topic Re: Jolly Roger Telephone Company in Community Chat

Jolly Roger Telephone Company

mistriTsquirrel — Thu, 11 May 2017 21:02:16 GMT

Has anyone heard of this? I was reading an article (link below) about robocalls and found out about this in the article.

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/11/smarter-living/stop-robocalls.html?_r=0

This is a service that lets you route robo and telemarketing calls to a robot who will engage with the telemarketer (or robo-caller) and waste their time.

There is a link to the company in the article. You can even pick out which robot you want to answer these calls.

To me it seems like something best suited for live telemarketing calls; you're basically pranking the person calling.

From what I've read, the guy who invented it initially decided to hand telemarketers over to his young child who liked to talk on the phone, but when one of them got exasperated and began yelling at the child, he devised this as an alternate plan. People heard about it, and there became a demand.

Seems a little silly, but amusing nonetheless.

So whaddaya think, me mateys?

Re: Jolly Roger Telephone Company

cotton4me — Thu, 11 May 2017 21:11:16 GMT

In theory, I love the idea. However, by sending the phone call to this service to respond, isn’t it the same as answering the call, meaning it will only lead to more phone calls?

Love the pirate squirrel.

Re: Jolly Roger Telephone Company

flickerbulb — Thu, 11 May 2017 21:26:18 GMT

I kept getting phone calls from a couple of phone numbers. Sometimes I would get four calls per day from the same number,

I called the number from my work phone and the number is a non-working number. This has happened with more than one number,

I downloaded an app on my phone and you can add the numbers that you want to be blocked. I see the number has called, but it stopped leaving a "message".

My voicemail previously said I had a message, but there was nothing there. It was annoying to have to go through and delete all of them.

I deleted SIXTEEN hangups this week! The app seems to be working! I HATE robocalls and would LOVE to see them get pranked!

Re: Jolly Roger Telephone Company

mistriTsquirrel — Thu, 11 May 2017 21:32:10 GMT

@cotton4me wrote:
In theory, I love the idea. However, by sending the phone call to this service to respond, isn’t it the same as answering the call, meaning it will only lead to more phone calls?

Love the pirate squirrel.

I don't know, @cotton4me. Maybe so. Maybe this is a service for people who are self-defeating, who have to have the last laugh even when it winds up being at their own expense.

I think it states in the article that merely saying the word "yes" during a scam call can enable callers to record you saying "yes," and they will use the recording of your voice as evidence that you consented to something. That makes me wonder what would happen if a robot said "yes" during one of these calls. Sure, the consent wouldn't hold up in court, but I wonder if you'd have to go through a lot trying to prove the "consenting" party wasn't you. Maybe if you are a single female and choose a male robot?

Re: Jolly Roger Telephone Company

cotton4me — Thu, 11 May 2017 21:38:44 GMT

@mistriTsquirrel wrote:
I think it states in the article that merely saying the word "yes" during a scam call can enable callers to record you saying "yes," and they will use the recording of your voice as evidence that you consented to something. That makes me wonder what would happen if a robot said "yes" during one of these calls. Sure, the consent wouldn't hold up in court, but I wonder if you'd have to go through a lot trying to prove the "consenting" party wasn't you. Maybe if you are a single female and choose a male robot?

@mistriTsquirrel I had the exact same thought! I would be afraid the service could make it worse.

It's a shame that these phone calls have gotten so out of hand. We've had six bad calls so far today, all of them blocked.

Re: Jolly Roger Telephone Company

mistriTsquirrel — Thu, 11 May 2017 21:44:02 GMT

@flickerbulb wrote:
I kept getting phone calls from a couple of phone numbers. Sometimes I would get four calls per day from the same number,

I called the number from my work phone and the number is a non-working number. This has happened with more than one number,

I downloaded an app on my phone and you can add the numbers that you want to be blocked. I see the number has called, but it stopped leaving a "message".

My voicemail previously said I had a message, but there was nothing there. It was annoying to have to go through and delete all of them.

I deleted SIXTEEN hangups this week! The app seems to be working! I HATE robocalls and would LOVE to see them get pranked!

