FTC Awards $50,000 Prize For Ideas On Killing Robocalls

from the die-rachel-from-cardholder-services,-die dept

Thu, Apr 4th 2013 3:44am — Mike Masnick

We mentioned last fall that the FTC had declared "Rachel from Cardholder Services" as enemy number one -- referencing the all too common spammy robocaller scams that many of us have received on our phones. It has now awarded two $25,000 prizes out of 744 entries in ways to help block such robocalls.

According to the FTC, Serdar Danis and Aaron Foss will each receive $25,000 for their proposals, which both use software to intercept and filter out illegal prerecorded calls using technology to "blacklist" robocaller phone numbers and "whitelist" numbers associated with acceptable incoming calls. Both proposals also would filter out unapproved robocallers using a CAPTCHA-style test to prevent illegal calls from ringing through to a user.

Of course, now the followup questions: will these solutions actually be put in place and work? And how long will it take for robocallers to route around these solutions?

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Filed Under: ftc, prizes, robocalls

21 Comments

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Anonymous Coward, 4 Apr 2013 @ 4:15am

"And how long will it take for robocallers to route around these solutions?"

Nuking robo-callers from orbit is the only way to be sure.
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Anonymous Coward, 4 Apr 2013 @ 4:21am

Maybe mysterious Rachel is the same mysterious person that actually pays Mike Masnick...
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- Anonymous Coward, 4 Apr 2013 @ 4:41am
  
  Re:
  That's funny. I heard you were a stand-up comedian, but I see nothing upstanding here, either.
  
  ...Huh.
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- Anonymous Coward, 4 Apr 2013 @ 5:24am
  
  Re:
  I can understand how the type of people you support rationalize their antisocial behavior, what is amazing is the ease with which they convince commoners to provide support.
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John Katos, 4 Apr 2013 @ 5:04am

Re-route
How long, very quickly. A couple of days ago I received a call from Rachel that showed up as a "private" call.
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- Jake, 4 Apr 2013 @ 9:08pm
  
  Re: Re-route
  There are services that force incoming calls from blocked numbers to enter a security code before the call goes through. Problem solved.
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  - That Anonymous Coward (profile), 5 Apr 2013 @ 12:25am
    
    Re: Re: Re-route
    I don't understand why consumers have to pay to stop this crap.
    The phone company can tell me down to the second how long I was on a call so they can round it up to the next minute, but somehow they can't block the service they sell allowing robocallers to use fake CID information.
    
    I understand there are real uses for fake CID information, batter women shelters and safe houses, police, etc...
    
    If you want the phone companies to care, fine them more than they earn offering the service.
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Dan (profile), 4 Apr 2013 @ 5:17am

A CAPTCHA-style test would suck. Have the phone ask one out of any number of random questions any human would know, and wait for an answer before connecting. The tech is already available.
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Anonymous Coward, 4 Apr 2013 @ 5:53am

this will be as big a waste of money as the scheme in the UK on new anti-piracy technology. obviously someone in government is getting a kickback, all be it a small one, but things often start small.
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Anonymous Coward, 4 Apr 2013 @ 5:58am

Perhaps the answer lies in who is charged for the call.
I do not pay for a service so that others have easy access with which to harass.
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- ShellMG, 4 Apr 2013 @ 7:05am
  
  Re:
  That's why we haven't had a landline in eight years. The taxes and fees on it made killing it very easy.
  
  As to my cell, if I don't know the number it doesn't get answered. I'm more likely to pick up a call from a local area code (which could be doctors, etc.) but even that's not safe anymore as spammers get creative.
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Ben (profile), 4 Apr 2013 @ 6:19am

Is the title right?
The title is:
FTC Awards Two $50,000 Prizes For Ideas On Killing Robocalls

... but the post has:

Serdar Danis and Aaron Foss will each receive $25,000 for their proposals

I'm a bit out of practice, but isn't that two $25,000 prizes?

Note the title of the linked article is
FTC awards $50k in prizes to cut off exasperating robocalls
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- Mike Masnick (profile), 4 Apr 2013 @ 9:05am
  
  Re: Is the title right?
  Oops. Fixed. Thanks.
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Rikuo (profile), 4 Apr 2013 @ 8:56am

Seriously? No-one had thought of black- and white-lists before?
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- dennis deems (profile), 4 Apr 2013 @ 9:46am
  
  Re:
  I know right? I assumed this would be a challenge comparable to improving Netflix recommendations...
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magscanner, 4 Apr 2013 @ 9:06am

robocalls
Is there some reason why we can't just follow the money and put the robocallers out of business? If the government can't do it, there's always direct action. Somewhere along the line, someone has to meet you face to face. That's when you and your friends hold them upside down and shake until the keys fall out of their pockets. Further details left as an exercise for the reader.
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Shel10 (profile), 4 Apr 2013 @ 9:17am

Robocalls
White List/Black List... Great idea. Has anyone thought about how this strategy will be implemented? I suppose that the Carriers will provide this service at a fee?
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- RoyalPITA (profile), 4 Apr 2013 @ 2:39pm
  
  Re: Robocalls
  White List/Black List... Great idea. Has anyone thought about how this strategy will be implemented?
  
  I bought my mother a caller ID box that has a whitelist. If the number's not on it the ring signal doesn't get through to the main phone. The answering machine will still answer after so many rings: I put that in front of the ID unit with it's ringer turned off.
  
  Long term solution: outlaw ALL telemarketing.
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Ninja (profile), 4 Apr 2013 @ 11:47am

I'd offer @50k per head of robocaller operators out there. That would fix it ;D
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Marilynn Byerly (profile), 5 Apr 2013 @ 7:21am

Death to Robocalls
I've had robocalls about "social security" for the last three mornings an hour before my alarm went off. In this case, I support the death penalty.

A state senator has a bill going through the NC House to add political robocalls to the "do not call" registry. Since I had four calls one Saturday morning before the alarm during the fall elections, I so hope this bill becomes law.
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I cant believe this was the winner, 19 Apr 2013 @ 11:36am

I've been using Google Voice for months filtering phone calls. How is this new or different? Everyone presented the same idea. Brilliant. How about we start applying for jobs on craigslist (yes, that is where they find their employees) and beating the shit out of our coworkers once we get hired.
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