Is there any way to find out,other than by ringing the number, which company owns a local or national rate number eg. 08708507618, and they are not already in the database?

I've just received a call, 1471, told me the number but unless I phone it, incurring their charges, I don't know who they are.

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Hi I have also been recieving calls from this number 08701240200 for the last 3 weeks.  Has any one had a call from this number in other parts of the country?

08701240200 is apparently the number for First National Finance and GE Capital.  See here:

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/general-knowledge/9071-warning-warnin....

Their website is here:
http://www.firstnat.co.uk/customer/home/index.htm

The company is a loan provider.

I've had nothing but problems with incoming calls fom 08708507618.  More often than not, the calls are silent, and it is used by a company trying to sell double glazing and conservatories, except they tell you they want to give them to you for nothing - yeh right!  I've asked them on more than six occasions to stop phoning me, but it doesn't work.  Yesterday after they phoned me twice in one day, I asked to speak to a 'manager' who promised that I wouldn't be phoned again, her name was Claire (she refused to give me her surname) but this morning I got another phone call.

The company claims to be called "Ideal Homes marketing", but this morinng they were called "Weatherseal" and claimed they were in no way connected with 'Ideal Homes' despite the calls come from the same number, so they may well be an independent call centre working for different companies.  but the produscts are all basically the same.

The best way to get rid of these nuisance phone calls is to give them a false name and address and ask them to come round and see you.  Better still, if you live in an unpastairs flat, tell them you want a conservatory.  Hopefully this will stop them from phoning again and again.

I've reported them to offcom for breaking the government code on silent calls - over 50% of the calls are silent.  If enough people report them to offcom, then maybe something will happen.

Whatever you do, don't phone them, it will cost you a fortune, and you will just get more phone calls from them

Like the rest of you 08708507618 has called me about 17 times over the last two mounths saying thay were "Weatherseal"

My number is also listed with The Telephone Preference Service (TPS) 

How can I stop this ?

Woo hoo...  Found a way to stop them.

As we've all discovered by now, ignoring the calls doesn't work.  So, next, I tried just picking up and leaving the phone off-hook when they called.  There was actually a lot of satisfaction to be gained knowing you were letting a company that is desperate enough to resort to auto-diallers know what it feels like to have to put up with silent calls.  

Still the calls kept coming though, but it didn't feel quite so annoying now, as I knew I was costing that company money every time they called.  (Insert Sid James style filthy laugh here...)

What finally stopped the calls once and for all though was just getting my computer to answer the phone when Caller ID showed they were telephoning yet again.  When their auto-dialler registers that the call it has initiated has been answered and routes it to a member of their call-centre trash, they think the number is a fax machine and flag it accordingly.  Result - no more calls.

You can do it easily enough by just installing some sort of fax software - they all have an option to manually receive a fax which causes your modem to pick up the call and start screaching.  Having been pleased with the result, I've automated the process now for any other evil organisation that might choose to follow Weatherseal's appalling practices.  PC World sell Zoom modems for 25 quid that also have UK caller id support.  After knocking up a quick script, my computer now greets any phone numbers I've previously told it to with a fax-style tone automatically.  Sorted.  

Just adding my voice to this one too...this company has been calling me for at least 5 weeks at least twice a week. 

How can I stop them? I am ex directory and registered with TPS.

Who should I complain to?
Thanks for any advice.

I just called the number 0870857618 and they said they were ideal homes. I too am registered so i shouldn't be getting these calls. If you do find out how to stop them I would be really pleased.