0800 5979841 - Sky Insurance Scam

[Exdee]

Got a phone call today from this number, Scottish chick selling Sky Insurance. She ended the call abruptly after I asked her a few questions.

Googled a bit and found this

Rang Sky too and they confirmed they did not make the call.

Beware!

[Scubbie]

Thanks for the head up Exdee.

For anyone interested, there are a couple of useful databases to help prevent this kind on nuisance call:

TPS Registration

Mail Preference Service

Sadly with the expansion of these companies across the globe, this kind of database does not always work.

...but it is nice when you can ask the person at the other end of the phone if they know that they are in breach of the Data Protection Act and therefore breaking the law.

They don't normally hang around long enough when you ask for their contact details so that you can get you solicitor to contact them.

[Alan b]

That number rings a bell as I had a call from them a couple of months back, needless to say they didn't get very far we me as I could smell the scan from the word go.

[Isitme]

The trouble with the TPS registration is that it only covers calls which directly involve selling. What happens now is that every selling call is started with a blurb about doing market research and usually ends with 'we will put your number in a free draw'. A couple of days later you get a call saying ' You have won a £1000 voucher towards the cost of a new kitchen/bedroom/double glazing and the latest one, solar panels'. I take great delight in saying, no thank you.

I am getting a lot of fun at the moment fielding calls from the ones who want to fix my computer. My best time so far is 14 minutes, before I got fed up and told her I knew she was working a scam. She got very indignant and said she was not several times, then hung up.

[Scubbie]

TPS is better than nothing.

I guess that you've been having a lot of fun winding the people up in the phone whilst they try to 'fix' your computer though.

I love the excuses that they provide as to how they get hold of your number though. I'm ex-directory so how can they find it in the telephone book?

Anything else is in breach of the Data Protection Act as I always tick (or don't tick) the box so as not to get sales calls.

[Old_nick]

Since about 60% of households have a Sky receiver, you could phone lots of residential numbers at random and have a good number of hits for people that could be persuaded to take out insurance.

[mcphailan.]

Since about 60% of households have a Sky receiver, you could phone lots of residential numbers at random and have a good number of hits for people that could be persuaded to take out insurance.

They should be put in the Nick

[Scubbie]

Since about 60% of households have a Sky receiver, you could phone lots of residential numbers at random and have a good number of hits for people that could be persuaded to take out insurance.

Using a telephone directory, for example, to cold call people has been illegal under the Telecommunications Act for many years.

Dialling telephone numbers at random is also illegal under the same act of Parliament, I believe.

Should someone purchase a mailing list or telephone list, and they be based in this country, then it is also an offence not to cross check lists such as the TPS & MPS under acts such as 'The Privacy and Electronic Communications (EC Directive) (Amendment) Regulations 2004'.

Whilst the Acts of Parliament may have changed over the years, I do not believe this protection has been withdrawn. I just wish that there was a way to prevent email from being used in the same way.

Sadly there are many firms that set up in other countries in order to bypass these laws.

[Old_nick]

Random dialling is also difficult to prove, Scubbie. When my phone number was ex-directory, I still used to get marketing calls from UK companies who openly admitted to me that they random dialled.