Slashdot Mirror

I signed my parents Pub up on this list and the Fax Preference System (and the Mail P S), and within two months the amount of sales calls and reams of wasted fax paper went down to zero... a customer of ours was lamenting to us about the same problems with his phone and fax line, and he wouldn't believe us that it worked (one month later though he was most impressed).

Ever since signing up to this opt out scheme, we've only ever had ONE sales phone call, and fortunately I was there to 'casually' inform them that if we were not removed from their (and any company shared) contact list, that they were liable for a very big fine, and that they were in violation of the opt-out list to which they are meant to adhere to and risked criminal prosecution for violation of (not sure if it was true, but it added significant weight to our argument)... it's a call that left me feeling very empowered for a change!

TPS Online - with links to the sister sites for FaxPS, MailPS and even e-mailPS... although I never bothered with the latter, considering the amount of e-mail sources that is way out of their control.

TPS, for the UK, is the Telephone Preference Service.

Actually, I think they are just able to buy international call access at bulk rates. There's a lot of spare capacity on the international phone network, and buying it in bulk makes this sort of thing cost effective.

It's like those shops full of phones offering cheap calls abroad - the UK city I live in has about 30% population of Indian/Pakistani/Bangladeshi descent, and in certain areas there are loads of these places. They are reselling phone time that has been bought in bulk from someone like BT. Same thing for the cards that give you so many minutes of cheap international calls from your home phone by dialling a special prefix code.

AFAIK, UK businesses have to respect your registration with the Telephone Preference Service, even if the calls are originated in an offshore call centre.

UK's TPS

It actually works very well, and companies DO get into trouble if they violate the policy. It has not hindered tele-marketing at all, except that it has put an end to a lot of silly 'double glazing companies' from misusing the system by making them buy the list (which is quite expensive and must be upgraded frequently).

I am on the list, but most people do not know it exists. I have not recieved any crappy calls since signing on, but still recieve texts as they dont come under the same laws (a recent slashdot story

SMS Story

hints that texts may soon be part of this law, however, which is great!). There is also a snail-mail equivalent. Nice to see the self proclaimed 'free world' catching up with the other side of the pond!

I am signed up with the Telephone Preference Service and phone spam is practically a thing of the past. The occasional call I do get ends in abject apologies when I tell them (politely) that the number they have just called is on the list.

There is also the Mailing Preference Service, which does the same for junk mail - or at least junk mail addressed to me. Stuff sent to "The Occupier" and leaflets delivered in bulk by the postman are not halted.

If only Spam could be dealt with as effectively...

Visit The Telephone Preference Service.

This is a FREE (as in beer) service provided by the Direct Marketing Association. Once you sign up, it is actually illegal for telesales marketroids to phone you up!

While you're at it, you can sign up for the Mailing Preference Service (this one saves trees as well as your patience), the Faxing Preference Service and the Emailing Preference Service.

This is precisely the reason I haven't signed up for the UK's 'Do Not Email' list. It seems to be a guaranteed way of getting hold of live addresses, and it's likely that whoever sends the spam is doing so from outside the UK's jurisdiction.

Mind you, the UK Telephone Preferences Service works a treat, as does its Mailing Preferences Service.

Cheers,
Ian

You can sign up online for free (they send a letter of acknowledgement in the post) and it is backed by legislation. It isn't perfect, but I reckon that after a few months the number of unwanted calls dropped by more than 90%.

Charities are not excempt, and the only people who can legitimately still call you are companies with whom you have previously done business.

There are similar schemes for snail mail and fax junk which also seem to work well. They also have an email one, but that's a bit pointless since most spam comes from outside the UK.

In summary, I'm very happy with the system and I hope that those of you in more backward countries get a similar system soon ;-).

In the UK, we already have a service called the Telephone Preference Service which does this.

It's a legal obligation for anyone making unsolicited sales calls in the UK to avoid those on the Telephone Preference Service list. It takes 2 minutes to register online and actually works.

If you want to stop receiving telemarketing calls in the UK you can register with the Telephone Preference Service. It is backed by Oftel and it will stop telemarketers as they can be hit with big fines if you are on the list and they call you.

There is a similar service for junk faxes, the Fax Preference Service and even regular junk mail.

They have a similar spam blocking service but I doubt how useful that is :-)

If you want to stop receiving telemarketing calls in the UK you can register with the Telephone Preference Service. It is backed by Oftel and it will stop telemarketers as they can be hit with big fines if you are on the list and they call you.

There is a similar service for junk faxes, the Fax Preference Service and even regular junk mail.

They have a similar spam blocking service but I doubt how useful that is :-)

If you want to stop receiving telemarketing calls in the UK you can register with the Telephone Preference Service. It is backed by Oftel and it will stop telemarketers as they can be hit with big fines if you are on the list and they call you.

There is a similar service for junk faxes, the Fax Preference Service and even regular junk mail.

