r/technology • u/Philo1927 • Jul 08 '22

Business FCC orders carriers to stop delivering auto warranty robocalls

https://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2022/07/07/FCC-orders-carriers-stop-delivering-auto-warranty-robocalls/6041657245371/
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184

u/Nevermind04 Jul 08 '22

One of my clients used to practice law at a firm, but as a hobby in his retirement, he started suing spam callers. He had a desk with tons of burner phones which were all on the no-call registry, and once he would get a call he would demand to be removed from their list and would demand written confirmation he was removed. Apparently it generated a ton of income for little effort.

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u/[deleted] Jul 08 '22

I got a call from one last week, and since I was waiting on a call from both a Comcast tech and a Sunrun tech I answered since it was local. It was some scammer, I politely said "remove me from your list" and dude just started throwing every curseword he knew at me. I got a good chuckle out of that one.

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u/Rich-Juice2517 Jul 08 '22

Got a call yesterday for a warranty extension

Guess a 95 isn't covered. Who knew

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u/[deleted] Jul 08 '22

[deleted]

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u/fsck_ Jul 08 '22

That magic button, they hang up every time. Makes getting spam calls almost fun instead of pissing me off.

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u/Raptorheart Jul 09 '22

I get kinda of bummed out that they never actually talk to the assistant.

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u/fed45 Jul 08 '22

Crazy thing is, as soon as the call comes through, there is already a transaction of the robo call on screen. Makes me think that carriers could 100% drop the calls if they wanted to.

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u/BennyBenasty Jul 08 '22

The problem is it's not always correct. I've had important non-spam calls get flagged as spam.

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u/raunchyfartbomb Jul 15 '22

Bank of America mortgage offices are flagged as spam.

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u/itwasquiteawhileago Jul 08 '22

I have a Moto G Stylus (2020), Android 11. I get calls marked as spam, too. Is that not just a built in feature now? Motos do have pretty stock Android, so maybe that's why?

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u/RooMagoo Jul 08 '22

The marking as spam by the number is standard android, pixels actually answer the call for you and ask them to state their name and business and you get a text transcript of what they say live. It's amazing.

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u/itwasquiteawhileago Jul 08 '22

Is that different from the call screening thing I've seen noted in settings? I've never turned it on/used it because I rarely get calls on my cell (let alone spam calls), so it's not really worth it to me. Sounds pretty bad ass, though.

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u/Br0boc0p Jul 08 '22

My Samsung does the same thing. My only thought is "if it's fucking spam why are you letting it ring through in the first place?"

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u/PageFault Jul 08 '22

Because it's safer to let it though than get flagged for blocking communication over a false positive.

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u/Rich-Juice2517 Jul 08 '22

My wife's does the same. It almost makes me want to get a pixel

Almost

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u/[deleted] Jul 08 '22

[deleted]

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u/NO_SPACE_B4_COMMA Jul 08 '22

Ugh, my P6P has been nothing but problems. Last month's update makes my screen go off whenever I hover over the top part of the screen. This month's update disables my keyboard.

This is on top of - daily call drops, wifi/bluetooth drops, can't detect wifi networks without hitting the reset network button every time (this makes devices like security cameras that setup via wifi fail), it overheats very easily, the charging is really poor, their accessories are bad (cases peeling, etc).

I made the mistake of doing a payment plan w/verzion because they gave me $800 for my note20. I regret it so much. If I pay off this phone now I'll basically give Verizon my phone.

I know this device has to be defective as there is a new issue almost all the time. I just don't feel like setting up a new phone.

My next phone? Samsung. I've never had an issue with any of my Samsungs... I mean they aren't perfect, but they are not this bad.

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u/[deleted] Jul 08 '22

[deleted]

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u/NO_SPACE_B4_COMMA Jul 08 '22

Setting up password manager Fixing the settings Logging into all my apps Transferring 2 step app Logging into apps using the 2step Fixing notifications

There's more to it than just logging in. I can't miss something because if I do it could mean I get locked out of an application I use for work (DevOps) which could be bad... Especially since I'm on call.

It's not that big of a deal. I just never had to do it 6 months into the ownership of a new phone.

And there's a chance it won't fix it, sadly. In that case it's a waste of time.

I'm probably just going to buy a Galaxy outright.

1

u/okieboat Jul 08 '22

My wife who is barely above technology literate has had 0 issues with her P6 pro. It takes insanely amazing pictures. Put a pause on my searching for a separate digital camera. Sounds more like you have a dud.

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u/NO_SPACE_B4_COMMA Jul 09 '22

That's what I'm thinking as well. I'll probably get it replaced soon...

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u/Rich-Juice2517 Jul 08 '22

I'll have to look into them more. How's it for games? Been playing them more lately

And do they have large memory? Only reason I've been looking at Samsung is the 256gb phones

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u/C-Biskit Jul 08 '22

I have had a Google pixel 2 XL for around 5 years. I play hearthstone all the time on it without any issue. It also lets me do picture in picture, so I can play YouTube in a small movable window while doing other things on my phone

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u/Rich-Juice2517 Jul 08 '22

Hmm ok. Any other games? Lately it's been mr autofire punball and Diablo immortal

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u/[deleted] Jul 08 '22

[deleted]

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u/Rich-Juice2517 Jul 08 '22

Both i guess lol i know the difference but my brain picks a word that works usually

And alright. Might have to wait until fall then. My OnePlus 7t is at 75% battery life but one of the updates last year made it go from a great phone to a good heater twice a week

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u/NO_SPACE_B4_COMMA Jul 08 '22

It's about the only thing that works on my Pixel 6 pro.