@flickerbulb

I can't post the link here, because the video contains adult language, but if you go to YouTube and search "Prank Call Murder Scene," there is a hilarious video of a guy convincing a telemarketer that he has called a murder scene and may be implicated in the crime. It was featured on a morning radio show, I guess.

Re: Jolly Roger Telephone Company

SharkE — Thu, 11 May 2017 21:50:16 GMT

Don't have the time or the inclination to play games.

I bought 'Call Blocker' from HSN. Problem solved.

Re: Jolly Roger Telephone Company

mistriTsquirrel — Thu, 11 May 2017 21:56:04 GMT

@SharkE wrote:
Don't have the time or the inclination to play games.
I bought 'Call Blocker' from HSN. Problem solved.

But games can be so fun, @SharkE.

BRe: Jolly Roger Telephone Company

flickerbulb — Thu, 11 May 2017 22:00:43 GMT

@mistriTsquirrel

I just went to the Jolly Roger site and listened to some of the samples. Boy, they are funny!

However, once they find out your number is "live", I fear they wil continue to call.

It is scary that they are using local numbers to "ghost" call! I was expecting a phone call from a workman and picked up the phone because it was local. It was one of the phony numbers!

BTW, that cute Jolly Roger squirrel can call anytime!

Re: BRe: Jolly Roger Telephone Company

mistriTsquirrel — Thu, 11 May 2017 22:07:04 GMT

@flickerbulb wrote:
@mistriTsquirrel

I just went to the Jolly Roger site and listened to some of the samples. Boy, they are funny!

However, once they find out your number is "live", I fear they wil continue to call.

It is scary that they are using local numbers to "ghost" call! I was expecting a phone call from a workman and picked up the phone because it was local. It was one of the phony numbers!

BTW, that cute Jolly Roger squirrel can call anytime!

@flickerbulb That squirrel is famous squirrel supermodel Sugar Bush Squirrel. She has a wardrobe and a career that any squirrel would envy. I imagine she probably goes on a lot of adventures as well.

Re: BRe: Jolly Roger Telephone Company

flickerbulb — Thu, 11 May 2017 22:12:59 GMT

@mistriTsquirrel

Who knew that there is a famous squirrel model?

I used to work at a waterfront restaurant and there was a cute squirrel who lived on the property. I would buy peanuts and feed them to her. She would come up to me as I was taking an order in front of customers and beg for a peanut.

I would give her the treat and she would scamper off. I loved her!

Re: BRe: Jolly Roger Telephone Company

mistriTsquirrel — Thu, 11 May 2017 22:41:02 GMT

@flickerbulb wrote:
@mistriTsquirrel

Who knew that there is a famous squirrel model?

I used to work at a waterfront restaurant and there was a cute squirrel who lived on the property. I would buy peanuts and feed them to her. She would come up to me as I was taking an order in front of customers and beg for a peanut.

I would give her the treat and she would scamper off. I loved her!

@flickerbulb

I like to feed the squirrel here (the one outside, I mean...not me...not that I don't like to eat, but...anyway...). I left too much food out later in the day. When I went to throw a bug outside that night, I switched on the light and saw an opossum next to my deck. I'm sure it scared us both. I found out that possums will eat bird seed and other stuff I've been putting out, so that possum may have been the one who ate the food. My outdoor squirrel friend can't be too happy about that. Gotta make sure I put the food out early in the day, and not so much, or else I may have a possum family to feed as well...and an angry squirrel.

Re: Jolly Roger Telephone Company

mistriTsquirrel — Thu, 11 May 2017 23:16:21 GMT

I'm such a thread-killer that I kill even my own threads.

Re: Jolly Roger Telephone Company

software — Fri, 12 May 2017 13:13:21 GMT

That wouldn't interest me but I am so curious as to why I get about a half dozen calls a day and no one is on the line. Almost all day, I'm listening to the radio on my cell phone with my earbuds so it's no problem to hit "answer" when a call comes in. I never say hello, I just listen. Nothing. Are they waiting for me to say something? What's the deal?