They have a similar spam blocking service but I doubt how useful that is :-)

To get rid of junk telephone calls and most junk mail in the UK:

• The Telephone Preference Service
• The Mailing Preference Service

I'm on both lists, and I was surprised at how effective these were. I used to be called most Sundays, now I'm never called. I used to receive an absolute torrent of junk mail, now it's barely a trickle.

Quick tip: when registering for the Mailing Preference Service, don't forget to register common misspellings of your name, your partner's name, your children's name, anyone who lived their previously for whom you still receive mail...you get the idea.

Cheers,
Ian

Where do you think those telemarketers and spammers are getting your contact information in the first place? There are several states (Michigan comes to mind immediately) that have no law prohibiting the state government from selling the data they collect to any business who buys it.

Over here in the UK, we have the Telephone Preference Service which punishes unsolicited cold-callers. We also have the Data Protection Act, which means that you have the right to know exactly what data each company stores on you, and also the right to order them to remove all data about you. Violation of it is a serious crime. Were it found out that the Government were selling data on to third parties, it would not remain so for long.

Your post only further points out that it is control that is required. I'm glad such controls exist over here.

I shan't even begin comments relating to the US's reaction to terrorism, save to say that it is turning the land of the free into the exact opposite.

There is an argument that sms spam is illegal, by the Telecommunications (Data Protection and Privacy) Regulations 1999.
Section 22 of those regs bans the use of automated calling systems for direct marketing, and sms spam is direct marketing, it is sent by an automated system (there isn't someone sitting there with a list of mobile phone nos. sending "do u want 2 have horny txt sex with me? txt back 4 fun" to each of the numbers) and is a call.
As the spammers use premium rate numbers for the replies (that's how they get their money) they must also abide by the ICSTIS code of practice, which include that they must have clear info about the cost of the 'service', they must give their address, and various other rules.
Also, if you register your mobile phone number with the telephone preference service, anyone sending you sms spam is breaking the law, just as anyone cold-calling a number registered with the tps is (section 25 of the same regulations I mentioned above.)
So, we should be able to get rid of the sms spam quite easily :-)

You can register with the Telephone Preference Service (TPS) to get your name off *most* call lists.

I haven't had a cold call in months.

Best wishes,
Mike.

Over on this side of the big pond, the cost of calling mobile telephones is still orders of magnitude higher than making national or local calls, and in some instances comparable (or even more expensive, if you use some of the specialist long-distance carriers) to making international calls. Example: Calls to mobiles are charged at anywhere from 18.90 to 26.05 pence per minute including tax during the daytime. Compare this to international rate calls to the USA at 14.00 and Australia at 22.00 pence per minute. (Source: BT price list). The cost alone is usually sufficient to put people of making calls to mobiles. SMS (text messaging) spam is become more popular though.

The UK Direct Marketing Association, which is the self regulatory body for direct marketeers in the UK run a scheme called the Telephone Preference Service or 'TPS'. From personal experience, I have found this scheme to be particularly effective against junk callers.

The same bunch also run a postal-mail and fax opt-out service, which is apparently also fairly successful, and an Email service, which I'm somewhat sceptical about (not giving my addressesout anyway, I shouldn't be on their lists). (and most of my spam comes from the USA anyhow) Under the Telecommunications (Data Protection and Privacy Regulations) 1999 it is an offence for any company engaged in direct marketing to call numbers listed on the TPS. Those who do can be 'shopped' straight away on the TPS site. One difference I noticed with the USA version of the TPS is that in the USA, you can still be called by local traders, charities and religious groups, AND your number only registers for five years. In the UK, local traders, charities and religious groups are included in the act.

• We don't pay for incoming calls. The result is the calling party pays the bill - and calling cell phones during the day can be expensive - circa 30p (40c) /min.
• We have a regulated scheme by which you can opt out of all telemarketing calls - the telephone preference service Click to sign up now. Companies calling numbers listed on the TPS face a 2000 GBP fine.

Telephone: Telephone Preference Service

E-mail: E-mail Preference Service

Fax: Fax Preference Service

Snail mail: Mail Preference Service

Telephone: Telephone Preference Service

E-mail: E-mail Preference Service

Fax: Fax Preference Service

Snail mail: Mail Preference Service

Telephone: Telephone Preference Service

E-mail: E-mail Preference Service

Fax: Fax Preference Service

Snail mail: Mail Preference Service

We also have the Telephone Preference Service, which stops unsolicted calls, and it has the force of law (and I believe &ukp2k fines per call) behind it. I'm registered, and I just don't get them any more.

This is where I gloat a wee bit about living in the UK. We have a lovely service called the Telephone Preference Service. Anyone making unsolicited commercial calls must cleanse their lists against the TPS list, or be guilty of a criminal offence.

Since registering a year ago, we've maybe had five calls, all of whom hang up really quickly once you start asking them for their details to report them to the TPS.

Oops that's www.tpsonline.org.uk The co.uk has been grabbed by a particulaly lame squatter.

Grrr - stupid preview button in the wrong place - the URL i meant to attach is here

TPS allows you to register on-line as well, and give links to the Fax Preference Service, and the UK DMA.