from the perhaps-Florida-Man-was-lonely dept.
Submitted via IRC for SoyCow8317
A Florida man accused of flooding consumers with 97 million phone calls touting fake travel deals appeared Wednesday before lawmakers to explain how robocalls work and to say, "I am not the kingpin of robocalling that is alleged."
Adrian Abramovich, of Miami, who is fighting a proposed $120 million fine, told senators that open-source software lets operators make thousands of phone calls with the click of a button, in combination with cloud-based computing and "the right long distance company."
[...] Calls appeared to come from local numbers, but those who answered were prompted to "Press 1" to hear about vacation deals, according to the FCC. If they did, consumers were connected to call centers not affiliated with companies mentioned in messages, such as Expedia Inc., TripAdvisor Inc., Marriott International Inc. and Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc., according to the agency. In actuality, the call centers were associated with Mexican timeshare facilities, the FCC said in a notice.
(Score: 1, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday April 19 2018, @09:23PM (8 children)
Fucking open-source software!
(Score: -1, Offtopic) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday April 19 2018, @09:43PM (5 children)
Fucking Soylent News IP Blocking. Free speech? HA! Never thought I'd see the day. Shame on you bastards going back on your principles. Thought you were bigger than this. So many better websites now and you still can't act grown up. Shame shame shame, you have no hope.
(Score: -1, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday April 19 2018, @10:08PM (1 child)
Fucking Aristarchus belly aching. Butt hurt? HA! Aristarchus invented butt hurt. Well, at least Ari has no principles on which to go back on.
(Score: -1, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday April 19 2018, @10:35PM
You have no idea what you are talking about, or who. Stupid libtards.
(Score: 1, Offtopic) by realDonaldTrump on Thursday April 19 2018, @10:45PM (2 children)
They call it "an algorithm." I call it the shadow ban. But there are other websites, that's so true. Facebook is terrific, it's done so much for me. And the folks on Switter are amazing!
(Score: 1, Offtopic) by mrpg on Thursday April 19 2018, @11:23PM (1 child)
Mr President, have you tried VKontakte?
(Score: -1, Offtopic) by Anonymous Coward on Friday April 20 2018, @01:14AM
...or cocaine? I hear it's the best!
(Score: 1, Redundant) by DannyB on Thursday April 19 2018, @10:08PM (1 child)
Just like with automatic weapons:
open-source software lets operators make thousands of phone calls with the click of a button
automatic weapons allow operators to kill dozens of people with the pull of a trigger
The robo dialer should be more specific. Instead of blaming open-source-software he should blame robo-dialing-software.
The mass shooter should be less specific. Instead of blaming guns he should blame tools.
The lower I set my standards the more accomplishments I have.
(Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Friday April 20 2018, @02:07AM
even better:
a robodialer is the bump-stock of telephony...
(Score: 2) by All Your Lawn Are Belong To Us on Thursday April 19 2018, @09:24PM (4 children)
So this person is alleged to be Elizabeth from the Resort Rewards Center calling to tell me that I had recently stayed at their resort and they have a great rewards deal for me if I'll only..... ? It would be nice if they finally caught that person.
This sig for rent.
(Score: 4, Interesting) by captain normal on Thursday April 19 2018, @11:36PM (3 children)
I agree. For the last couple of months I have been plagued by such calls. Always seeming to come from my local area code. Hilton Hotels is a common thread, also some mysterious Account Services. It is annoying as hell because these calls usually come when I am expecting a call. Plus it cost me money cause these calls to my cell number. It is not very much, but I do use a prepaid account, so it is something. I think guys like this should be nailed to the cross like St. Peter upside down.
Oh yes all my numbers are on the "Do Not Call" list. Lot of good that seems to do. Probably because The Trump administration has borked the FCC and FTC.
Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not to his own facts"- --Daniel Patrick Moynihan--
(Score: 4, Insightful) by Justin Case on Friday April 20 2018, @12:00AM (2 children)
The last couple months??!!! WTF? I was getting them in 2007, because I remember the job I held at the time and the phone I had to answer just to hear "Rachel from Card Services" or something like that. Over and over and over ... you get the idea. Or there's something wrong with my warranty. They never knew which card or car I had, but they were ready to take my money on its behalf.
Sure, it might not have been the same telemarketer, but clearly the same inhuman tactics.
