Tracing a Number (BT)

[Gary]

Just wondering if anyone knows if calls can be traced either by BT or other means My nan is getting 10+ calls a day where they phone her, then no one answers when she picks up. My nan believes she knows who it is (as she has just won her court case against him) but has no way of prooving he is making the calls. The number is coming up as witheld

I know the contract i am on (o2) can trace numbers even if the caller withholds numbers. But it is VERY rare they will ever do this for anyone. Usually only the police can request it.

Anyone know best way to try and trace numbers on a fixed BT line?

Thanks

[dreaddan]

Report it to the police and your telco provider abuse department.
Leave it to them to sort out.

All numbers can be traced depending how bothered the telcos can be given they originate within the uk.


Dan

[Quiche81]

Just wondering if anyone knows if calls can be traced either by BT or other means My nan is getting 10+ calls a day where they phone her, then no one answers when she picks up. My nan believes she knows who it is (as she has just won her court case against him) but has no way of prooving he is making the calls. The number is coming up as witheld

I know the contract i am on (o2) can trace numbers even if the caller withholds numbers. But it is VERY rare they will ever do this for anyone. Usually only the police can request it.

Anyone know best way to try and trace numbers on a fixed BT line?

Thanks

BT can trace any number. Get her to phone BT and ask them to set the
call reject up to prevent her recieving witheld numbers.

I have bar witheld numbers at home as i get sooooo much crap calling trying
to sell me a new conservatory, mortgage etc etc. This enables only released
numbers to call me

(Witheld number reject cost £1 a month BTW)

[daz500]

I was getting random phones calls with no-one answering. I reckoned it was just an automated system going wrong somewhere as it stopped after a while.

It sounds like your nan has had some problems so this needs to be reported to the police. There are good laws against this type of thing now and they should be able to help identify who is ringing and put a stop to it.

For peace of mind for your nan, have you considered changing phone numbers and going ex-directory until the whole mess is sorted out.

Good luck.

[sharky]

call centers now automaticaly randomly call phone numbers... quite often if you answer it, you will hear a 'beep' then it will hang up.
this is the call center looking for fax machines, if it is a fax machine they then send through loads of advertising stuff... but to people without fax machines it just looks like a prank call.
im not saying that this is the case in your situation as you said you think you know who it is. but its worth thinking about.

[steve-o]

There is such as thing as automated sales. A computer will dial random numbers to multiple addresses at the same time, sometimes when you pick up it takes a while before the computer recognises you've picked up the phone and opens the line to an operator trying to sell stuff. Likewise with the fax sccenario as stated above.

Otherwise, yes BT have a plan where you can barr 10 numbers from calling you, even if they are witheld and as far as I'm aware this is free??? Just let BT know, I think they then give you a code to enter when the culprit number rings you, you type in the code and that number is then barred from phoning you. I think it even leaves a message on the culpits phone next time they phone you letting them know their number has been blocked.

I could be wrong, but I'm sure its something like this. Police are unlikely to do anything against nuisence calls unless they become threatening.

[Gary]

Ta for info guys. The police dont like getting invloved in this type of problem (hence the reason why o2 rarely do a trace as they specifiy the police must request it).

The program you refer to what companies use is a program called Auto Dialler. It is programmed with many numbers for a specific purpose. The user has no control over what number it dials. The computer dials the number and then the call is routed to the agent.

Our finance department use this at work for customers in arrears. The computer hunts the accounts down automatically and then calls. This call is then transferred to the operator. The company i work for is the biggest call centre provider in this country by a large margin so I know most of the usual tricks