FTC Awards $50,000 Prize For Ideas On Killing Robocalls
from the die-rachel-from-cardholder-services,-die dept
We mentioned last fall that the FTC had declared "Rachel from Cardholder Services" as enemy number one -- referencing the all too common spammy robocaller scams that many of us have received on our phones. It has now awarded two $25,000 prizes out of 744 entries in ways to help block such robocalls.
According to the FTC, Serdar Danis and Aaron Foss will each receive $25,000 for their proposals, which both use software to intercept and filter out illegal prerecorded calls using technology to "blacklist" robocaller phone numbers and "whitelist" numbers associated with acceptable incoming calls. Both proposals also would filter out unapproved robocallers using a CAPTCHA-style test to prevent illegal calls from ringing through to a user.Of course, now the followup questions: will these solutions actually be put in place and work? And how long will it take for robocallers to route around these solutions?
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Nuking robo-callers from orbit is the only way to be sure.
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...Huh.
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Re-route
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I do not pay for a service so that others have easy access with which to harass.
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Is the title right?
... but the post has:
I'm a bit out of practice, but isn't that two $25,000 prizes?
Note the title of the linked article is
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As to my cell, if I don't know the number it doesn't get answered. I'm more likely to pick up a call from a local area code (which could be doctors, etc.) but even that's not safe anymore as spammers get creative.
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Re: Is the title right?
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robocalls
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Robocalls
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Re: Robocalls
I bought my mother a caller ID box that has a whitelist. If the number's not on it the ring signal doesn't get through to the main phone. The answering machine will still answer after so many rings: I put that in front of the ID unit with it's ringer turned off.
Long term solution: outlaw ALL telemarketing.
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Re: Re-route
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The phone company can tell me down to the second how long I was on a call so they can round it up to the next minute, but somehow they can't block the service they sell allowing robocallers to use fake CID information.
I understand there are real uses for fake CID information, batter women shelters and safe houses, police, etc...
If you want the phone companies to care, fine them more than they earn offering the service.
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Death to Robocalls
A state senator has a bill going through the NC House to add political robocalls to the "do not call" registry. Since I had four calls one Saturday morning before the alarm during the fall elections, I so hope this bill becomes law.
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