Cold calls are phone calls you receive out of the blue from people or companies that you have never had any dealings with before. Normally the caller wants to sell you something. Not all cold calls are scams, but they can be very annoying when they occur on a busy day, or in the evening when you are trying to relax.

A cold caller will only call you if somehow you have given your telephone number to someone. The information may have been sold on to the calling company who then sets up a cold call to you.

Cold calls come in two forms, namely: 

• From a real person trying to sell you something such as loft insulation or double glazing
• From a recorded or automated message telling you that you are due compensation for something, such as a mis-sold insurance policy.

What can we do?

If you have never given your details to the company you can report them to the Information Commissioner’s Office at www.ico.org.uk

If possible, provide them with the date and time that you received the call. Also give them the name of the company and the number if you can. They will then investigate and may fine the company who called you.

Register with the TPS

You can register for free with the Telephone Preference Service and they will add you to the list of numbers who do not want to receive telemarketing calls.

The UK law means that it is illegal for sales people from the UK or overseas to call any number registered with the TPS. While this takes care of telemarketers, it will not stop computer generated calling. For this to stop you should call your phone provider and they will tell you how to stop the calls.

How to register with the TPS

You need to have 

• Your phone number
• Your postcode
• Your email address

You can register using the website or by calling them at 0345 070 0707

Final thoughts

If you are still getting calls 28 days after you have registered with the TPS it may be that you have given your number out. Tell the caller that you do not want to be contacted again. If they continue there is a complaint form on the site. 

An important point to note here is that if you ever get a call from someone who says they are from the TPS and asks you for money to register, this will be a scam.

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