Robocall Strike Force

Wolf

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Oct 11, 2008
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Apple, AT&T, Google and others working with FCC to combat robocall phone spam | 9to5Mac

AT&T chairman Randall Stephenson will soon announce that a consortium of 33 companies, including Apple, AT&T, Google and Comcast are joining the FCC in an effort to crack down on phone call spam made by robots, according to Reuters. In the inaugural “Robocall Strike Force” meeting, the companies will announce their initial plans on how to stop US phone owners from receiving advertorial spam run by automated machines …

The AT&T CEO said the 33 companies, which includes tech smartphone giants Apple and Google, will work on solutions to present a concrete plan by October 19 in a couple of months time.

Right now, there are no details on what methods the companies have in mind to combat the spam phone calls, or what role Apple will play. There is a possibility Apple could add technology into iOS that can detect robotic spam callers before the user picks up the phone.

Although a plan is to be expected by October 19, a prospective date for implementation of the scheme is even more fuzzy.

AT&T chairman and CEO Randall Stephenson will make the announcement at the first “Robocall Strike Force” meeting at the FCC later on Friday, the company said. FCC chairman Tom Wheeler in July wrote major companies about robocalls. The strike force will report to the commission by Oct. 19 on “concrete plans to accelerate the development and adoption of new tools and solutions,” Stephenson said.

“Accelerate the development and adoption” gives no promises about when such changes could come into effect, likely taking many months or years for 33 companies to coordinate with each other. At this stage, it’s not even clear how the stakeholders would achieve such a feat: just like email spam, combatting phone spam is a cat and mouse game.

In iOS 10, Apple has already started along this path with a new extension point for third-party app developers that lets the phone flag up known marketers. At WWDC, Apple advertised this feature in the context of the Chinese region (where phone spam is also very high) but it works worldwide. This is what Craig Federighi is demoing at the keynote in the image above.

  • Phone adds integration for third-party VoIP calls, voicemail transcription and a new caller ID extension for spam alerts.
However, Apple has not announced any plans to provide this data itself as of yet. If customers want to take advantage of the new iOS 10 feature, they will have to download third-party apps that offer the underlying database and provide integration with the system. iOS 10 is expected to launch next month in September.

We’ll bring more details to follow on Apple’s telephone spam efforts as they are announced.​
 

hyson

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Oct 19, 2008
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I love it when scammer madarchode Indians call me trying to sell me shit or steal my credit card data.

I keep them on the phone for hours.
 

Channel98

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Last year, Americans received 47.8 billion robocalls, an increase of 57% over the previous year. We're bombarded with ads for viagra, insurance, refinancing, charities and other businesses. John Oliver came up with a good way to get the attention of the FCC. Yeah, the FCC is well aware of the robocallers -- but it's not doing anything to stop them.

John Oliver robocalls FCC commissioners to urge crackdown on robocalls

Watch John Oliver Robocall FCC to Urge Crackdown on Robocalls – Rolling Stone
 
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hyson

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98% of my spam calls are from Indians using xlite, firertc or skype.

Unless those companies block Indian IP addresses, I doubt there's much that can be done.
 

HecticArt

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Last year, Americans received 47.8 billion robocalls, an increase of 57% over the previous year. We're bombarded with ads for viagra, insurance, refinancing, charities and other businesses. John Oliver came up with a good way to get the attention of the FCC. Yeah, the FCC is well aware of the robocallers -- but it's not doing anything to stop them.

John Oliver robocalls FCC commissioners to urge crackdown on robocalls

Watch John Oliver Robocall FCC to Urge Crackdown on Robocalls – Rolling Stone
I watched Oliver's show when he announced that last night. He is AWESOME.

Robocall all of those SOB's and see how fast they take care of the problem.
 

Channel98

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Yesterday I received eight -- eight! -- phone calls within five hours. All eight were from the same caller. Caller ID showed "APPLE INC" and the message was a recording alerting me to a problem with my Apple iCloud account and inviting me to press 1 to speak with an agent who will show me how to resolve the issue. Of course Apple does not contact users by telephone unless requested -- and certainly not eight times in a five-hour period. I also do not own or use any Apple products. The calls are made by scammers seeking to learn passwords and/or seeking to gain remote access to people's computers. The FTC says several robocallers have been shut down. Hey, FTC, talk to me again when the "several" becomes "all."

In fighting 'scourge of illegal robocalls,' Federal Trade Commission cites some victories
 

scotchandcigar

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I was getting a few robo calls per week between my cell and work phones, but I updated my Do Not Call registry, and now I get maybe one a month.
 

hyson

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Oct 19, 2008
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I love talking to these guys.

I give the FBI headquarters as my address to install my free AT&T cable. LOL! I get calls for Harry Houdini, as that's my alias with these fellas. If they ask for him, I know it's fake. HA! Waste their time as much as you can.
 
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Channel98

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We just got a scam call with a recorded message telling us, "Your technical support will end on April 20, 2019." Technical support for what, I wonder. Then it said "the amount" will be debited from our account on April 20. Why would "the amount" be debited if our "technical support" is ending? The message ended with instructions to call "our executive" to cancel. Oh, suuuure we will. Why don't these scammers ever give up and get a real job?
 
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hyson

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Believe it or not, their scare tactics work and people often give them money.

And, if they're Indian, scamming is sorta a real job. The government over looks the practice and the scammers get paid tons more than a normal call center job.

We just got a scam call with a recorded message telling us, "Your technical support will end on April 20, 2019." Technical support for what, I wonder. Then it said "the amount" will be debited from our account on April 20. Why would "the amount" be debited if our "technical support" is ending? The message ended with instructions to call "our executive" to cancel. Oh, suuuure we will. Why don't these scammers ever give up and get a real job?
 

hyson

Forum Jerk
Oct 19, 2008
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From my experience, it's mostly the ones that threaten some kind of police/court action that get the most reaction.

Everyone is hip to the IRS, MS Tech Support, Refund scams.

It's amazing how people can be taken in by those calls and emails.
 

HecticArt

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Oct 19, 2008
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I've called them fascist pigs and told them to come and get me because I'm going to shoot them and eat their children, rant, rant, rant. It's funny how they never show up to arrest me.
 

Channel98

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Feb 2, 2019
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My grandmother used to blow a loud police whistle into the phone when she got scam calls and sales pitches but now all the calls are recorded messages. Blowing a whistle no longer works – unless we could find out where the scammers are calling from and then go there and blow the whistle into their ear. And even that probably wouldn't stop them.
 

hyson

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Learn Hindi swear words, like Benachode, Boosa-dee-kay, ben-ka-low-day, rundi....etc

I've called them fascist pigs and told them to come and get me because I'm going to shoot them and eat their children, rant, rant, rant. It's funny how they never show up to arrest me.
 

hyson

Forum Jerk
Oct 19, 2008
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Wow, that's so odd to hear. I've only really had Indians with that scam.

Now, medical grade braces scam, I've gotten natural English speakers.

Except for the Microsoft scam, they have all been 'Merican.