2. Is it Free to register with OptOutUK.com ?
4. What is the difference between Level 1 & Level 2 ?
5. Why do we charge for the Level 2 service ?
6. I have upgraded to Level 2, why does my account still show the Level 1 Free service only?
7. Why do I have to wait up to 28 days for the service to become fully effective ?
11. Is it possible to register more than one telephone number on OptOutUK.com ?
12. What happens if my phone and address details change ?
Why should I register with OptOutUK.com ?
OptOutUK.com is your one stop stop solution to putting a stop to all forms of unwanted direct marketing. Instead ofregistering seperately with all the different schemes you can simply register with OptOutUK.com once and select which schemes you want us to register you with.
Is it Free to register with OptOutUK.com ?
OptOutUK.com offers a Free service in addition to advanced services which increase your privacy.
The fastest and easiest way to register is using our online registration form.
What is the difference between Level 1 & Level 2 ?
Level 1 gives you basic protection against unsolicited forms of marketing, whereas Level 2 is an advanced privacy level which addresses all forms of solicited and unsolicited marketing.
Why do we charge for the Level 2 service ?
The answer to this question is covered here
I have upgraded to Level 2, why does my account still show the Level 1 Free service only?
If you have upgraded then you will have received an email to confirm your upgrade and this will allow you to make objections to companies immediately, however the status on your account will not change until 28 days.
Why do I have to wait up to 28 days for the service to become fully effective ?
It is a legal requirement for telemarketers not to call your number after it has been registered for 28 days. Upon registering you should notice a gradual reduction of unsolicited sales and marketing calls after a few days but please allow 28 days for the service to become fully effective.
We can’t promise that registration on Level 1 will stop all unsolicited sales and marketing calls but it will certainly reduce them. If after 28 days you are still receiving this type of call to the telephone number you have registered, you can take advantage of our free complaint handling service. Please click on the “Make An Objection” option in your account menu for further details.
We aim to stop 99.9% of nuisance calls on our Level 2 service, however some companies are unwilling to comply with law and respect your wishes, however, if you continue to get calls simply fill in your “Make An Objection Form” and we will do the rest.
All complaints received will be acknowledged and processed by our complaints team. We will write to the organisation involved asking for an explanation of why it has called your number and request that it removes the number from its call lists. We will also pass all the complaints received over to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), who are the UK independent supervisory authority reporting directly to the UK Parliament.
Is it possible to register more than one telephone number on OptOutUK.com ?
Yes. Once you have registered and logged into your account and click on the option to add more numbers, then select ‘add another number’, enter the second number and continue this process. Please only register ‘live’ telephone numbers.
What happens if my phone and address details change ?
If you have a new telephone number you can register this number on our website. If you have moved address but have kept the same telephone number please update your new contact details by logging into your account. Please let us know about any changes so we can keep our records up to date.
]]>In the UK all standard landlines are capable of receiving Caller-ID, though you do have to ask your network operator to turn it on. BT provides the service free as part of their Privacy at Home initiative, but other network operators may charge a monthly fee. Cable phone lines can also receive Caller-ID, though it is not available in some areas.
trueCall offers you extensive protection against nuisance calls, even if you don’t have Caller-ID delivered by your network operator.
We do recommend, however, that you get your network operator to turn on Caller-ID as this gives you even more features – Star list (a list of friends’ numbers who will automatically bypass Whisper and Shield) or a Zap list (a list of numbers that will be automatically rejected), anonymous caller rejection, Starred callers only, International override, etc.
When the Telephone Preference Service (TPS) was first introduced, it was tremendously effective, because companies believed they were at genuine risk of being fined £5000 per call if they transgressed. However, calls to registered numbers have increased, and consumers now get several unsolicited calls a day on a TPS registered number.
We believe the reason for this is offshore companies and the fact that no UK company has ever been prosecuted. Consumers have tried to complain, but are told to complete a lengthy form, and that no action would be taken unless there were five or more complaints. Faced with this, consumers just give up.
Moreover, the burden placed on the consumer to report is greater than the burden of putting up with the calls, and has little chance of success even if one takes the trouble. Companies are increasingly realising this, and returning to their old random telemarketing ways.
Finally, marketers are required to pay to access the Telephone Preference Service data for list-screening purposes. There is no excuse for the high fees charged for data access, they only serve to reduce compliance.
History of the Telephone Preference Service Limited (TPSL)
The Telephone Preference Service Limited (TPSL) , set up by the Direct Marketing Association (UK) Limited (DMA), was originally formed in 1995 as a voluntary self-regulatory mechanism to enable consumers to opt-out of receiving unsolicited sales and marketing calls.
The Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations came into force on 11th December 2003. The requirement to screen against the Telephone Preference Service (TPS) and Fax Preference Service (FPS) previously fell under the Telecommunications (Data Protection and Privacy) Regulations 1999.
In February 1999 OFCOM issued an Invitation To Tender for the Management of the Opt-Out Scheme. The DMA was awarded the contract to run the Telephone Preference Service (TPS).
The Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations
The Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations cover the way organisations market subscribers by electronic means (for example using telephone, fax, text and email). Marketing can include the promotion of goods, services, aims or ideals.
Regulation 21 of these Regulations does not allow unsolicited live marketing telephone calls to be made to a number if:
The Telephone Preference Service Limited and the ICO
The Information Commissioner advises on and enforces the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations.
Implications of phoning a TPS registered number
There is a fine of up to £5000 per offence for making unsolicited sales call to numbers on the TPS and CTPS registers. The simple definition of unsolicited is “did they ask you if they could call”.
Complaints
Complaints handled by TPS and Corporate TPS are included in a regular report sent to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO). It is the ICO who are the body responsible for enforcement.
|
Date complaint recorded by TPS |
No of summarised complaints reported by TPS to ICO |
|
2001 – 2002 |
1174 * |
|
2002 – 2003 |
3793 * |
|
2003 – 2004 |
7318 * |
|
2004 – 2005 |
17605 * |
|
2005 – 2006 |
48741 |
|
2006 – 2007 |
52959 |
* In a number of cases figures for particular periods are not held so these figures are not a complete record of the complaints received by TPSL, just the figures the ICO currently holds and can access electronically. In some cases, such as 2001-2002, much of the information relating to that year is not available (either because it is not held or was provided manually in individual complaint forms and is not provided for the reasons described above).
]]>TPS can’t stop recorded message calls, calls from market research companies, silent calls, calls from companies who you have dealt with before or malicious calls – and telemarketers are constantly finding new ways of getting around it such as:
Robocalls: Using automated systems to deliver millions of pre-recorded messages. Widely used in the USA, these systems are spreading to the UK.
Sugging & Frugging: Calling the public under the guise of market research, but then trying to sell products – Sugging – or ask for charitable donations – Frugging.
Ofcom believes the companies behind these calls are mainly involved in telephone marketing, market research, financial services, including debt recovery, and “number scanning.”
Number scanning (also known as ‘pinging’) where calls are made to find out which telephone numbers, out of a range of numbers, are in service or not. As soon as a tone is received which establishes the status of a particular number the call is terminated. This activity is carried out in order to develop lists of active telephone numbers and to compile lists of contact details that can be sold .
Caller ID spoofing is a method in which a person can cause the telephone network to display a number on the recipient’s caller ID display which is not the number of the originating caller. Since caller ID spoofing can make a phone call look like it’s coming from any phone number the caller wants and because people usually assume a call is actually coming from the number being displayed (and therefore, the associated person, persons, or organization), all kinds of things (both legal and illegal) can be done with such a manipulative ability.
trueCall remains the only solution to these problems!
]]>The ICO has legal powers to ensure that organisations comply with the requirements of the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations. It is important to note that these powers are focused on ensuring that organisations meet the obligations which these regulations impose.
Direct Response Security Systems Limited – The ICO has served an Enforcement Notice on Direct Response Security Systems after the company breached the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations (PECR) by making unsolicited marketing calls.
SAS Fire & Security Systems Limited – The ICO has served an Enforcement Notice on SAS Fire & Security Systems after the company breached the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations (PECR) by making unsolicited marketing calls.
The Labour Party – The ICO has served an enforcement notice on the Labour Party after it breached the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations (PECR). The enforcement action follows an investigation which revealed that the party had made unsolicited automated marketing calls without consent to almost half a million individuals.
Ivor Cox, trading as Orion Forklift and Plant – The ICO has taken enforcement action against Ivor Cox, trading as Orion Forklift and Plant, following breaches of the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations. The action comes after more than 1700 complaints about the organisation were received by the Fax Preference Service (FPS). After considering the complaints made to the FPS and other complaints made to the ICO, the Information Commissioner has served an Enforcement Notice.
The Debt Collectors Ltd – The ICO served an enforcement notice following complaints to the ICO and the Fax Preference Service about unsolicited faxes sent in breach of the Regulations.
The Liberal Democrats – The ICO has taken enforcement action against the Liberal Democrats after finding the party in breach of the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations. This follows an investigation by the ICO into the party’s use of automated phone calls.
Weatherseal Holdings Ltd – The ICO served an enforcement notice after the company failed to comply with an undertaking previously obtained from them to comply with the Regulations.
Recovery Services Ltd – The ICO served an enforcement notice following numerous complaints about unsolicited faxes sent in breach of the Regulations.
