+44 161 850 042 1
Risk level: High
Who is this? Spam, telemarketing or a legitimate call? Community reports in United Kingdom.
Number with prefix 161. Review community reports, risk and comments below before answering or blocking. Browse numbers with prefix 161
AI Analysis
Limited information: The number +441618500421 is associated with Direct Assist, an insurance referral company based in the UK. Multiple user reports indicate persistent telemarketing and harassment tactics, including ignoring polite refusals, making repeated calls, and in some cases, aggressive behavior. Users have reported being contacted despite being on the Telephone Preference Service (TPS) list. The company's director, Darren Bullough, and their office address have been publicly shared by frustrated users in an attempt to hold them accountable. Despite some users' efforts to report them to regulatory bodies (e.g., Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), Claims Management Regulator), the calls persist for many. Strategies to counter the calls include wasting the caller's time with fictitious stories, immediate hanging up, or using call blockers. Some users have also suggested reporting the company to relevant authorities like The Legal Ombudsman and the ICO.
Likely purpose: To aggressively solicit information or promote insurance advisory services, often ignoring the Telephone Preference Service (TPS) list and users' refusals.
Most common user complaints
- Persistent calls ignoring TPS registration
- Aggressive behavior when refused
- Repeated calls after hanging up
- Demands for information despite clear refusal
- Calls about non-existent or settled claims
AI analysis: 10 Jul 2026
Information based on community reports and automated analysis. It may contain errors or be out of date, and is not legal advice or a verified accusation against the number's owner.
Web research
A concise, stand alone report could not be generated here because reliable, up to date information about the specific number could not be verified within this session.
View full report
A concise, stand alone report could not be generated here because reliable, up to date information about the specific number could not be verified within this session. Based on commonly available public data, this UK number format could correspond to various origins (mobile, landline, or business block) and appears in multiple spam/lookup platforms, but exact ownership and current reputation require live verification. If no credible sources confirm details, avoid returning definitive ownership or calling back. 1. Ownership/type: UK numbers in this format can be mobile, landline, or business range blocks; precise ownership cannot be confirmed without live checks. 2. Online discussion: Public facing lookup and scam report sites often show mixed results for UK numbers; specific entries for this number are not verifiably retrieved here. 3. Scam/spam association: Some UK lookup tools flag numbers with potential risk, but reliable evidence for this exact number is not provided here. 4. Public exposure/leak: Unknown from available data; cannot confirm presence in public directories or breach datasets for this exact digits sequence. 5. Call back advisability: Without reliable corroboration, treat as potentially risky; do not call back until verified through trusted sources.
United Kingdom
Operator information
- Country:
United Kingdom- Prefix:
- +44
- Type:
- Other
- Operator:
- EE, O2, Vodafone, Three
Recent searches
Last 7 days
Community comments
64Called when I did not phone on me.
will not take no for an answer and asked me to make a fake claim
As stated before this number is DIRECT ASSIST. The best action is to report them to the following: The Legal Ombudsman 0300 555 0333 Claims Management Regulator 0333 200 0110 Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) online contact. All the above can take action if they believe it appropriate. I'm ex-directory, on the TPS list, have a call blocker, have contacted Insurance companies and told them to remove me from their databases.
Called again today about a minor prang my daughter was involved in 16 months ago. When quizzed they claim that they were given our number by our insurers, but this is not true. Fortunately for my daughter she is away at Uni and they don't have her mobile. As other posters have said they don't take "No" for an answer and might ring back if you hang up on them. I was heartened by the post which said the company was in difficulty, perhaps this will stop the calls.
I get called by these multiple times a day. They ring my mobile and ask for my fiancé, when I tell them this isn't his number, my number is registered on TPS and that they've got my number illegally following me doing an online insurance quote in his name they get aggressive and rude telling me I'm wasting their time! Whatttt? Wasting their time? Annoying!
the woman stayed on the phone for a whole minute while I discharged my 143 decibel attack alarm down the line. silly daft twunt I hope she gets cancer of the face.
One way of dealing with these people, if you have a bit of time to waste, is to waste their time. When they start talking about the accident you had, pick it up and run with it. Tell them you were told you would get a lot of money, as it was a Texaco tanker that hit you, and the driver was arrested because he was drunk. Sound confused / gormless. They like their customers to be stupid. Let them spent 15 minutes going through it (you might get passed to someone without brain damage at some point, it's OK, keep going). Then when you get bored, tell them exactly what you think of them, and put the phone down. They hate that. I've done it several times, now they just call once a day and slam the phone down on me. Very satisfying.