I use the True People Search site to plug in the phone number and a name never comes up.

If I happen to receive a wrong number, usually after a few seconds the person on the line will say Hello. Then I hang up.

During the election last year, I figured many of the calls were from candidates or pollsters and I never answered them then either. But the election is over. What gives?

@mistriTsquirrel

Re: Jolly Roger Telephone Company

Allegheny — Fri, 12 May 2017 14:07:06 GMT

Unrelated to "Jolly Roger", but wanted to share a recent call we received on our home telephone. We have service thru Comcast, so I can see the name and telephone number of caller on our television screen.

So phone rings, caller ID displayed it as a local bar and grill. Answering machine picks up and a recorded message from a telemarketing company starts its spill that I may be eligible for some kind of medical equipment, etc.

Well I decided to call the originating telephone number. It was actually the bar and grill listed on the caller ID. I told them what occurred and it seemed telemarketers had captured their business phone number. I told her she may want to call their telephone service provider and report it. She said the business had been located there for years, but had changed its name but not the phone number.

These scammers are so slick.

Re: Jolly Roger Telephone Company

mistriTsquirrel — Fri, 12 May 2017 21:44:52 GMT

@software wrote:
That wouldn't interest me but I am so curious as to why I get about a half dozen calls a day and no one is on the line. Almost all day, I'm listening to the radio on my cell phone with my earbuds so it's no problem to hit "answer" when a call comes in. I never say hello, I just listen. Nothing. Are they waiting for me to say something? What's the deal?

I use the True People Search site to plug in the phone number and a name never comes up.

If I happen to receive a wrong number, usually after a few seconds the person on the line will say Hello. Then I hang up.

During the election last year, I figured many of the calls were from candidates or pollsters and I never answered them then either. But the election is over. What gives?

@mistriTsquirrel

@software

Robocall messages are activated when you say hello, aren't they? When telemarketers or robos call, there is always a pause after you say "hello" before the message starts or they go into their spiel. If I say "hello" and hear silence, I know it's going to be one of those calls.

Other than that, I'm not sure what's going on. Seems like there are new techniques and scams daily.

Re: Jolly Roger Telephone Company

mistriTsquirrel — Fri, 12 May 2017 21:47:50 GMT

@Allegheny wrote:
Unrelated to "Jolly Roger", but wanted to share a recent call we received on our home telephone. We have service thru Comcast, so I can see the name and telephone number of caller on our television screen.

So phone rings, caller ID displayed it as a local bar and grill. Answering machine picks up and a recorded message from a telemarketing company starts its spill that I may be eligible for some kind of medical equipment, etc.

Well I decided to call the originating telephone number. It was actually the bar and grill listed on the caller ID. I told them what occurred and it seemed telemarketers had captured their business phone number. I told her she may want to call their telephone service provider and report it. She said the business had been located there for years, but had changed its name but not the phone number.

These scammers are so slick.

@Allegheny It's pretty messed up that they could steal an active number like that. I didn't know they could do that. This stuff has gotten so out of hand.

Re: Jolly Roger Telephone Company

AuntG — Sat, 13 May 2017 01:03:52 GMT

That pirate costume belongs on a goose that sits outside my front door.

Re: Jolly Roger Telephone Company

mistriTsquirrel — Sat, 13 May 2017 01:20:23 GMT

@AuntG wrote:
That pirate costume belongs on a goose that sits outside my front door.

@AuntG

I don't know if it would fit. Sugar Bush Squirrel is pretty petite.

Re: Jolly Roger Telephone Company

BabyYoda — Sat, 13 May 2017 01:28:20 GMT

This is good for people fed up by these calls. I use block caller on my phone and home phone. They even used my own number and name to call me on caller ID. I did not answer.

Today I picked up my phone when it rang as I was expecting the doctor to call and they call on the back line which doesn't show a name and it was Marriott Resorts recording trying to sell me something and I hung up and blocked it. They called back from another number minutes later and it went on and on and I let it go to voicemail and they left a message. I kept blocking their numbers.