Slashdot Mirror
New Gadget Blocks 'Spam' Phone Calls
Smivs writes "The BBC report on a new gizmo that can block/filter spam phone calls. The system basically intercepts all calls. If it recognizes them as a friend or a member of the user's family — numbers on the so-called star list created by the user — it lets them through as normal.
If the caller's number is on a zap list — numbers of telemarketers or other nuisance callers — the device answers it, and all future calls from that number, with an automated message which means the phone does not ring at all.
If the system doesn't recognize the caller's number, or the caller withholds their number, it asks them who they are, puts them on hold and then rings the user's phone.
The user has the option of taking the call, having the system take a message, or they can reject the call and add the number to the 'zap' list.
Users can add callers to their 'star' list by pressing the star button on their phone at any point during a call." So wait, they can't spam me twice? If I press a button? And if they actually show their phone number on my caller ID? What about the auto insurance scammers that hit me 10x/week?
...call into this auto-answer system?
Will two robot start chatting together? We should definitely put some recording to watch them or else the first two machines that pass turning test might gone unnoticed.
but I would love to set up a touch tone menu for just the telemarketers. --press 1 if you are an annoying caller --press 2 if you are probably just trying to waste my time --press 3 if your intention is to sell me something --press 4 if you just want me to answer your questions for free --but not actually buy anything --press 5 for another menu --press 6 to hear these options again --press 7 seven three three... two three three... five five..one to connect to a live operator (really it would just be another menu but this time with 130 different options spoken in a heavy Scottish slang)
I write robo-call software...
I'd like to take a moment to thank you for your tireless efforts to make the world a better place.
"We shall grapple with the ineffable, and see if we may not eff it after all." - Douglas Adams
<Zybl0re> get up :D-< :D|-< :D/-<
;)
<Zybl0re> get on up
<Zybl0re> get up
<Zybl0re> get on up
<phxl|paper> and DANCE
* nmp3bot dances
* nmp3bot dances
* nmp3bot dances
<[SA]HatfulOfHollow> i'm going to become rich and famous after i invent a device that allows you to stab people in the face over the internet
Prior art.
"And you, sir, are worse than Hitler."
Got so fed up with that as a kid. We lived on the border between two area codes, and our number as the same as a pizza joint down the street. I would take their order and credit card number and then tell them I'm not actually a pizza place, and they called the wrong number and gave me their personal info and they authorized me to use it. Was fun.
I write robo-call software
Of all the times not to hit the "Post Anonymous" check box.
My 77 year old dad, when he gets a telemarketer, just lays the phone down
This is very useful. I typically will do it like this .....
ME: Can you hold on a sec, I'm right in the middle of __________.
THEM: Sure.
Me: COOL! (set phone down) .... five minutes later ...
ME: You still there? Sorry, but this is taking a bit longer than I thought, could you hold a bit longer ????
(wash rinse repeat) I have a record of almost 40 minutes for one poor idiot, before he caught a clue.
Other Hillarious ways to deal with it... pretend to be having sex while chatting with them ..."honey, you know when I love when you __________ like that". It really helps if your SO is also in on it in the background.
Agent K: A *person* is smart. People are dumb, stupid, panicky animals, and you know it.
I would post the name of my company, but our poor corporate server would last only seconds against Slashdot.
In that case just post a phone number.
At work whenever a telemarketer calls, we switch the sound system over to a cd of "Never gonna give you up" and put the phone next to a speaker.
All misspellings and grammatical errors in the above post are intentional and part of my artistic expression.
linux+asterisk box hooked on the line?
Put them throught a hell of menus and lift alike music... Call me unsocial bastard, or call my customers anoying techno-analphabets...