CARMARTHENSHIRE Trading Standards has become the first authority in Wales to pilot the trueCall system to block nuisance telephone calls.
trueCall was launched at the Llys y Dderwen Complex in Ponthenri where residents and Trading Standards officers were joined by residents from the Nant y Glo Complex in Pontyberem and representative from Dyfed Powys Police.
There are four units installed in homes across Carmarthenshire which have blocked 100 per cent of nuisance calls.
One resident who now has trueCall fitted after being victim to a telephone scam receives on average 12 nuisance calls such as prize draw and PPI calls a week, as against the national average as defined by Ofcom of seven a month. Almost half the calls made to this resident appear to be nuisance calls. trueCall has blocked all those nuisance calls.
Over the years Trading Standards have seen a vast increase in the number of complaints received about telephone scams and the trueCall pilot is a response to this.
trueCall is a device which is preloaded with your friends and family’s telephone numbers – these are able to contact you over the telephone as normal. However, for those not on the preloaded list their call is initially blocked by a recorded message from Trading Standards warning nuisance callers to hang up.
The unit also provides Trading Standards with access to an internet control panel which reveals information upon persons/businesses attempting to phone you. There is also a facility to record your telephone calls.
Council executive board member for environmental and public protection Cllr Jim Jones said: “Nuisance calls can be a real worry, especially for older people, and I’m pleased that Carmarthenshire is carrying out this pilot scheme.
“The evidence so far is that it offers real benefits for householders in terms of filtering out unwanted telephone calls.”
Carmarthenshire have a limited supply of the trueCall units for consumers who have been victim to a telephone scam.
For further information on trueCall please contact Trading Standards on 01267 234567.
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