this month. Thankfully, BT Call Guardian has blocked them. I've had calls from as early as 08:00 and at times eight calls in one day. Not a single person has my landline number, and yet I have 40 calls?

home phone
Landline

3 Replies

  • nodrogd's avatar
    nodrogd
    Very Insightful Person
    2 hours ago

    There are no new numbers being issued due to the demand for them. Numbers are recycled on a turnaround of 3 months to a year. The same goes for mobile numbers.

    Even then you will suffer with calls from scam call centres. These automatically block dial numbers 100 at a time in the hope someone will pick up. They will literally go through every number on an exchange several times a month. If you do answer (even putting the receiver straight down) the line is marked as responding & the calls ramp up to almost daily. All the fun of having a landline number.

  • Vikki_M's avatar
    Vikki_M
    Icon for Forum Team rankForum Team
    3 hours ago

    Hi Hefeydd,

    Thanks for your post and welcome to our community.

    We're sorry to hear about the unwanted calls you've been receiving to the landline.

    As the community have advised, there can be many reasons this can happen that are outside of our control. 

    We'd recommend a block however can see you already have this in place.

    You can also register the number with the telephone preference service. 

    We can also change your number if you'd like?

    If you would like a new number, please let us know here and we'll send you a private message and go from there.

  • goslow's avatar
    goslow
    Alessandro Volta
    4 hours ago

    Whatever your number was used for previously, it may have been well pubicised and widely distributed.

    In similar past topics we have seen complaints about a number previously registered to a doctors' surgery; a number still registered with takeaway delivery companies and still receiving calls; a number used by a removals company; a number similar to a social housing organisation receiving unwanted calls; a number receiving calls over an extended period of time for a previous user of the number; a number which received calls from debt collectors trying to contact the previous user of the number. Have you tried Googling the number to see if it gives any clues about its past?

    Your number may also have possibly been previously used by a victim of scam callers who will dial the number relentlessly if they think they have a victim who can be scammed.

    It used to be the case that VM would offer one free swap to a different number under such circumstances (not sure if that is still the case and you may possibly get similar problems on any other 'new' number to a greater or lesser degree).