BOB FU • about 11 years ago
THE SURE WAY TO END ALL ROBOCALLS
THE FTC AND THE PHONE COMPANIES ALREADY HAVE THE CAPABILITY TO STOP ANY UNWANTED PHONE CALLS TO YOUR HOME OR CELL PHONE. WHAT WE NEED TO DO AS CONSUMERS IS TO NOT PAY OUR PHONE BILLS UNTILL THIS "MALARKY" STOPS. EVERYONE WHO HAS A PHONE BILL MUST START THIS ASAP. THIS WILL HIT THEM WHERE IT HURTS AND ILL GUARANTEE YOU THE FTC AND THE PHONE COMPANIES WILL PUT AN END TO THIS. PASS THIS MESSAGE TO EVERYONE YOU KNOW!!! THERE'S NO OTHER WAY!
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18 comments
George Pinson • about 11 years ago
Two problems with you post. 1st is the all caps. I don't need to be yelled at online. My wife does enough of that.
2nd, yep your solution will stop all ROBO calls to your house along with all other calls to and from your phone(s) when your phone company disconnects your phone(s).
BOB FU • about 11 years ago
Thats the problem. People like you are afraid to take a chance. Our government knows that and thats why we, the consumers are always getting shafted. IF WE ALL DIDNT PAY OUR PHONE BILLS, THERES NO WAY THEY WILL DISCONNECT. PEOPLE POWER!
BOB FU • about 11 years ago
#1-The FTC is not really asking anyone anything they dont know already. Its a fact that they can block any incomming calls at their choosing. The FTC is being sued right as we speak, by a big corporation for allowing robocalls. The FTC picks and chooses who they want to help. This entire 50k is just a front for the FTC, so they wont have to pay the law suite they are about to lose to. #2 The phone companies dont want to lose any money. If they felt that ALL the American people were serious about not paying their phone bill, they will stop this shirade that they are playng with the consumers. If it takes getting disconnected, then so be it. We need to all act as one and not pay our phone bills then this robo crap will stop. Your attitude is one reason why are government wont do anything!
George Pinson • about 11 years ago
AND you actually think you will get everyone to not pay? Yeah that's like that "Don't buy gas on Thursday" B.S. There is going to be only a few that don't pay and guess what? NO PHONE SERVICE.
Ralph C. • about 11 years ago
Hey Bob... how about you go ahead and give your idea a try.
Let us all know how that works out.
Give me a phone call!
If my phone doesn't ring, I'll know it worked for you! :~)
BOB FU • about 11 years ago
George and Ralph: My point is that we as Americans are chicken, when it comes to things like this. We are to spoiled to give up something like a phone, for a couple of days. The phone companies and our government know this and takes advantage of our weakness to sacrifice. Of coarse im not going to get everyone to not pay their bill but at least its a start and im going to do it. Im paying for a service that is allowing illegal activity. I will take them to court and fight it all the way. Do you have the guts to do that?
nick zander • about 11 years ago
Your phone service provider isn't the person calling most of the time.. sueing them is stupid.
Christian Cantos • about 11 years ago
ALL CAPS MEANS YOUR REALLY A SMART GUY POSING AS A DUMB GUY.
BOB FU • about 11 years ago
nick z: Who are you paying to provide you your phone service? THE PHONE COMPANY!!! The phone company is responsible for any illegal activities that is being allowed to harras their PAYING customers. Phone companies are no different then anyone else you pay for a service to provide. DONT PAY YOUR BILL- THATS FOR ALL PEOPLE IN THE USA. You will see how fast the robocalls will stop, TAKE A STAND AND QUIT WHINNING!!
BOB FU • about 11 years ago
Aaron B : So after reading all of your malarky, what will you do to stop these harrasing calls? Like most, you will just whine and perfect your critical thinking skills of others. Like I said, our government knows most people think like you: Chicken to make a stand- end of story!
BOB FU • about 11 years ago
Aaron: Youre wasting your time with your so called solution. Which by the way, like I said before, they already have a solution and this is just a ploy to sucker people like you into them not having to pay for a lawsuite they lost! If you happen to be picked as a winner, do you really believe they dont know how to stop these calls already?
BOB FU • about 11 years ago
Aaron b : Read the following so you can realize what a fool you, and everyone else is who believe our government wants to stop this so called robocall malarky.-------H.R. 3035: Mobile Informational Call Act of 2011
112th Congress, 2011–2012. Text as of Sep 22, 2011 (Introduced).
