Nuisance and malicious calls advice

The telephone plays an important part in all our lives, for business or for just chatting with our friends. At Sky we are committed to making our services as easy and problem-free as possible to use.

Unfortunately some calls can be a nuisance for us, or even malicious. If you're unfortunate enough to receive such a call we want to help prevent any more. The advice below will assist in what to do if you get calls like this.

What is the difference between a nuisance and malicious call?

A nuisance call is one that causes irritation, anxiety, or annoyance. Silent calls, calls at unsocial hours and telemarketing calls may fall under this category. They can normally be resolved directly by taking steps as advised by your telephone service provider, such as on this page.

A malicious call is one that is harassing, indecent, offensive or threatening. Such calls are extremely distressing and Sky will assist you to prevent these. Malicious calls may require the assistance of the police to ensure a quick and successful resolution.

What do I do if I receive a silent call?

Silent calls can be very concerning, particularly if you live alone. However, the vast majority of silent calls that people receive are the result of automated dialling devices used by call centres to call lots of people and are a nuisance rather than malicious. They work by dialling the number automatically and then connecting a call centre agent when the phone is answered. Sometimes no agent is available when you pick up, resulting in a silent call. If you are on such a list you may receive multiple calls in a day.

In March 2006, Ofcom introduced plans to try to prevent these types of calls. Companies using such devices should now play a message telling you who they are if an agent doesn't speak. However, if you do still receive a silent call, it's recommended that you register for free with the Telephone Preference Service. Alternatively you may wish to register your number on the Silent Callguard Service on 0870 4443969. If this doesn't stop the calls, you may need to use advice for malicious calls.

What do I do if I receive a nuisance or malicious call?

The most important thing is to stay calm. A lot of nuisance or malicious callers ring numbers randomly and get pleasure by the reaction they get. Don't show any emotion and place the phone down for a few minutes, then hang up without any conversation. Make a note of the time you received the call and try 1471 to identify the calling number if you can. You should then report this to the telephone company that provides your phone line. If you are a Sky Talk Line Rental customer then you can report this to Sky by ringing 08702 404040.

If the phone rings again, don't speak first. Genuine callers will speak first. Wait for them to identify themselves before speaking with them. Here are some further tips for using the telephone safely:

Should I involve the police?

If you have received a malicious or nuisance call that is directly threatening to you or your property, and you believe you or someone else may be in immediate danger, ring the police on 999. If the calls are particularly persistent and you have tried some of the techniques set out above, or you think they relate to other criminal activity, you should consider reporting the call to the local police.

Remember, there are a variety of laws relating to the misuse of the phone, as well as it being against the terms and conditions of most service providers. Sky will always assist the police in any case of nuisance or malicious calls and help to make sure those offenders are dealt with appropriately.

In general, if you don't feel immediately or directly threatened, it's best to try and resolve the issue with your telephone line provider first. If the initial advice doesn't resolve the issue, then Sky's Nuisance Calls Advice Team will work closely with you and relevant providers, and can advise you how and when to approach the police if necessary. We would always support your decision to inform the police if you have received nuisance or malicious calls. Don't be afraid to call the police if you're not sure. They have specialist telephone units and will be able to help give advice as well.

What are fax machine nuisance calls?

Some sales and marketing companies make use of automated equipment to attempt to send faxes without prior knowledge of which numbers are actually connected to fax machines. Such companies may programme their equipment to work its way through number blocks sequentially – and therefore there's no intention to target a specific individual.

If you answer such a call you'll simply hear bleeps, screeching tones and white noise - much the same noise as an old-fashioned dial-up modem. To prevent this, simply register for free with the Fax Preference Scheme. Alternatively if you can identify the source of the calls, consider resolving the issue directly with that party.

What features can my Sky Talk service provide to help?

Sky's Customer Services Team can help you implement some changes on your Sky Talk phone service to prevent further nuisance or malicious calls.

'Choose to Refuse'
If the number calling you is known, this product gives you the ability to bar up to 10 incoming calls. If you don't know the number, the last incoming call can be barred.

'Anonymous Call Rejection'
This can be used where the caller(s) are withholding their number. It will prevent most calls with number withheld being made to your phone. Be careful though as this may stop other people you want to speak to from calling (eg doctors, hospitals and other large organisations). This will not reject international calls.

'Re-Number'
This option is best suited to cases where you're receiving numerous wrong number calls that aren't malicious. If you do this it's sensible to have your new number listed as ex-directory and to have "Number Withheld All Calls" applied so your number is not given out.

Call Sky on 08702 404040 to find out how to implement these services.

What more can be done?

If you have Sky Talk's Line Rental service, and the nuisance calls advice hasn't resolved your concerns, Sky will engage with BT's Nuisance Calls Service to try to help. We will only do this with your consent, and Sky's Nuisance Calls Advice Team can do this on your behalf.

BT's Nuisance Calls Service may conduct more activities to help, such as tracing your calls or involving the police. Sky will be available to help you, but BT may wish to contact you direct to conduct their investigation.

Remember, you should contact the phone company that provides your line if you need to report nuisance or malicious calls. If you are a Sky Talk customer but your phone line rental is provided by BT, you should call them on 0800 661 441.

If you're a Sky Talk Line Rental customer, then call Sky's Customer Services on 08702 404040. They will provide you with advice or involve the Nuisance Calls Advice Team if necessary.