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New Gadget Blocks 'Spam' Phone Calls

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the this-doesn't-sound-right dept.

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?

5 of 274 comments (clear)

  1. Partially useful by Trailer+Trash · · Score: 5, Insightful

    For me, this would cut out the "firefighters" and "police" charitable funds, and a couple of others that call locally. But the ones that really irk me are the "lower your credit card interest rates" that I get every few days, and it's different caller id each time. Usually falsified caller id. So I would still end up getting about the same number of nuisance calls.

    What would be optimal would be the FCC doing their job and shutting the scammers down, but I'm not holding my breath.

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    Do you have ESP?
  2. Nothing new here by orkybash · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Phone whitelist services which make callers you're unsure about go through an extra prompt have existed at least since I was a kid. They're annoying as hell to legitimate callers.

  3. Re:Hey, we could use that in the U.S. too by zappepcs · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I've been using Vonage for quite awhile now, signed up for the do not call registry, and if I don't recognize the number or it is not shown, I simply do not answer. Life has been much simpler doing that.

    Truly, if it is important they will leave a message. I refuse to let my life be ruled by the ringing of a phone or the whims of another person who wants my attention. Leave a message, I'll get back to you ... sometime... if you're nice.

    --
    Support NYCountryLawyer RIAA vs People
  4. Wait where have I seen this before? by noundi · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Isn't it hilarious? The industry has created such an itch that people actually PAY to get rid of them. The mafia of this century, and this time it's legal!

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    I am the lawn!
  5. Re:Hey, we could use that in the U.S. too by gid · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Annoying for the caller? Too fucking bad. If you can't be bothered to enter the numbers, then I can't be bothered to answer the call.

    I've always dreamed about such a device, basically a little captcha for the phone. I work from home and get tons of robo calls, and even if it's not a robot talking on the phone, marketing firms usually have some machine dialing the call and then hand it off to someone once the machine determines there's a human on the line. Ever wonder why you say hello and it takes the person on the other end a few seconds to respond? That's why. Phone captcha would eliminate these calls... at least for awhile until someone beats the captcha.