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Conference 7.286::digital

Title:The Digital way of working
Moderator:QUARK::LIONELON
Created:Fri Feb 14 1986
Last Modified:Fri Jun 06 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:5321
Total number of notes:139771

1506.0. ""Collect" solicitation now????" by BOOVX1::MANDILE (What about valuing MY differences?) Fri Jun 21 1991 10:01

    I rec'd a "collect" phonecall the other night from
    what I can only assume was some company trying to
    get me to buy something.  It went something like
    this:
    
    (computer voice) "Hello, this is Liberty Tree mumble
    mumble calling collect.  If you accept this call, please
    say yes after....."
    
    I couldn't believe it!  This is going too far!!....
    
    HRH
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1506.1KP7/SELECT to add TELEPHONESDCVAX::PAVLICEKZot, the Ethical HackerFri Jun 21 1991 11:205
    While this sounds quite interesting -- and disgusting, I might add --
    you may wish to discuss this in BTOVT::TELEPHONES or somewhere more
    appropriate for the subject matter.
    
    -- Russ (not a moderator, nor do I play one on TV)
1506.2Don't *SAY* anything!!!!!!!CTHQ2::MOHNblank space intentionally filledFri Jun 21 1991 13:5514
    It could be even more disgusting to DEC.  There have been cases where
    this kind of computer-generated trash call has been sent to every phone
    in a DEC site (just cycling through the DID numbers).  If anyone at
    work "accepts" a collect call of this nature, DEC gets the bill!!  I
    wonder if the voice recognition capabilities employed in this scam are
    good enough NOT to recognize random voice mail/answering machine
    messages ("Yes, as you can see, I can't come to the phone right
    now...").  Certainly hope so.
    
    Usually this kind of company would use an "alternative" operator
    services company, so accepting a collect call could cost a LOT more
    than you might expect.
    
    Bill
1506.3BUNYIP::QUODLINGI'll have some of what Marketing is Smoking...Fri Jun 21 1991 19:129
Are you sure it was a telephone solicitation. Several Phone Companies (nynex
included) now use computers as part of their collect call handling system. It
could be that Liberty Tree mumble is a telephone company and was routing a
collect call from a relative.

If you don't like then complain to your phone company....

q

1506.4ASIC::BARTOORoboco-op 2Sat Jun 29 1991 10:096
    
    
    Also, a solicitation company has no right to ask you to accept the
    call.  A telephone company operator has to be the one to say "Will you
    accept charges..."
    
1506.5REGENT::POWERSTue Jul 02 1991 11:017
>    Also, a solicitation company has no right to ask you to accept the
>    call.  A telephone company operator has to be the one to say "Will you
>    accept charges..."

Reply .3 was referring to telephone companies that use computer voice 
recognition to handle collect calls.  One does not have to be a HUMAN
telephone operator to ask if the called party will accept the charges.
1506.6Now how did I know your name?... :-)ASIC::BARTOORoboco-op 2Thu Jul 04 1991 01:039
    
    RE:  .5
    
    Thanks for that clarification, Tom, but I was refering to the basenote
    just as .3 was.  I was offering another reason why it probably wasn't
    a sales company.
    
    Nick