guy charges telemarketers if they call him

[brainhulk]

http://now.msn.com/lee-beaumont-englishman-sets-up-hotline-to-charge-telemarketers

If telemarketers drive you crazy, meet your new hero, Lee Beaumont of Leeds, England. Beaumont set up a new number through service Phone Pay Plus that acts as a hotline. He kept his home line private for friends and family and gave out the hotline number whenever a bank, utility or other company asked. So when telemarketers call Beaumont, they end up paying him 16 cents a minute for the privilege. Beaumont says he tells them upfront they’re being charged, but they still give him their spiel, and he’s raked in $465 since November 2011

lol

 

[TridenT]

16 cents a minute is pretty cheap. Can't he do a few dollars a minute??

 

[Newbian]

Does he at least talk dirty to them?

 

[JimmiG]

Genius indeed!

 

[darkxshade]

How much does it cost to set up a hotline?

 

[Thebobo]

How much does it cost to set up a hotline?

17 cents a minute

 

[boomerang]

I'm thankful my time is worth more than $0.16 a minute. I just don't answer.

 

[Arcadio]

I've never received calls by telemarketers. Must be a landline thing only.

 

[bignateyk]

I've never received calls by telemarketers. Must be a landline thing only.

I get those security systems scam phone calls all the time on my cell phone. I just don't answer if I don't recognize the area code. If it's anybody important I'm sure they'll leave a message.

 

[manimal]

genious

 

[Red Storm]

Would be genius if not for the fact that he still has to answer the calls and listen to them. My time is worth more than a little money.

 

[bignateyk]

How does he collect the money? Does the person have to enter their address or credit card number in before they talk to him?

 

[Blackjack200]

wow, he "raked in" $465 and all he had to do was talk to telemarketers for 465/.16 = 2906 minutes or 48 hours - six eight hour workdays.

He's brilliant!

 

[Genx87]

How does he collect the money? Does the person have to enter their address or credit card number in before they talk to him?

Billed to their number via the phone company.

 

[swanysto]

wow, he "raked in" $465 and all he had to do was talk to telemarketers for 465/.16 = 2906 minutes or 48 hours - six eight hour workdays.

He's brilliant!

Yeah, unless he could charge more, there is really no point to this. Or if he could setup and automated answering system that allows the the person on the other line to talk as long as they want.

 

[MotionMan]

wow, he "raked in" $465 and all he had to do was talk to telemarketers for 465/.16 = 2906 minutes or 48 hours - six eight hour workdays.

He's brilliant!

Something does not seem right. That works out to about 4 minutes a day ("since November 2011"). I am not sure I could average 4 minutes a day of talking to telemarketers, even if I tried - I just do not get called that much.

MotionMan

 

[Linux23]

my god, why didn't i think of this?

 

[mmntech]

The original BBC article is a bit more detailed.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-23869462

Plus this is probably the most English thing anyone has ever said.

He told the programme he replied: "Because I'm getting annoyed with PPI phone calls when I'm trying to watch Coronation Street so I'd rather make 10p a minute."

 

[Vic Vega]

...

 

[Fritzo]

Does he at least talk dirty to them?

LOL- my first thought

Anyway, this could backfire if his bank needs to call him for fraud or something.

 

[microAmp]

In the US, Federal law prohibits telemarketing to cell numbers.

Not quite. "The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regulations prohibit telemarketers from using automated dialers to call cell phone numbers."
Taken from here:
http://www.attorneygeneral.gov/consumers.aspx?id=1000
http://www.fcc.gov/guides/truth-about-wireless-phones-and-national-do-not-call-list

 

[Greenman]

In the US, Federal law prohibits telemarketing to cell numbers.

When did this happen and where do I go to press charges? I get several of these calls a week.

 

[Doppel]

It's the principle of it that is winning.

I think telemarketers should mass suicide.

 

[shortylickens]

I usually just cry and ask them to comfort me.

 

[MontyAC]

With Ooma I just blacklist and block them.