Weird Dialling Code

Subject: Weird Dialling Code
From: bubblyrat
Date: 20 Oct 14 - 09:07 AM

We have received several calls from 00140 ....... but there is no-one there ,no message, and you can't dial the number to find out !! There are several queries from other people on the internet, but it all seems to be a mystery ! Do any "Catters" know ?? (some people say Helsinki, but that is a "zip"code ,apparently ! ).

Subject: RE: Weird Dialling Code
From: MartinRyan
Date: 20 Oct 14 - 09:23 AM

You are not alone

Click here

Regards

Subject: RE: Weird Dialling Code
From: GUEST,Henry Piper of Ottery,
Date: 20 Oct 14 - 09:31 AM

I,m assuming your in the U.K,
This is probably a "Disguised" Non Geographic no, ie one that is not allocated to a specific town or country, they are used by fraudsters to avoid recognition, the usual scam is to tell you your computer has a fault, ask you to hand over remote control to the caller, and then proceed to install malware or similar evils. another one is to convince you you have won a competition, usually a big lottery win, then ask you to send a sum of money to " Release your winnings2 !!!

IGNORE THEM DONOT ANSWER
Henry

Subject: RE: Weird Dialling Code
From: bubblyrat
Date: 20 Oct 14 - 09:36 AM

Thanks Martyn, that was a useful link. Thanks Henry in Ottery (St Mary ?? ) I think you have got it bang on !! Any relation to the eponymous Artist ( John Christmas Piper ?).

Subject: RE: Weird Dialling Code
From: GUEST,Henry Piper in Ottery
Date: 20 Oct 14 - 09:41 AM

Definitely Ottery St Mary,!!!
Unfortunately no relation to The illustrious Artist John Piper!! or to our local Wine merchant Christopher Piper whose Phone calls I keep Getting.
Henry

Subject: RE: Weird Dialling Code
From: GUEST,Henry Piper of Ottery
Date: 20 Oct 14 - 10:02 AM

...........Although I am Old Father Christmas in the Sidmouth Traditional Mumming Play !!!!

Subject: RE: Weird Dialling Code
From: GUEST,Rahere
Date: 21 Oct 14 - 05:32 AM

Ah, the Piper at the Gates of Dusk.
Keep a ref's whistle by the phone. What's happening is they've got an automatic dialler working through every number one by one. If it doesn't exist, it moves on to the next one, same if it's not answered. If it is answered, it polls its gopher farm for a minimum wage trog not on a call, and puts you through. At that point, your phone develops an equally strange fault triggered by the unrecognisable dialing code and allows the transmission of an ear-shattering blast from the ref's whistle down the line. That causes the removal of said gopher from the ranks of the farm, while the concussion sorts itself out, and you do the rodent a favour.
The reason you get nothing is because the polling produces no spare gophers, but if you hang on, they'll find you one.
As at this point, OfCom is starting to investigate whether the barring system s effective, or whether it should go for an outright ban on cold calling.

Subject: RE: Weird Dialling Code
From: Rumncoke
Date: 21 Oct 14 - 04:49 PM

If I'm not busy I tend to keep them talking whilst I tell them that they are fraudulent and they'll not get anything out of me, that I won't - for instance - go to my computer.

They seem to think I don't mean it and that all they have to do is keep talking and they'll persuade me which can get quite funny.

If I'm doing something I just put the phone down.

Whilst they are talking to me they aren't talking to someone more gullible, is my reasoning. They also get to know what people think of them and their scare tactics.

Subject: RE: Weird Dialling Code
From: GUEST,Rog Peek
Date: 22 Oct 14 - 05:45 AM

When I get a cold call that requires me to press a button to get through to an operator, I press the required button to get through, I put the phone next to the computer speaker and play them "Chantilly Lace" by The Big Bopper. Chantilly Lace

Why not the "If you don't want to be contacted again......" button. They take no notice.

Rog

Subject: RE: Weird Dialling Code
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 22 Oct 14 - 06:14 AM

I generally hang up without a word, reckoning that if it happens to be a genuine call they will assume a fault on the line & call back. None ever has.

But when, as sometimes happens, they begin "How are you?" - then I reply 'Why, how kind of you to enquire'; and proceed to tell them at some length about my arthritis, my summer allergies, my chronic tinea, the ongoing occasional inflammatory effects of my long-cured ulcer...

Then I say, "I do much appreciate your taking the trouble to call and enquire about my health. Thank you so much."

& then I hang up.

