Disrupting telemarketer calls -- new free option available

[Trifle]

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/25/fashion/a-robot-that-has-fun-at-telemarketers-expense.html?emc=eta1&_r=0 

[Inaya]

But recently, one of the calls went for 22 minutes. It was from a cable company that called to try to get a customer to sign up for bigger, better, faster cable.

“Whenever you ask the robot a question, it always replies ‘yes,’” Mr. Anderson said. “So it kept signing it up for all the sports packages and high-speed services that the cable telemarketer offered.”

I love the idea, but this would make me incredibly hesitant to use it. Stop paying attention for 2 minutes and suddenly you've sold your soul to Comcast and spend $1500 for the privilege.

[GuitarStv]

I worked as a telemarketer for a while as one of a string of jobs to pay for university.  It was a low wage job that paid commissions on top of the wage.  If we didn't have a certain number of sales after four hours, we got sent home.

You're just hurting the little guy, not really doing anything to stop telemarketing with this device.

[MandalayVA]

Here's a novel way to avoid telemarketers:

Don't recognize the phone number?

DON'T ANSWER THE PHONE.

The ringing of the phone is not a holy command that must be obeyed at all costs.  I haven't talked to a telemarketer in decades.

[Inaya]

I worked as a telemarketer for a while as one of a string of jobs to pay for university.  It was a low wage job that paid commissions on top of the wage.  If we didn't have a certain number of sales after four hours, we got sent home.

You're just hurting the little guy, not really doing anything to stop telemarketing with this device.

I don't get telemarketing calls often, but all of the ones I have gotten recently are recordings. I have nothing but sympathy (and admiration) for anyone who works on phones for a living--I couldn't do it. But it, like many jobs, is becoming outsourced to technology. Who better to talk to a robot than another robot?

[Dicey]

Ha! I got one this week that turned out to be unexpectedly funny. Someone was trying to sell me some kind of home improvement service. I said that I lived in a ten year old custom home and that my husband was a contractor. I then asked what kind of service my home could possibly need. She kind of giggled and said in a friendly voice, "Probably nothing". God bless you, Sandra, I hope your next job is a better one.

[bacchi]

Here's a novel way to avoid telemarketers:

Don't recognize the phone number?

DON'T ANSWER THE PHONE.

The ringing of the phone is not a holy command that must be obeyed at all costs.  I haven't talked to a telemarketer in decades.

Exactly. Google voice also has the option to "block" a number, which gives the caller a "This number has been disconnected" message.

[gliderpilot567]

Hmm. This was funny. I called the number, and then pitted it against itself: I called it again in 3-way call mode and then let the two instances of robot duke it out. A long string of "Yes?" "Yes." "Yes?" "Yes." "Yes?" "Yes." then random boring stuff, and eventually the two robots started talking over each other. It was funny for about 3 minutes.