Vocal Voices

If you are with BT, and you have the 1571 voicemail service, then by now you should have been given the (free) 1572 Call Protect service. It was due to be rolled out by 31/03 but ours went live around the middle of this month ....

As I understand it: (a) BT has a list of numbers used by scammers and will automatically block them and (b) you can add your own numbers onto a personalised list. If anyone calls from these numbers, your phone won't ring, it'll go straight to a 1572 junk voicemail box where they can leave a message if they want. When you check your 1571 voicemail, it tells you if there's anything in the 1572 one.

You can also (a) block any incoming international calls, (b) block any calls where the number is withheld and (c) block any calls where the number is unrecognised - but you have to turn these three options "on". I have done so, because we've had a spate of spoof / scam calls from withheld numbers recently, but I'm wondering if genuine organisations (NHS, local government etc.) might phone you from "withheld numbers" .....

Has anyon else got 1572, and if so, how have you configured yours?

I did have the TalkTalk version but got rid.

Its list of 'scammers' seemed to be anyone who wanted to leave a voicemail. I would go to voicemail and all messages were blank, even those from people I knew.

Anyway, I do get a bit of fun out of stringing along anyone who thinks that I am daft enough to fall for their little games ...

'Elloo, this is Microsoft. Your computer is reporting problems and I am from the elp centre'
'Oh, thank you, I was just about to ring'
'Yes sir, this is why I am calling'
'And you are saving me money. If I call you I have to pay, but when you call me we can talk for hours..... and it's all free'
'Yes sir, so are you at your computer?'
'No, I am in the bath. It is lovely and warn. I do not use my computer in the bath because electricity and water do not mix well and of course when I am not using my computer I swith it off. Do you have electr....
'Bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz'

We have it but have not activated the blocking options yet, mainly as Mick hasn't really had time to properly look at it. Once he has I will let you know what he says x