Status & Summary | PDF | Source: GPO
HR 3035 IH
112th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 3035
To amend the Communications Act of 1934 to permit informational calls to mobile telephone numbers, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
September 22, 2011
Mr. TERRY (for himself and Mr. TOWNS) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A BILL
To amend the Communications Act of 1934 to permit informational calls to mobile telephone numbers, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ‘Mobile Informational Call Act of 2011’.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
(a) In General- Section 227(a) of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 227(a)) is amended--
(1) by amending paragraph (1) to read as follows:
‘(1) The term ‘automatic telephone dialing system’ means equipment which uses a random or sequential number generator to produce telephone numbers to be called and to dial such numbers.’;
(2) in paragraph (2)--
(A) by striking ‘subsection (b)(1)(C)(i)’ and inserting ‘paragraph (3) and subsection (b)(1)(C)(i)’;
(B) in subparagraph (A), by striking ‘; and’ and inserting a semicolon;
(C) in subparagraph (B), by striking ‘paragraph (2)(G)).’ and inserting ‘subsection (b)(2)(G); and’; and
(D) by adding at the end the following:
‘(C) this paragraph shall not apply for purposes of determining whether an established business relationship exists for purposes of prior express consent to a call that is a telephone solicitation.’;
(3) by redesignating paragraphs (3) through (5) as paragraphs (4) through (6), respectively; and
(4) by inserting after paragraph (2) the following:
‘(3) The term ‘prior express consent’ means the oral or written approval of a person--
‘(A) for the initiation of a telephone call to such person by or on behalf of an entity with which such person has an established business relationship; and
‘(B) that is provided when such person purchases a good or service or at any other point during such relationship.
A person who provides a telephone number as a means of contact evidences consent under this paragraph.’.
(b) Conforming Amendment- Section 227(c)(1)(D) of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 227(c)(1)(D)) is amended by striking ‘subsection (a)(3)’ and inserting ‘subsection (a)(5)’.
SEC. 3. INFORMATIONAL CALLS TO MOBILE TELEPHONE NUMBERS.
(a) In General- Section 227(b)(1)(A) of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 227(b)(1)(A)) is amended to read as follows:
‘(A) to make any call (other than a call made for emergency purposes or made with the prior express consent of the called party) using any automatic telephone dialing system or an artificial or prerecorded voice--
‘(i) to any emergency telephone line (including any ‘911’ line and any emergency line of a hospital, medical physician or service office, health care facility, poison control center, or fire protection or law enforcement agency);
‘(ii) to the telephone line of any guest room or patient room of a hospital, health care facility, elderly home, or similar establishment;
‘(iii) to any telephone number assigned to a paging service; or
‘(iv) to any telephone number assigned to a cellular telephone service, specialized mobile radio service, or other radio common carrier service, or any service for which the called party is charged for the call, unless the call is made for a commercial purpose that does not constitute a telephone solicitation;’.
(b) Conforming Amendment- Section 227(b)(2)(C) of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 227(b)(2)(C)) is amended by striking ‘paragraph (1)(A)(iii)’ and inserting ‘paragraph (1)(A)(iv)’.
(c) Technical Correction- Section 227(b)(1) of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 227(b)(1)) is amended by striking ‘It shall’ and all that follows through ‘United States--’ and inserting the following: ‘It shall be unlawful for any person within the United States, or any person outside the United States if the recipient is within the United States--’.
SEC. 4. EFFECT ON STATE LAW.
Section 227(f)(1) of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 227(f)(1)) is amended to read as follows:
‘(1) IN GENERAL- No requirement or prohibition may be imposed under the laws of any State with respect to any subject matter regulated under this section, except for telephone solicitations.’.
BOB FU • about 11 years ago
Congress Can Shove the Robocall Bill up Its Pork-Fed @#$%
Since 1991, marketing robocalls in the US have been as tightly regulated as medicine, meth, and murder. But if HR 3035 makes its way through Congress, it's going to be open season for the automatons to call your cellphone.
Do NOT let this happen.
When you think of legislation that blatantly values corporate interests over consumers, you think of pages and pages of arcane language and linguistic trickery, right? Not this time! HR 3035 is a wisp of a thing, barely more than a page, meant to amend the Communications Act of 1934. It's lurking in committee now, awaiting a vote in the House of Representatives. It's so straightforward that it's impressive. Impressively ballsy and evil.
HR 3035 (also known, putridly, as the "Mobile Information Act of 2011") makes three main points, each increasingly terrible. So let's walk through them, shall we? Put your tiny hand in mine...
1. A Robocall Is Not a Robocall
Batting leadoff is the attempt to redefine what exactly constitutes an illegal "automatic telephone dialing system," which seems pretty self-explanatory as it is! But HR 3035 would narrow that definition:
(1) The term ‘automatic telephone dialing system' means equipment which uses a random or sequential number generator to produce telephone numbers to be called and to dial such numbers.'
Conveniently enough, that type of equipment hasn't existed in any quantity for years, according to Delicia Hand of the National Association of Consumer Advocates. It's like the NRA pushing through a bill that limits the definition of "gun" to muskets and Kentucky rifles.
The robocalls of the future won't be random. They'll actually be worse: They'll be targeted. And for every handy UPS package notification (these are good) that would come with HR 3035, an avalanche of debt collectors, marketers, and other harassments would follow close behind. Because of part two.
2. Your Number Is Your Consent
Let's say you're a cute, friendly person (I mean, you are—you totally are) and you give someone your number in a bar one night. Nothing out of the ordinary there. What if that person took your number-giving as permission to come over to your house every night. Forever. Not reasonable! That's HR 3035:
The term ‘prior express consent' means the oral or written approval of a person... A person who provides a telephone number as a means of contact evidences consent under this paragraph.