≈M≈

Subject: RE: Weird Dialling Code
From: GUEST,Rahere
Date: 22 Oct 14 - 07:04 AM

An uncle tended to answer the phone, "Zis is ze Russtian Embassy. How can ve help you?" He was chums with Peter Sellars...
Me, I speak a bit of Flemish, so tend to drop into that. There's precious few Delhi gophers who speak that language. My late wife's tongue was Welsh: better yet. Give them a bit of strangeness. Ask for their opinions on your rendition of Chevy Chase - all 116 verses of it...

Subject: RE: Weird Dialling Code
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 22 Oct 14 - 08:18 AM

Another thing I sometimes do is say -

"I am so glad you called. You are just the impartial person I need to help me with collating responses to make progress on an academic disqstn i am workg on, on incremental extrapolations of inquisitorial logistics

so wd u mind answering the following qustns 4 me?


what do u think of pauline kael's suggestion that Akira kurasowa's technique of landscape photography derives from john fords work in the 1930s & 40s, especially his western landscapes in films like T Grapes of Wrath & My Darlg Clementine?

Do u agree that modern politix began w the chartist mvmt

other things being = wd u prefer to spend several hrs in a gallery full of botticellis or of rembrandts

wd u give more trust to a candidate with blue or brown eyes

wd u prefer 2b invstigtd by frost or lewis if u wr a. victim, or b. offender

iyo r thr enuf websites dedicated 2 golf handicaps

shd cp be reintroduced into schools to protect vulnerable young tchrs from violent pupils?

+ any other non-questions that might occur

Generally they just disconnect; but one or two have cooperatively answered the questions, whom I have thanked warmly

and then hung up.

≈M≈

Subject: RE: Weird Dialling Code
From: Edthefolkie
Date: 22 Oct 14 - 08:40 AM

We've had lots of these scam calls recently, UK sourced and abroad, including the 00140 one from heaven knows where.

The UK ones offer to solve your debt problems, or fit boilers/insulation/solar panels which will be magically paid for by HM Government. They are all clearly directed at the confused or elderly (that's me then!) as the initial spiel is usually delivered by a female who TELLS YOU TO PRESS "FIVE" NOW, OR YOU WILL BE SEVERELY DISCIPLINED WITH CASTOR OIL.   

It's not funny - both my and the missus' mums were pressured into changing their energy suppliers by doorsteppers, and this is more insidious.

We have been signed up to the Telephone Preference Service for years, but the cowboys and their subcontractors are much lighter on their feet. I checked with TPS a few weeks ago and we were still signed up, but when I tried to report a couple of UK scammers yesterday, their website was "undergoing maintenance".

When we got one of the calls from the 00140 no., I said "hello", let the caller burble on for a while, then asked him who he was. Not Microsoft this time - he claimed he was the "Telleefone Preferensse Serveesss". See, they're ahead of the game!

I look forward to an early appearance on BBC News by Dave Cameron with his hard hat and hi-viz jacket, telling us all that he will stop these scams pronto. Dream on, Ed......

Subject: RE: Weird Dialling Code
From: GUEST,Rahere
Date: 23 Oct 14 - 08:55 AM

What we really need is something like a telephone Captcha system, the suppression of caller identity hiding, and listing of incoming calls on our accounts. In the mean time, is anyone tempted to link their PC to the phone and send them down a circular track of automated responses until they give up?

This is The Syrius Cybernetics Telephone Management System. (Happy jingle). It has been a pleasure to make you wait. Please press One for Customer Services, Two for Mr John Treadwell, Three for...
Everything goes to:
Hello, this is Customer Services. We are pleased to announce we have serviced so many customers this last month not one of them can still think straight and half finish their calls somewhat unsteady on their legs and with a glazed look on their faces. Please press One for Press Releases, Two for Complaints, Three for our famous Suggestions helpline, Four for ...
Everything goes to:
'Ello, this is the night security manager 'ere. I'm sorry, the person you are trying to contact is not available at this godforsaken hour, kindly listen to the message...
This is the Syrius Cybernetics Telephone Management System....

Subject: RE: Weird Dialling Code
From: GUEST,Henry Piper of Ottery.
Date: 24 Oct 14 - 04:08 AM

If I fancy a "bit of a Lark" my standard response when I get one of these calls is:-
Hello, you have reached the Ministry of Defence south west area command centre. your telephone number has been automatically noted for future reference, and you may receive follow on calls, in the meantime please have the name of the agent you wish to speak to, together with your security clearance code available .
almost invariably the call is terminated, and in most cases is not repeated.!! I'm thinking of having this put as an alternative message on my Ansaphone.

Subject: RE: Weird Dialling Code
From: GUEST,Rahere
Date: 24 Oct 14 - 09:15 AM

Wouldn't it be fun to pass on the numbers of cold-callers to each other? Start to force the Black Web to eat itself...