Homeland Security Doesn't Extend To Telemarketing Calls
from the this-is-not-a-sales-call dept
Telemarketers' dialing machines, which simply call one number after another or dial random numbers, are apparently calling security hotlines for state governors (via Boing Boing) set up by the Department of Homeland Security. According to the governor of Delaware, her hotline rings with timeshare offers and long-distance calling pitches. One would imagine that such a line might be something a little more, uh, secure than a simple phone line with an unpublished number, but apparently not. The DHS supposedly put the governor's numbers on the do not call list, but no avail. If this government agency -- tasked with things like, oh, securing the country and stuff -- can't figure that out, it doesn't engender much faith in its abilities. One more question: with the government's apparently limitless wiretapping capabilities, couldn't they pretty easily track down these telemarketers and get them to stop?
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speaking records, for the record, you 1st posters have poop for brains
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LETS GO U.S.
Bush does so much for us. Like passing awsome bills that stop telemarketers.
BUSH IS THE MAN.
umm... ('shoots self')
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Re: LETS GO U.S.
and the government should be regulating everything including calls that a company can make.
how about taking this into your own hands and using caller id. besides, this was about the government securing a line not regulating telemarketers.
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Re: Re: LETS GO U.S.
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Shall we play a game?
As the 2008 elections get close, consider the election calls you'll get.
If I were pushing for say, the DNC, I'd set up a cheap linux box at serverbeach running asterisk. Then, I'd sign up as many home users as were willing -- anywhere in the country -- and send them a little IAXY device. Each device would cost about $75 -- much less I assume if bought in bulk.
Each user willing to plug this device into his or her cable modem and phone line for a few hours a day -- perhaps while they were at work -- would give me the ability to auto-dial from their phone number to any local numbers all day long at virtually no further cost.
Talk about grass roots! figure about $100 worth of server for each 200 or so outbound concurrent calls, plus about $75 for the devices each. In terms of cost, this would be almost as low as spam rates when you figure how many thousands of calls per day could be autodialed with these little devices. The recording can easily be tailored to the area being called, no telemarketing people need be paid, and the devices are a tax deduction.
Oh, and the devices are reusable for campaign after campaign, year after year. Once owned, the only costs are shipping them to volunteers and the cost of the server. I'm willing to bet I'm low on the number of concurrent calls per server as well.
Hell, I could set the thing up in a matter of a day or two.
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Why the hell is this news?
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Bagging on Tech Dirt
1) If ya don't like the site then stop reading and save us all your tripe.
2) Get a real life where what you do really matters.
And yes Adam the headline reallt should have been "National Do Not Call Lists Are Completely Impotent." What a joke that is!
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Re: Bagging on Tech Dirt
1) If ya don't like the site then stop reading and save us all your tripe.
2) Get a real life where what you do really matters.
Me, too.
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