Had an odd phone call this afternoon - it was international and a man with a slightly American voice asked for my husband - he asked for him as if he knew him by shortening his name in a way that is not used by friends.  I was going pardon!  Who is speaking?  He asked for my husband's name properly then - I just said yes who is calling?  He said Adam - I will phone back again.  But I hadn't told him that my husband was not here!  I was listening to the radio this morning when they were talking about identity stealing and I have just confirmed that my husband is at this telephone number.  I suppose anyone can get hold of your telephone number - we don't hide it.  I hate these calls. Wish I had never picked it up.  It is unsettling.  Had to tell someone.

Perhaps you can call your telephone provider, they may be able to trace the call?

My husband told me that he has had it before - didn't realise.  They phone up pretending to be your long lost friend and they have a hot tip on some shares etc.  It is always an American voice.  He usually tells them to go away - in his own terms of course!  Can't do much about international numbers - unfortunately I can't ignore them really because it may be someone we know.  We did have one suspicious call once - a uk call that my husband reported to the police - didn't want to know.  BT were very good but could not trace that call.  We then had a system on the phone that meant that if we did something straight after the call then it would be automatically traced.  However that was only for a limited time.  My husband felt strongly at the time that a vulnerable person could have been tricked into giving valuable information away.  It is awful that people can gatecrash your home like this.  At least we are rarely bothered by doorstep sellers where we live.  My son's girlfriend had a load of abuse once because she had lost the betterwear catalogue that she had asked very nicely not to be put through her door. 

We get constant calls from 'international' numbers. Most often it is selling mobiles phone services, followed by mortgage and other financial things.
They always have our names, and know we are home owners.
We have used the Tp services to stop these calls but like junk mail we have only managed to stop some, not all.
Karen

My husbands mobile was going all through the night a few days ago from a private number. I was less than impressed as i am a very light sleeper.  I suspect it was from an international caller.  we are registered with the tps for the home line and dont get any unwanted calls.

Michelle x

My parents are pestered by silent calls which worry them.  I've explained to them how call centres work and that this is probably the problems but they are still very bothered.  I've now suggested that they get a phone with caller display on it so that if they don't recognise the number or if it is not displayed they don't have to answer it.

Cheryl, have your parents registered with the TPS? I used to have exactly the same conversations with my Mum until I registered her. I doesn't stop all calls, but it reduces them greatly.

http://www.tpsonline.org.uk/tps/

M.

Edit, I always forget the darn http bit!

I've registered with that and suggested that they do but would it stop silent calls? 

Just looked at site again and it does.  I think I will have to register for them

I certainly don't get them since I registered, and my Mum hasn't complained since. Takes a few weeks for it to stop, but a huge improvement.

M.

Thank you - I know you didn't post the link for me but I've been wanting to register with the TPS and didn't know how to do it. Always something useful to find on this site :)

The original call is probably a "boiler room " scam.

They will tell lots of people to invest in useless stock. The company is normally theirs. When it rises- due to the investment- they sell out and vanish. After this happens the stock goes back to its natural level of nowt much.

They ring anyone and TPs won't help this.. If you have "caller display" on your phone and it's a withheld number, as it normally is , then I never pick up. If a genuine caller they will leave a message.

If you do pick up simply put down the phone. Anglo- Saxon is optional at this point....