Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Net Phone Customers Brace For 'VoIP Spam'

Posted by timothy on from the you-knew-it-was-on-the-way dept.

XaviorPenguin writes "If you think that Spam in your e-mail inbox is bad, wait until VoIP gets huge! According to a News.CNet.com story, your voice mail box on your Net Phones may be cluttered with ads for Viagra. '"The fear with VoIP spam is you will have an Internet address for your phone number, which means you can use the same tools you use for e-mail to generate traffic," said Tom Kershaw, a vice president at security specialist VeriSign. "That raises automation to scary degrees."' If you think that is scary, you know the Do-Not-Call list that is out by the FTC, yeah, um, people with Net Phones may not be affected by this list and spammers/telemarketers may take this advantage for themselves. "

13 of 226 comments (clear)

  1. Doesn't sound all that bad... by Dominatus · · Score: 5, Funny

    Does this mean I'll be getting calls from "barely legal" teens requesting my attendance in viewing them for the low price of $29.99 a month?

    1. Re:Doesn't sound all that bad... by AlexMidn1ght · · Score: 5, Funny

      For some reason I think your wife will disagree...

      "Who the hell is Samantha? She claims remembering you from some party the other night? And apparently she's hot for you!"

      "But honey I assure you I was at work!"

  2. Re:anonymous calls? by cephyn · · Score: 2, Funny

    hmm, maybe we can get the spammers to play a song in the background during their spam messages...then RIAA will be all over them!

    --
    Moo.
  3. You know... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    None of this would happen if everybody just went out and bought herbal viagra and penis enlargement kits. If we all bought some then they wouldn't need to spam us so much.

    So buy! Buy! Buy!!

  4. phone spam by mastergoon · · Score: 5, Funny

    I can't wait to find out how Nigerians pronounce "i HaVe A gReAt BuSiNeSs PrOpOsAl FoR U"

    1. Re:phone spam by Rosco+P.+Coltrane · · Score: 2, Funny

      I can't wait to find out how Nigerians pronounce "i HaVe A gReAt BuSiNeSs PrOpOsAl FoR U"

      Dude, that's so 20th century. The hip Nigerian now says "HELLO, PLEASE PAY US $50.000 FOR OUR 50TH ANNIVERSARY OR YOU WILL BE SNIPPED."

      --
      "A door is what a dog is perpetually on the wrong side of" - Ogden Nash
  5. What is this "wife" thing of which you speak? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    For some reason I think your wife will disagree...

    You must be new here.

    1. Re:What is this "wife" thing of which you speak? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

      A service pack to girlfriend 2.0 that includes various "security" enhancements (which might result in significant usability changes), the automatic install of new monitoring functions, the automatic removal of "Explorer", and an upgrade to the full version of "Outlook" as opposed to Express (which is no longer supported).

  6. First.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    we need to reanimate George Peppard. Second, we need some no non-sense delta force guys who are sick and tired of being offered brest and penis enhancement through their e-mail. Then we'll need BA's van. Next, a small video production crew. Then we can enjoy the webcast vicious slayings of spammers all over the globe, complete with dramatic and requiset "shakey cam."

    We will pay for the operation with discrete and sensible banner ads for Black Talon ammunition, Baretta, Colt, and Remmington arms, find a person services, discount night vision gear, and subscription offers for guns and ammo, military surplus auctions, and of course the brand placement in each episode.

    Far from being intractable, I think such an approach would solve the whole unsolicited bulk email problem very quickly.

  7. Some kinky game ? by anti-NAT · · Score: 2, Funny

    I own an answering machine which my wife is somewhat attached to and to be honest, so am I.

    Answering machine bondage, that's a new one. How do you attach the handcuffs ?

    --
    The Internet's nature is peer to peer - 20050301_cs_profs.pdf
  8. Oh goody. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    The good old telephone is looking better and better!

    At what point did we pass the "Technology is helpful" stage and enter the "Technology attacks you at every turn" stage?

    Now has never been a better time to just luddite out and reject all technology post new millenium! Just joking... :) or am I? :(

  9. It's easy - Speak in a foreign language! by minator · · Score: 2, Funny

    I live in France but not speaking French I answer the phone in English - works almost every time!
    I figure that it could work in reverse in other countries, answer in French in the US and that'll totally confuse any spa^^^telemarketeer.

    Of course there could be the odd person who speaks French in which case answering in Dutch will work even better.

    Goed middag, hoe gaat het?

    But of course if all else fails you can totally confuse them (and get extra geek points) if you speak to them in Klingon:

    SoH DichDaq Hegh!

  10. Or just responded without buying by namespan · · Score: 2, Funny

    None of this would happen if everybody just went out and bought

    Or, say, if everybody responded without buying -- you know, visit that nice little website they linked in their message (say, 2,000,000 times a day). Or go ahead, call the number they left. String the salesman out for 20-30 minutes.

    --
    Libertarianism is rich wolves and poor sheep playing gambler's ruin for dinner.