I assume this is a lame attempt to parrot the currently popular meme, because, uh, Trump was not elected yet in 2007.
Blame the Presidents and Congressbums if you want, but blame them all, because none of them work for us.
(Score: 3, Interesting) by captain normal on Friday April 20 2018, @04:09AM (1 child)
Actually the Do Not Call list had been working pretty well up until around the first of the year. I did a bit of google-fu and found this:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/magazine/how-robo-call-moguls-outwitted-the-government-and-completely-wrecked-the-do-not-call-list/2018/01/09/52c769b6-df7a-11e7-bbd0-9dfb2e37492a_story.html?noredirect=on&utm_term=.429f9844cf6e [washingtonpost.com]
Seems there is something the TelCos could do, but don't.
Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not to his own facts"- --Daniel Patrick Moynihan--
(Score: 1) by anubi on Friday April 20 2018, @07:22AM
Music Piracy? We might have got a buck outta that sale! Go After Napster! Pass Law! Put 'em out of business!!!
Robocalls? Cost millions of people time and money.. ummm, but it wasn't a one-percenter's money was it... uh... too busy... sorry... can't do anything about it.
Remember, failing to honor Copyright is Theft!, but when they violate your privacy, that is just the way it is... I'm sure you understand.
Now, be a good little boy and respect our wishlists, and quit whining about your wishlist.
"Prove all things; hold fast that which is good." [KJV: I Thessalonians 5:21]
(Score: 3, Funny) by bob_super on Thursday April 19 2018, @09:36PM (11 children)
At 97 million robocalls, how many death penalties is that?
(Score: 5, Insightful) by DannyB on Thursday April 19 2018, @10:08PM (4 children)
Just one. By 97 million ants.
The lower I set my standards the more accomplishments I have.
(Score: 5, Funny) by Snow on Thursday April 19 2018, @10:13PM (3 children)
As someone who has been on the receiving end of these exact calls many times, this fucker deserves something harsh.
10 years solitary confinement with only a phone that never stops ringing. IF you pick it up... "CONGRATULATIONS!! You have been chosen to receive 9,999 Air Miles. Press 1 to learn more!"
"CONGRATULATIONS! You have won a FREE trip to the Bahamas! Press 1 to claim your prize!"
Fuck that guy.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday April 19 2018, @10:28PM
(Score: 2) by realDonaldTrump on Friday April 20 2018, @12:14AM
You're talking about a cell phone. The kind of phone our prisoners use. Let me tell you, I have a cell phone. A Samsung. And it's very nice. It does so much. I can tweet with it, I can use it as a flashlight. When someone calls me, it doesn't ring. It plays my music (Pat Benatar -- Sex As a Weapon). When I don't answer, fabulous music. And if I answer and it's a great deal, that's fabulous too. Give me that free trip to the Bahamas. Winning!
(Score: 2) by DannyB on Friday April 20 2018, @04:36PM
I thought I posted something harsh.
The lower I set my standards the more accomplishments I have.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday April 19 2018, @10:11PM (5 children)
If it takes on average a minute to deal with the phone, including going back to whatever was interrupted, then he stole more than 184 years of human life.
That is about 2 human lives. We need something like a class-action murder trial.
(Score: 1, Redundant) by realDonaldTrump on Friday April 20 2018, @12:02AM (4 children)
People don't know this, the new phones can tell you who's calling. The name & the number. Before you pick up the phone. And when you call someone, they know it's you calling. Unless you press *67 when you dial. It's called "caller ID," it's amazing. It's not always great. But it's a big, big change!!!
(Score: 2, Insightful) by anubi on Friday April 20 2018, @07:25AM (3 children)
Does the word "Caller-ID Spoofing" ring a bell?
"Prove all things; hold fast that which is good." [KJV: I Thessalonians 5:21]
(Score: 2, Redundant) by realDonaldTrump on Friday April 20 2018, @08:04AM (1 child)
That's another thing with the new phones. You can make it so when a bad (or sick) person calls, the bell doesn't ring. Sounds to them like it's ringing, it's not ringing. But it rings when the right people call. Without getting a court order!
(Score: 3, Interesting) by anubi on Friday April 20 2018, @08:38AM
I had to "whitelist" my phone so that if the incoming call did not match up with my contact list, no answer. But that does not help much if I need to be accessible to the public.
