Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site sdcsvax.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!floyd!harpo!decvax!ittvax!dcdwest!sdcsvax!bob From: bob@sdcsvax.UUCP Newsgroups: net.consumers Subject: Junk Phone Calls Message-ID: <537@sdcsvax.UUCP> Date: Sun, 26-Feb-84 21:39:40 EST Article-I.D.: sdcsvax.537 Posted: Sun Feb 26 21:39:40 1984 Date-Received: Tue, 28-Feb-84 07:21:11 EST Organization: EECS Dept., U.C. San Diego Lines: 27 [reposting; original didn't make it out of San Diego alive.] A few weeks ago, I received a phone call from an answering machine running in reverse. It dials each of a list of phone numbers in turn, waits for an answer, and plays a speil (complete with two sleeze-bucket marketing pukes and car horn!). Then the fun begins: it plays back your phone number, and starts asking questions. What's happening is that you're being recorded; a human will scan the tape later and call the "hot" prospects back, or more likely, send another sleeze-bucket out to your house. Now for netflame time! What are the ethics of these devices? The phone company says they're just like any other cold sales call (hence legal). Even if legal, the machines are nasty -- they reduce the cost of prospecting so much that I expect a flood of phone-hype any week! How can we (a) outlaw these machines, or (b) discourage their use? I got several answers from folks in San Diego. Some ideas are: (a) generate noise on the line while they're recording -- my modem did quite well, (b) sound incoherent, (c) give the phone company business office address & phone number. Go ahead, MAIL to me, and I'll summarize. --bob hofkin (..!sdcsvax!bob)