We'll have to see what happens when we open up millions of numbers.
... Nope - finally got one http://www.me.uk/2010-07-12T15:09:41.mp3
Ah, it is our friends "pure solutions" http://www.me.uk/2010-07-12T17:16:46.mp3
It seems w have managed to stop the "Free unlimited calls for life" people, but the "pure solutions" bunch are not the same. They still get caught out though...
http://www.me.uk/2010-07-12T17:44:57.mp3
Ideally those millions of numbers need to be scattered and mixed in with genuine numbers. That way they can't simply block ranges without blocking all numbers.
ReplyDeleteOf course they have a cast iron method not to hit one of your honeypots lines - just don't call TPS registered numbers! Simple
Getting the lines blocked is a GOOD thing .. now he can part out some of these numbers and sell them at a premium with the tag of 'reduced junk calls'
ReplyDeleteIndeed, glad the office is blocked. As part of our office DDI we would not be selling them, sorry. However, if we can get the new number blocks (around 4 million numbers in total) properly blacklisted with the junk callers as non-viable (not just with the TPS who clearly are not as effective) that would be excellent. Maybe we should publish the list of number blocks and a "we *will* try and tie up your time on these numbers"
ReplyDeleteI love the revised message content! Must look at getting CLID turned back on for office outbound calls - we had a security issue at one point with revealing our identity - it got the company attacked by animal rights protestors phone spamming us - we're pharmaceutical but don't do any animal testing - but maybe just set all CLID to an IVR dungeon for those types :)
ReplyDeleteAnother friend who works for a US Govt organization got similar phone spam from PETA - who war-dialled the entire office DDI range... apparently not illegal for charities in the US!
Must look at what I can do with my Trixbox@home for this - already have the BT teledrones in the blacklist, which under Trixbox returns a line disconnected tone - and gets rid of them fast!
I think you should offer a service to allow people to 'buy' access to one of these honeypot numbers. If you had say 1000 numbers allocated randomly from your range, you could sell a number for perhaps £5 one-off to the general public. They could give that number out to any company who they do not wish to hear from when giving out information is required. This would have multiple benefits - a) You'd get a one off payment from each number. b) You'd get recurring payments for receiving the spam calls. c) For any telemarketer who presents their number, you could record this and add it to a block list. d) You'd be wasting their time.
ReplyDeleteYou could issue each number multiple times, meaning a telemarketing company might have to spend a lot of money to get the full list (which you could change anyway) and people being harrassed could say something like "I'm at work, but can you call me later on my home number on 01xxx xxxxxx".
Think its time to fight fire with fire...
Hello RevK, and thank you for a most entertaining few days following your blog. You have my support, go-go-go!
ReplyDeleteI wrote about your approach over at my blog http://www.leonuys.co.za and while doing some research I came across the funniest ever way of pranking a telemerketer here http://howtoprankatelemarketer.ytmnd.com/
Enjoy!
Leon