SBP Ltd, trading as Europlas - Numerous complaints were received at both the ICO and the Telephone Preference Service. An ICO investigation found Europlas to be in breach of the Privacy & Electronic Communications Regulations. The Information Commissioner required the company to sign a formal undertaking to cease making unsolicited marketing calls in breach of the Regulations.
]]>
…..and if there aren’t enough staff on hand to speak to you because they’re talking to somebody else, the call to you stays silent.
Ofcom has announced that companies which continue to bombard consumers with silent and abandoned calls will now face fines of up to £2million.
Ofcom has an open enforcement and monitoring programme which aims to reduce the harm which can be caused by silent and abandoned calls.
As well as the action against Carphone Warehouse, Abbey National and Barclaycard, Ofcom has also taken enforcement action against Complete Credit Management Ltd, Equidebt Ltd, Ultimate Credit Services Ltd, Space Kitchens, Bracken Bay Kitchens and Toucan.
Unfortunately there are other problems like recorded message calls and VoIP which Ofcom are not able to trace. And as the cost of making calls decreases the volume of these types of calls will inevitably increase.
Another problem which is on the rise is caused by debt collection callers, phoning people who don’t own the debt!
We must remember that no useful business objective is achieved by a call from someone with whom one cannot do business. Every business caller will have to declare who they are at some point – that is the stage at which efforts to cause them to stop their improper practices can commence.
OptOutUK.com’s Targetted Suppression Service helps to identify and object to telemarketers on your behalf.
The most common comments are:
Sound familiar?
Unfortunatley technology has surpassed the need for telemarketers to source telephone numbers from the phone book, being Ex-directoy or changing your telephone number simply won’t work!
Why?
Because…Autodialer’s can sequence or randomly generate your telephone numbers, telemarketers can also scan your telephone number using a technique that just requires your dialling code, it’s called number scanning.
http://www.ofcom.org.uk/consult/condocs/misuse/responses/cg.pdf
Unfortunately TPS won’t work either and neither will telling these companies to take you off their list.
Why?
Because…… Companies that check the TPS shouldn’t have called you in the first place.
So what’s the solution?
As a consumer, you have rights that allow you to take more control over who uses your details and how they use it.
OptOutUK.com’s targetted suppression service lets you object to companies who use your details without checking TPS and compel them to suppress your data from their marketing lists.
Auto Dialer
Auto dialers are designed to make outbound calls. They have speed dialing capabilities, which are capable of dialing a large number of people automatically through a database or are capable of randomly or sequentially dialing telephone numbers to deliver a unified recorded message or messages.
Predictive Dialer
Predictive dialers are used by telemarketing firms to gain more “dialling efficiency” by using a variety of algorithms to predict both the availability of agents and how the called number is answered. Silent calls occur when the dialer is set to dial more numbers than there are operators available to take the calls.
Here’s how a predictive dialer monitor’s & detects what happens when the phone is answered.
|
Dialler Senses |
Note |
Result |
| Busy Line | . | = it hangs up |
| Disconnected Line | . | = it may hang up |
| No Answer | . | = it hangs up |
| Answering Machine | .message = more than ‘Hello’ | = it hangs up |
| Live Answer | .with no operator available | = silent/abandoned call |
| Live Answer | .with a operator available | = it transfers the call to a operator - there will be a wait after transfer |
Note: Companies also use Predictive diallers for things such as debt collection, market research etc. This can also cause silent or abandoned calls. This is where the phone rings and on answering there’s no one there.
Level One
The Level One Security provides Free basic protection against live unsolicited sales and marketing telephone calls (from UK companies only). Note: If you are already registered on the Telephone Preference Service, please choose Level 2.
Click Here To Register For Level 1
Level Two (Recommended)
The Targetted Suppression Service gives you extra protection by allowing you to compel marketers to comply with law and respect your wishes. It stops telemarketers based overseas, firms who make robocalls (recorded messages) and silent calls as well as UK companies in breach of legislation.
Click Here To See How It Works
Level Three
CallBlocker plugs in between your telephone socket and telephone and plays an announcement to all callers.
This says:-
“If you are family or a friend please press 5, if you are a cold caller please hang up and don’t call us again”
CallBlocker is particularly useful if you get a lot of recorded message calls, silent calls or fax calls. The automated equipment that calls you doesn’t know to press a button, so CallBlocker is able to quickly and silently reject the call.
Level Four
trueCall is the complete solution to all types of nuisance phone call – telemarketing, silent calls, calls from overseas call centres, fax calls, robocalls, market researchers, malicious calls, misdials, wrong numbers and recorded message calls.
trueCall is about the size of a paperback book. It plugs into your phone line at home and checks every call you receive before letting your phone ring.
Patented technology, designed and developed in the UK!