Is it possible for a bill collector to listen in on an answermachine

[zogg]

Is it possible for a bill collector to listen in on an answermachine
even though you don't pick up the phone. I mean is there some kind of software to enable the pone to act like its picked up even though it isn't?

sort of like those old time phone taps that are designed to listen in to a room with phone on the hook.
You know with all the modern software and gadgets out these days one never knows does one?

 

[TuxDave]

So you're asking if someone hits your answering machine, can he hear you talking if you're standing next to it?

I'm not really sure how he can do it without getting physical access to your answering machine. Maybe if your machine has a remote password and he knows it (I never tried it so take it with a grain of salt), perhaps he can set the answering machine to record a new greeting message and inadvertantly record what you're saying?

 

[phisrow]

A fair percentage of answering machines do have some feature that allows you to check messages remotely by entering a passcode on a touch tone phone. My guess is that your average answering machine isn't too clever about avoiding brute force attacks, so in theory it could probably be forced. However, it would take rather a while to to do, would be pretty noticable(calling repeatedly and hitting your answering machine with key tones each time) and I've never heard of it being done. The good chaps at cal.phonelosers.org probably have a better idea of how, if it is possible at all, one would do all manner of things nefarious on a line and they might be the people to ask.

 

[flamingelephant]

pay your bill?

 

[FrankSchwab]

I sincerely doubt it.

I suppose it's possible that a poorly engineering answering machine (or a poorly engineering phone attached to it) (or a phone that has been physically hacked) could leak signals from the microphone back onto the line so the bill collector could hear them. There's nothing the bill collector could do to force this to happen, however. To test it, have a friend call your house. You let the Answering machine pick up, then start yelling at it. See if your friend can hear you.

/frank

 

[zogg]

:disgust:
Its not just the bill - but why they are billing me and why I don't want to pay - (TMI) - this aplies to telemarketersand ass-wipes that like to bust balls for no reason as well
:disgust:

 

[zogg]

flamingelephant
I have some athlon boards and better video and sound cards and hard drives laying around that will at triple your systems performance ....I'll give u a fair price... it seems a shame that in the 21 st century u have to use a p3 700