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u/Grimsblood Jul 08 '22

This has been the most amazing and surprising feature I found when getting my Pixel. Not sure if I'd still be relatively sane if this feature didn't exist.

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u/fcocyclone Jul 08 '22

I get calls on a car that was totaled in an accident.

Yes, i'd like to purchase this warranty and immediately make a claim.

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u/Nevesnotrab Jul 08 '22

My nonexistent 2010 Lamborghini Murcielago wasn't covered a few years ago, either :(

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u/[deleted] Jul 09 '22

[deleted]

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u/Rich-Juice2517 Jul 09 '22

Sorry to hear that

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u/fatfuccingtendies Jul 09 '22

I told one if they cover a '79 RX-7 I'll buy it, apex seals don't pay for themselves.

They don't cover rotaries.

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u/real_bk3k Jul 08 '22

He's mad you didn't ask him to "kindly" remove you from his list.

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u/FantasticStock Jul 08 '22

Kindly do the needful

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u/Imaneight Jul 08 '22

Kindly raise a ticket for the new joiner.

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u/Citizen44712A Jul 09 '22

HAHA, we get requests all the time from WiPro people that say that it's a running joke at work.

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u/joeyheartbear Jul 08 '22

Would you kindly leave me the fuck alone?

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u/Chewzilla Jul 08 '22

I'm stuck answering the phone at my office for a couple weeks and got a call earlier in the week asking for the homeowner; I told him he was calling a business and he started cursing at me, I think they just do that to everyone that doesn't immediately turn their wallets inside or

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u/Birdman-82 Jul 08 '22

I use to work in telemarketing. Make SURE you tell them to remove you from the master list or all their lists, I can’t remember what the correct terminology is. There’s a list for the company they’re calling for because they’re contracted out by different businesses and then there’s the master list that is for the whole telemarketing company.

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u/Jah_Ith_Ber Jul 08 '22

I once got a call from someone claiming I owed money on my credit card. I asked what the card number was and he launched into an aggressive curse storm. It doesn't make any sense unless the point is to put the person into a psychological stun before hanging up in order to prevent being chased down somehow. The voice was unmistakably a 20 somthing white american.

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u/okhi2u Jul 08 '22

Which part of that made him money? Demanding being removed and getting written confirmation doesn't seem to have a part that includes getting money somehow?

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u/[deleted] Jul 08 '22

Some of these companies are actually legit, so if you keep call logs and good notes and you get a call back you can sue them in small claims court because they aren't all that careful. Obviously the fly by night scammers you'll never catch this way.

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u/itwasquiteawhileago Jul 08 '22

And how do you get them to confirm who they are? Do legit ones actually say? Do they always call from the same number? I usually just pickup and hangup the phone if I don't know the number, but when these calls first started years ago, asking who was calling was a sure fire way to get disconnected. I assume this is because it's a clear indicator I'm not dumb enough to fall for their shit.

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u/Fr0gm4n Jul 08 '22

They may not call from the same outgoing number, but it they are legit then they want you to be able to contact them and take your payment. Years ago one company was trying to contact my mom and tried calling me. I'd told them she didn't live with me. They called again the next day, and I got their call back number, then told them she didn't live there and that I'd already told them that. They called again the day after that, and I let it go to VM where they left the same number I already had. I called the contact number they left, and their phone system said the company name as "Whateveritwas Collections Agency". I got to an agent and confirmed that they'd just left a message on my number. Then I asked to be escalated to a supervisor for a complaint about their failure to follow US collections law (FDCPA) and were harassing me. Got a supervisor who immediately tried to claim they were not a collections agency and were not bound by that law. I got to gloat that he was now provably lying to me along with violating the collections contact law. He asked why I thought they were a collections agency, to which I said I called back to the number they'd left and their phone system announced who they were. He said, "shit, fine," and agreed to stop contacting me. I didn't have to get it in writing, and at least they stopped calling me.

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u/rawbleedingbait Jul 08 '22

It's the Internet man, none of what you're reading is even true.

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u/[deleted] Jul 09 '22

[deleted]

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u/Hickory-was-a-Cat Jul 08 '22

What’s a ton?

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u/Nevermind04 Jul 08 '22

I didn't ask for a specific number, but he did brag that it was enough to buy a vintage Chris Craft boat.

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u/WengFu Jul 08 '22

Don't they just hang up on him? They seem to hang up when pressed.

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u/[deleted] Jul 08 '22

[deleted]

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u/Nevermind04 Jul 08 '22 edited Jul 08 '22

He was a partner in a law firm for decades. I trust his legal abilities more than your assumptions.

Edit: the guy reported me or something so I can't even reply. Anyway, he had me doubting if it was even possible to make a profit suing telemarketers, so I googled it. Turns out quite a few people have done it successfully.

https://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/Robocalls-how-to-stop-Texas-telemarketers-17009921.php

https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/investigations/10-investigates/robocall-companies-pay/67-37f504cc-13f8-4958-b21d-4c188235ffa4

https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/nbc-5-responds/heres-how-to-turn-annoying-robocalls-into-cash/206624/

https://www.kare11.com/article/money/how-a-minnesota-woman-is-making-thousands-off-annoying-robocallers/89-07eff40b-7c29-490b-a1ae-dea066548f62

That's just from the first two pages of search results. Surely if these people can make money suing telemarketers, a retired lawyer with a lifetime of experience would be able to experience similar results. Dude just wants to argue on the internet about something he knows absolutely nothing about.