I always tell the idiot callers from lines like this that the person they are calling has recently passed away.
My wifes been putting up with these tossers for 2 years until I answered it ! where upon I told em F8Ck Off !!! Surprise surprise, they phoned again today. My missus was very polite... after me tracking them down here, she now beieves me, that they are not the very chaps just doing a job. No They're F*ckin Parasites and need closing down !!!
Claims to be Direct Assist. Have been getting pestered for ages
These lot are a royal pain in the you know what. I've tried dozens of times to get them to take our details off their database to no avail...I've tried being polite, denying the (very minor) no fault accident and simply putting the phone down but no such luck. Ahhhgghhhh!
Direct Assist are the scum of the earth (and that's being polite) when it comes to unsolicited calls. They are persistent and causing great stress to both myself and my wife. We are both retired, and neither of us drive, yet we are supposed to have had an accident while driving. How these companies ever get business is a mystery as all they do is annoy people intensely. It really is time that our government clamped down on the sharp practice of these con artists.
I explained to these idiots that my dad was dying but still getting repeated calls for no good reason, data being sold by insurance for ££ reason and makes a joke of TPS etc. Just block it and get a phone that will allow you to filter. Scum of the planet and dubious beyond belief.
Obviously someone shared my number when I had a car accident over 18 months ago. Called by Adam, after his initial intro, I told him I wasnt interested. Interested in what, was his reply, I said ANYTHING you have to say. I hung up, he rang back, I told the tw@t to f**k off.... 3 more times he rung.
Ringing about an accident - so assume they are money grabbing scumbags - poor telemarketers earning minimum wage or worse - being told to f*ck off seven days a week ,eight hours a day - get a proper job then !!!!!. If I need a solicitor I can pick one I trust for myself. This country is going to SH*T.
Rec'd call from woman this morning asking for me by name. When I asked who was calling she said she was calling from Direct Assist and this call was being recorded and the call was about my car accident. Knew it was an illegal call from that as I haven't had any accidents and am the telephone preference list. Did obviously concern me enough to check the number on the internet which brought me to this site. From previous posting they appear to be crooks.
Agressive accident compensation calls. Also call from 01236 546142 and 020 3476 0242. Just won't give up and always change the number when ringing you. P.I.T.A rating 100%
Called me several times, insisting I had opted in. I used their website contact form to complain and to my surprise got a reply offering to tell me where they got my details, BUT for a fee of 10.00! They also said my numbers had been removed but they've just called my mobile... They are now blocked. TPS/OFCOM/ICO are useless so long as these people can claim you have opted in. There needs to be a mechanism for checking and revoking opt-ins. Or better still make the default on all websites opt-OUT, and require positive confirmation from the owner of the number before allowing an opt-in.
Endless calls, I believe they are 'offering compensation' from a previous accident. I've told them my claim is settled and to take my numbers off records but still receiving 6 calls daily on house and mobile number.
Spoke to my wife she told them I was busy. Then called again when I was at work around 8pm. Calling their number back after 9.30pm says that 'The number you have dialled is not in service' Idiots.
They phone my company about 4 times a day. They are rude, abrupt and hang up on you when you ask to speak to their managers. Infuriating that this is even allowed!!!!
Direct Access now Called motor investigation agency. Sounds real but just a scam to get you to part with money. Even told me they had allocated £3700 to settle an old claim IF I had a sore shoulder. Then told me about the upfront costs.BEWARE
Lots of calls all silent. Notified TPS as I'm registered
Every time they call me, I answer(costing them a charge for the call) and hang up. I then phone their free phone number (so they're charged when they answer) and hang up. I repeat this 10 times on redial. I possibly cost them 50-70 pence each time. If we all did this, we might put them out of business on call charges alone!!
these people causing misery and anguish to so many people, the person behind it all is Darren Bullough of Manchester, find him on facebook, let him know how you feel
Rang me 4 times in 16 hours, I hung up, they rang straight back, told then to fcuk off. They rang again the next day and again rang back when I politely hung up. Person told me they would keep on ringing until I gave them the information they require. I explained that this was against the law but the person was unconcerned. Hope they continue to call as it is quite cathartic to be able to swear and shout at someone with no fear of any consequences!