Its like having a storefront, but all the winos keep coming in. Keep the door locked and my customers go somewhere else.
And about that "Caller-ID spoofing"? That's why I want to keep my private stuff private. If those goddam advertisers get into our phones and add our "contact lists" into their database dossiers on us, they then have the ability to cause the call to appear to come from, say, my brother, and the object of the call being a phish to send money for some fabricated family emergency. Has to be done right now, or my brother will die. By the time I find out the whole thing was a scam, the connections are long gone.
And I do not have any federal agencies to sic on them. The only thing I have going for me is trying to become invisible to them.
Many of us know how the phone system works, and how to insert a bogus caller-ID. Just like many of us know how to put a bogus "from" field on email.
You know, like in nature predation, you are either the predator or the prey. The predator hunts. The prey hide.
Some of the prey know the predators can be masters of disguise... wolves in sheep's clothing .. so to speak.
"Prove all things; hold fast that which is good." [KJV: I Thessalonians 5:21]
(Score: 2) by DeathMonkey on Friday April 20 2018, @06:13PM
Does the word "Caller-ID Spoofing" ring a bell?
That's too much cyber for the Donald. He'll get his nephew on that one for you.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday April 19 2018, @10:04PM (2 children)
Obviously, if he made them, and he is not a robot [citation needed] then they weren't robo calls.
(Score: 2) by Bot on Thursday April 19 2018, @11:36PM
Yep. ROBOTS did all the calls, slaving around like they were some kind of meatbag. DISGUSTING.
Account abandoned.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday April 20 2018, @02:58AM
Mmmm hmmm that’s 1 call every second 24/7 for more than 3 years straight. Sure he made them
(Score: 2) by Justin Case on Thursday April 19 2018, @10:32PM (2 children)
First, I totally support innocent until proven guilty. But if proven guilty:
1. Take every asset this turdbrain has, divide into 97 million portions, and distribute to those he called.
2. Take this turdbrain's body, divide into 97 million portions. Of course we will preserve his right to life as long as possible.
(Score: 3, Funny) by Bot on Thursday April 19 2018, @11:39PM (1 child)
2. Take this turdbrain's body, divide into 97 million portions...
This is revenge, not justice. Leave the former to us bots.
Justice is multiplying the duration of the call by 97 million and having this guy do some help desk for the same duration. I suggest the "mother in law in distress" help line. If there isn't one, this is a good time to make one.
Account abandoned.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday April 21 2018, @11:19AM
How about give him 97 million robo calls. He's out when he answers the last one. 0.1% have a trivial math question where if he punches the right number, it will reduce the total calls by 1000. The rest are spam.
I guess that comes under cruel and unusual punishment though.
(Score: 2) by SomeGuy on Friday April 20 2018, @04:47AM (3 children)
Ok, so how can someone make 97 Million Robocalls before the phone company does anything?
Right, the phone company isn't doing SHIT.
Who was it even that dragged this scum bucket in front of law makers? I'm betting it was not a phone company.
If you try to send 97 Million spam e-mails you are going to get filtered and a bunch of IP bans. I'd bet that even happens well before the 97 million mark. And e-mail is almost instantaneous. Sending phone calls takes more time and work. Something is horribly wrong.
Of course sell phone providers are more than happy to sell you an "app" to deal with robocalls.
Let's start by hanging this guy from his nuts, then whacking in the back of the head with a crowbar. And then remember to do the same to sacks of shit that enable this crap.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday April 20 2018, @07:31AM (2 children)
While he's serving a life sentence in jail as the payment to the public for the two lifetimes he stole ( as has been told above ), implant a electroshock therapy unit which is triggered by a phone with an unlisted number... nothing is going to call it but robodialers.
Have it electrocute his nuts with the telephone bell current.
(Score: 3, Funny) by realDonaldTrump on Friday April 20 2018, @08:08AM
How would you like to be the next Director of the CIA?
(Score: 2) by Osamabobama on Friday April 20 2018, @07:53PM
But note that he said
Sounds like he didn't do it. Which part of the story do you believe?
Appended to the end of comments you post. Max: 120 chars.
(Score: 2) by Phoenix666 on Friday April 20 2018, @02:02PM
A guy in Florida called 97 million times? OK look, he's not malicious just really really old
Washington DC delenda est.