What the Telephone Preference Service can do
The TPS can reduce unsolicited live marketing calls. Understand its scope before expecting it to stop every nuisance call.
Register through the official service
The Telephone Preference Service is a free opt-out register for unsolicited live sales and marketing calls. It accepts landline and mobile numbers. Use the official TPS website and be wary of anyone claiming a registration fee is required.
Registration is not a physical block on your line. It tells organisations about your preference; it does not make it technically impossible for someone to dial your number.
Allow for the registration period
TPS explains that organisations can take up to 28 days to update their calling lists. Keep a note of when you registered so you can judge later calls in the correct context.
If you previously gave an organisation permission to call, review that permission too. Tell the organisation directly if you no longer want its marketing calls. Do not assume joining a register automatically resolves every previous consent arrangement.
Understand what falls outside its scope
TPS focuses on live unsolicited marketing. It is not a universal answer to scam calls, automated recordings, silent calls or genuine service contact. Criminal callers may ignore rules entirely, so registration should not replace independent checks.
A wanted appointment call or a service update is different from a sales pitch. Consider the content of the call rather than treating every unfamiliar caller as a breach.
Keep a useful complaint record
If an unwanted marketing call continues after the relevant period, note the company name claimed, number, time and what was being marketed. Use the official TPS complaint process where applicable. Ofcom’s guidance points to other routes for different unwanted-call types.
Do not stay on an upsetting or suspicious call merely to collect details. Record what you safely can and end it.
Combine preferences with practical controls
Review your handset’s blocking tools and how you share your number with businesses. When completing forms, read marketing choices carefully. Keep records of requests to stop calling.
Our iPhone and Android guides describe additional controls, with the reminder that blocking and reporting perform different jobs.
Sources & further reading
For a situation involving money already sent, contact your bank promptly using contact details you trust.
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