Why do they keep on phoning about an "accident" that I keep telling them never took place!!? So thick skinned and can't get the message. They said they are phoning to help me "close the file"! What file? Are they dumb? However, the real culprits are the people selling them the telephone numbers in the first place. What can they possibly get out of it if there was genuinely no accident to "close the file" on?? Beats me!
totally and utterly annoying they should be ashamed of themselves told me that because the person they were after was not at home they said I could make a claim on his behalf how desperate are they But something tells me that they wont be ringing my number again lol
Just blocked them on my iphone. not sure what the point of calling me each day is? seems a waste of everyones time to me.. anyway no more calls for me.. !
Called me over 140 times since I had an accident in March - they have a mobile number for me which was ONLY given to the police on the day of the accident (brand new phone, had just collected it) and the calls started 2 hours after the accident. I don't answer any calls now, but I will be ringing the freephone number and leaving them hanging on :)
Called asking about the large number of nuisance calls I received from his number. Just a ploy to get me talking.
Calls every day.Bloody annoying.
These idiots wont take NO for an answer, so I will keep slamming the phone down on them.
professional liars.
LOAD OF TOSSERS 300 CALL IN 4 MONTHS SAME IDIOTS GONNA START HARRESING THERE DIRECTOR FEW PIZAS AND TAXIS TO START AND MAYBE PUTTING HIM ON A SHAGGING SITE
Remember to ask them for the Ministry of Justice number. Then report them to the Ministry of Justice for not having one. Criminal proceedings wa-hey. (Or if they give you one (it'll be borrwed from another company anyway) - report them to MoJ anyway for harassment - 2 CMC scammers for the price of one.
For almost one year I've been plagued by "ambulance chasers", including this caller, saying I've been involved in a car accident - which started after I called the RAC for breakdown assistance. Somehow my details were leaked - the RAC investigated my complaint without success.
oxygen wasters.
Company called trying to get us to claim for an accident we haven't had. Charletons. what they are doing must surely be illegal.
01618500421 called me about accident same rubbish would not take that im not interested as an answer and still tried to get information off me... vultures! Beware give them information about past accident and open up a whole new can of worms.
Direct assist Annoy them call them on 0800 652 3630. You will be asked to enter a phone number, enter there's ,, speak to someone keep them talking ...
Fed up with getting calls from various numbers about a car accident over 3 yrs ago, I wasn't injured but I keep being told I am stupid for not claiming.
Fake compensation for accident.
Fake compensation - advance fee fraud. These idiots keep calling me. "Lee" rang me today around noon - the game was already on because Lee warned me at the outset that the call was being recorded - I have form for dishing out some very vicious abuse towards this outfit and when he mentioned the magic words I discharged my 140dB attack alarm, kept by the phone for this very purpose into the phone. Thanks "Lee" - that felt good - please call again.
Keep calling,me to claim compensation for a car accident over 2 years ago, they have all the wrong information as there were no other vehicles involved, I have asked numerous times for them to remove my number
Called to claim that they had an open insurance file relating to a claim in 2012, did not want to sell me anything but 'just wanted to help' Informed them that I did not wish to be called by them and that they should remove my number from their database; additionally, if they called me again I would refer them to Trading Standards for harassment.
Very dodgy claim referral co- they buy your details and will hound you almost everyday to encourage you to make a claim for discomfort even when you say you dont want to persue a claim
Contacted about a car accident 3 years ago which has all been cleared up. Told them I had sorted it all out .. For the first 5 calls. They then rang while I was on holiday at 4.00 UK time on a Sunday. Told them to stop calling and that I wanted to speak to a manager who said it couldn't have been them ringing as they had recently changed their number (same company though) and that I was wasting his time
scum who won't take no for answer, they have hundreds of different numbers too.
I have been receiving calls from this number nearly every day for the past few weeks. Everytime I answer there is no responce, the line just goes dead. I have now blocked the number.
Signal summary for +44 161 850 042 1
+44 161 850 042 1 belongs to the 161 prefix and is classified as Harassment. This page combines no approved reports and 64 public comments to explain the risk level.
