I am registered with the call preference service which means, in theory, that I receive no unsolicited calls from reputable companies. Unfortunately it does not stop those from scam operators and other cowboy operators. The latest of these has phoned every night this week asking me to answer a list of inane questions. The name of this cowboy outfit? - New Labour!! They do however offer a phone number to ring and tell them if I do not wish any more calls. Guess what- the number is 0870 5900 200 so I am expected to pay to tell Mr Blair that I was under the impression that we still had a secret ballot in this country

Right, first out the bag with a geographical number gets the prize.

Then we can jam their lines.

Seriously the FOI can help here, and the preference service are not doing their job.

Why not?

I found the number 020 7802 1000 for Labour, which I posted in another thread a week or so ago. I don't know if it's the number you are looking for, though.

I am also registered with the telephone preference service and was telephoned twice over the bank holiday by a double glazing firm. The first time I was in the loo and dialed 1471 and got the number as 0870 0664457. I rang the number just long enough to to get the name of the firm which was Bowater Home Improvements. I found their website and sent the following email which was returned as "SPAM",

The next day I got another call from Zenith Staybrite.
I asked the callers name, which he refused to give, and he refused to spell the name of the company, ending up becoming very rude and arrogant when I explained I was on the TPS. I did a 1471 and the number was the same as the Bowater call. I found Zenith Staybrite's website and emailed them a variation of the email below. And guess what, this was returned as "SPAM" by the very same Bowater. I copied it to their IT dept for fowarding.

Here is the email

I was telephoned today by someone canvassing for your company (Tel No 0870 0664457), Monday 0May 2 at 16.14. My telephone number is registered with the Telephone Preference Service. Your call was therefore in contravention of Privacy and Electronic Communications (EC Directive) Regulations 2003 which carries a fine of £5,000 in the County Court and an unlimited fine in the Crown Court. The regulations are enforced by the Information Commissioner.

I will be reporting this call to the Information Commissioner tomorrow.

Well now is the time for action. I have downloaded the complaint form from the Information Commissioners website and tomorrow I am firing it off!

The Bowater Zenith  Group were, and probaly still are the worst company for unsolicited phone calls.A call to there Managing Director on 01603 401923 or Fax 01603 415682 usually solves the problem.

Edited by Dave: Corrected fax number.

It is worth talking to TPS. They have admitted to me that their online registration sometimes does not work (but it gives you the impression that it does).

I've been getting the Bowater calls of late too, and they always seem to start by asking if I've recieved their letter that strangely never turns up? It's almost as if they've never sent me a letter, but surely they wouldn't tell a barefaced lie, would they?

Still, last time I had great fun talking about their conservatories for a good 10minutes before politely enquiring how they were going to build one on my 3rd story accommodation. Strangely the caller was a lot less friendly after that...  Try it if they call you next time, it certainly makes the call less annoying, for you anyway.

I suppose you can always get your own NGN no say 0871, and tell unsolicited callers that your number has changed,and if they ring back?make money while you talk to them.