FTC Targets Group That Made Billions of Robocalls

coondoggie writes Given the amount of time the FTC and others have put into curing the robocall problem, it is disheartening to hear that a group of companies for almost a year have been making billions of illegal robocalls. The Federal Trade Commission and 10 state attorneys general today said they have settled charges against a Florida-based cruise line company and seven other companies that averaged 12 million to 15 million illegal sales calls a day between October 2011 through July 2012, according to the joint complaint filed by the FTC and the states.

Comments

Re:And was it really a punishment?

[Black Parrot]

I was hoping "settled" meant they agreed to hangings rather than impalings.

Re:Set up a premium number

[Zontar The Mindless]

I pick up spam calls only when I'm overseas.

"Nej, det är lite för dyrt till mig just nu... Så jag önskar dig Gott Kineskiskt Nytt År från Guangzhou och en jättebra kväll! Tack för att du spelar!"

Re:Hello?

[Oligonicella]

I'm meaner. I pretend to be a very old individual, making them listen closer. I play along for a few seconds, knock over a chair or table and them shout "No, no!" and scream like I'm being murdered. THEN I drop the phone down, make a few noises and then calmly hang up.

Very cathartic... and fun.

FTC, meet NSA

[DynamoJoe]

We can find robocallers. We just need them to sufficiently piss off a decision maker at the NSA. Then, BRING ME THE HEAD OF "RACHEL" FROM CARDMEMBER SERVICES.

Re:Set up a premium number

[DoofusOfDeath]

I pick up spam calls only when I'm overseas.

"Nej, det är lite för dyrt till mig just nu... Så jag önskar dig Gott Kineskiskt Nytt År från Guangzhou och en jättebra kväll! Tack för att du spelar!"

What if they can't speak Spanish?

Re:Hello?

[Jarik C-Bol]

Last telemarketer call I got, I waited until the guy came on the line, then, channeling the announcer at the airport who warns that you might be a terrorist, I say
"Thank you for calling the FBI self incarceration hotline. To surrender in english, press 1. Para espanol, oprime el numero dos."
There is a long pause, and the guy goes "Hello?" so I go
"To hear these options again, press 3."
"hello?"
'To hear these options again, press 3."
there is this anxious pause, and then I hear the button tone.
'beeep.'
I nearly die of joy, and promptly start my imaginary menu from the top.
"Thank you for calling the FBI self incarceration hotline. To surrender in english, press 1. Para espanol, oprime el numero dos."
another anxious pause, and then:
'Beeeep.'
I'm not trying not to pass out from glee, so I scream into the phone:
"YOUR A FUCKING IDIOT! NEVER CALL ME AGAIN!"

they called me twice a day for a week after that, but god it was fun.