Unwanted Phone Calls

Here's what to do if you’re getting unwanted phone calls to your home phone number.

Are the callers telemarketers?

If the calls are unsolicited telemarketers from businesses you haven’t dealt with before, then you should register on the Do Not Call Register.

This register is managed by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) on behalf of the Australian Government. Once you've registered, Australian telemarketers and fax marketers must not contact you.

Please do not reply to any messages from telemarkers and do not provide them with any personal information.

Phone harassment and other malicious calls

If you’re getting threatening or otherwise unwelcome calls that:

• Total 10 or more unwelcome calls spread over a 24 hour period;
• Total 3 or more unwelcome calls over a 48 to 120 hour period; or
• Are unwelcome calls made at consistent and/or regular intervals (e.g. every Thursday night for 3 weeks in a row, or calls every 2 days).

Then please call us on 13 14 23 as soon as possible. We can help you by:

• Investigating trace logs for VoIP internet phone services (e.g. nbn Phone).
• Setting up a Malicious Call Trace for landline phone services.
• Changing your phone number (if you want to).

What do I need to do to stop unwanted calls?

1. Write down the time and date of each unwelcome call, using the exact date and time in your phone's call history.

2. Once you have recorded enough unwelcome calls according to the list below, please call us on 13 14 23 and we'll investigate.
   
   - 10 or more times within 24 hours; or
   - 3 or more times within 48 to 120 hours; or
   - Any number of calls made at consistent and/or regular intervals (e.g. every Thursday night for 3 weeks in a row, or calls every 2 days) and where there are special circumstances.
   
   Special circumstances may include threats against your personal safety, vulnerable situations like domestic or family violence, or a result of your financial, employment or other circumstances.

3. If we find that there's been a pattern of unwelcome calls, a Warning Letter (Cease and Desist) will be sent to the malicious caller by their phone provider. At no point is the malicious caller's identity supplied to TPG or to you.
   Note: A Warning Letter can't be sent if the caller is using an international number, multiple different phone numbers, or a payphone.

4. If the calls are threatening or criminal in nature, please contact your local police department and tell them about the malicious calls. The police can contact TPG to get the trace logs.

5. Once a trace has been requested, please record the date and time of any further unwelcome calls and send the details to us. The ticket will be closed if no further reports are received after 30 days.