Harrasing calls from "withheld" number

Not sure what phone you have, and I know you said you'd like to catch the person, but as far as I know/have seen you are able to get a Symbian programme which blocks calls and sms' from numbers chosen by you. If I am not mistaken one was called blacklist.... I stand to be corrected.
 
JQ444 said:
My husband has been getting these calls as well. Only difference is he can actually see the number, but doesn't know what to do about it. On a few occasions the person has said 'hello' (eish) but nowadays they just remain silent. We woke up at 5am this morning with the phone ringing, we ignored it and it rung a further 4 times before the person stopped. If something can be done about the situation if you have the phone number, then I would like to hear about it. If we dial back on the same number, there is no reply.
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I have callers from 3 numbers bugging me (me thinks it same ass#ole), i saved their numbers, gave them nicknames, and changed the profile for those numbers to silent ringing. They don't wake me anymore.
 
I've been getting similar calls. I just assumed it's my crazy ex who wants to be involved in my life again so I ignore them.
 
I have spoken to a lot of people, including Vodacom and a private investigator. The P.I. told me the only thing you can do is go to the SAPS, and it will take like 4 months! And you have to LIE on their backs to get anything done. Plus you have to tell them it's really BAD...life threatening calls, driving past your house, etc etc etc, otherwise they will not even consider it. He explained the process the cops take, and it's a LONG one...so not really worth it, unless the calls really do start becoming bad.
He didn't seem to keen to want to help in his private capacity either.

To change my cell number would cost about R285, and it's effective immediately. They can do it over the phone. Only problem is you have to let everyone know about your new number, change business cards, etc etc. A real shlep and not really an option for me.

The next time this person phones I will just casually say "i have been to the police, they have requested a "205 subpoena" to get my incoming calls records, and to trace your number and your cell phone's location. So hang in there, the cops will soon be knocking on your door..."

Also, at night I will just switch my phone off. And maybe just not answer any calls from "unknown" or "private" numbers. I mean if they can't hear you answer, or just get the standard "the number you have dialed is not available at present.....etc etc" every time they call surely they will get bored of it!!!

It sucks that we can do so little about this. If people CHOOSE to call you, with a private number or not, they actually already gave up their right to be anonamous. It's b*llSh*t!!!!
 
I was once bothered by calls that dropped off after I picked up.

It turned out to be a dodgy telemarketting company.

The way I figured it out was that I called vodacom (111) and told them I was being harassed by a hidden number. The customer services person there straight away told me the company that was calling me. No private investigator...
 
ratinakage said:
I was once bothered by calls that dropped off after I picked up.

It turned out to be a dodgy telemarketting company.

The way I figured it out was that I called vodacom (111) and told them I was being harassed by a hidden number. The customer services person there straight away told me the company that was calling me. No private investigator...
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Geez you were lucky...I called 111 as well, and said I am being harrarsed by a witheld number. I was told there is no way they can help me or give me the info, I HAVE to go to the police.
I'm just going to switch my phone off at night...problem is what if I get a real emergency call from a friend or family?? It's frustrating!!!!!
 
ratinakage said:
I was once bothered by calls that dropped off after I picked up.

It turned out to be a dodgy telemarketting company.

The way I figured it out was that I called vodacom (111) and told them I was being harassed by a hidden number. The customer services person there straight away told me the company that was calling me. No private investigator...
Click to expand...
Perhaps they were allowed to tell you because it was a business and they have different restrictions for them.

In the past I was able to convince an operator to give the harasser a call and the problem went away (for a few months).
 
LongTimeVodaUser said:
Geez you were lucky...I called 111 as well, and said I am being harrarsed by a witheld number. I was told there is no way they can help me or give me the info, I HAVE to go to the police.
I'm just going to switch my phone off at night...problem is what if I get a real emergency call from a friend or family?? It's frustrating!!!!!
Click to expand...

use a blacklisting program, it ignores the private numbers or numbers that you select
 
Problem is quite a lot of calls from big corporates are also private number or withheld.......
 
Callback

I don’t know why the telephone network operators can't implement some kind of a callback facility to hidden numbers. If I am a paying customer and someone is abusing my side of the network connection that I'm paying for by making harassing phone calls to it, I should have the ability to do something about it without having to involve SAPS, Load Symbian software or change phone numbers. For that matter they should actually disable Caller ID Restriction. Why do people have to hide their numbers unless they are trying to bother you?
 
I agree there.
Sure, they have a right to "privacy" when they make a call - they can opt to hide their number from me.

But by the same token do I not have a similar right to know who is calling me before I answer it? I want the option to expose them on my phone, my option overrides theirs, since: It is my time they are engaging and I have the right to know who is looking to occupy my time before I approve. If you still want to remain anonymous, put some effort into it, get up off yer butt and use a freeking public phone.

Alternately: If they still want to remain anonymous, it must be made extremely difficult for them. I should not have to spend time and money getting a court order and a police case number just to know who's calling me. If they want to remain anonymous when calling me, they must get the court order and case number and pay for it all, in which case they shouldn't be calling me anyway. Why is "the system" designed to protect offenders and make money off the innocent???
 
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