That's right: the act of giving your number to a clerk means you are 100% okay with being robocalled by that clerk's corporate parent in perpetuity. Never mind if you just gave the pharmacist your number in case of complications, or you absentmindedly gave your digits to the Old Navy cashier because you were in a rush. That's consent, brother. It's also total @#$%.
And here's the thing: The law as it stands already allows robocalls to people who've given explicit consent. If you want robocalls, you can get them. They're also, for what it's worth, already totally legal in the case of an emergency. So what does HR 3035 accomplish other than making consumers more vulnerable? Oh, by the way, it's vulnerable people they're after in the first place. That's in part three.
3. When "Information" Is Intimidation
The last section of HR 3035 is the one that actually tries to be clever, so hats off for that:
(A) to make any call (other than a call made for emergency purposes or made with the prior express consent of the called party) using any automatic telephone dialing system or an artificial or prerecorded voice... (iv) to any telephone number assigned to a cellular telephone service, specialized mobile radio service, or other radio common carrier service, or any service for which the called party is charged for the call, unless the call is made for a commercial purpose that does not constitute a telephone solicitation.
Which is to say: people can't call your cell asking you specifically to buy things. Great, right? Except, obviously, because let's be honest who are we talking about here.
When is a purpose commercial but not solicitous? Even the obvious cases are annoying: the car dealer you bought from calls you about your warranty, Delta updates you on your frequent flier miles. Yuck. But real beneficiaries are the debt collectors and credit card companies—the people who are on your back enough already, now given free reign to call you every hour on the hour until you scrape some funds together. Sending a guy to break your kneecaps would have hurt more, but at least it's sincere.
And even beyond that: Is it technically solicitous of J. Crew to text me about a fabulous fall sales event? Or is it just a commercial courtesy, knowing that a current customer might want to know about SAVINGS. I don't, by the way. Not on my phone.
Between the Lines
And that's just what's actually in the bill. If mobile phone robocalls were to actually kick in, guess who's footing the bill for all those texts and phone calls? No, wait, don't guess. It's you. If you don't have unlimited voice and text plans, you'll literally have to pay to be advertised to. So there's that.
There's also just the great weight that we feel every day of our privacy eroding away into nothing. More than any other device these days, our phones are our outlets to the rest of the world. It's one place where we have some control over what comes in and goes out. We don't get spammed on our phones (except by politicians, which is weirdly totally legal). It's as safe a haven as we have. And it's about to get firebombed
Pat Stein • about 11 years ago
BE YOUR OWN ROBOCALL HERO –BECOME RACHEL THE CONSUMER
What happened: Within an hour of my two chat connections and one email, the company rep called me to apologize and to assure me the calls would stop (and the calls stopped).
I’m sharing this to tell you what I did because WE AS CONSUMERS OUTNUMBER THE PEOPLE WHO WANT OUR MONEY. I for one will flood a company with calls, emails and connect to their chatline every time a telemarketer calls. It costs them money…the calls and emails are numbered…….they have to respond.
------
What I did: I got six calls from one caller [Sun, Oct 28, 2012 3 pm, 5:15 pm, 5:16 pm, 6:12 pm, 7:25 pm, 8:12 pm]. I checked the reverse directory and found many complaints associated with a company in IL. So I selected the website of one it’s companies.
I connected to the chatline; voiced my complaint; and informed the chat rep that every time I get a call, they would be the chatline I use and the company that gets an email until the calls stopped.
I texted the caller to "Stop Calling NOW" for each and every call regardless of whether they read it (I wanted to have it in my sent box).
I went to the chatline the second time after I received the last two calls and re-iterated what I said the first time and told the chatline rep that I was going to prepare my second email to their company now and that I was preparing to give them 4 more chats and 4 more emails after this chat (since I got six calls so far).
Within minutes, I got a call from the company rep. I thanked him but promised that I would step up my chats and emails to two chats/emails, then three chats/emails, write stuff on the internet, etc., each and every time I get any more calls.
BOB FU • about 11 years ago
Its amazing to me how some people responding to my post is that stupid. Just admit that im 100% correct about our government and phone companies already have a solution. People power, not chicken power!!! DONT PAY YOUR FNG BILL- END OF STORY!
BOB FU • about 11 years ago
Aaron: Why dont you just give your BS up? You remind me of someone who is so smart with NO COMMEN SCENSE!
Denise Williams • about 11 years ago
I also have a solution that I am preparing to submit. It's simple, inexpensive and is a real soultion. Someone stated earlier, that the FTC already has the solution, that may be correct; I am just an average person, who want to see if my imagination and spark idea, rank up there with the big dogs.
George Leonard • about 11 years ago
After receiving many robocalls like from Rachael:
1. I recorded the incoming telephone number. In my case it was : 1-417-800-2357
2. After hanging up and then called the number back. You will get an auto answering system with options. The messages and prompts were very pleasant. Take #2 "do not call" and following instructions.
3. Have not received a call since doing this and we were getting 2 or more calls a day previously.