gordon@sneaky.uucp (Gordon Burditt) (09/10/89)
Suppose you have your Caller-ID service all hooked up, and you figured out some way to get the calling number into your PC, which is equipped with a database of known telemarketers and other scum. It is also hooked to an announcing machine (an answering machine that does NOT take messages) and it can control whether or not the annoucing machine answers this call or not. Your objective is to get telemarketers to quit their jobs, get fired for nonproductivity, or end up in a mental ward, not just stop calling your line. What messages can you transmit to people on your "scum list" without the phone company having legitimate reason to disconnect your service? - 30 seconds of silence, then hang up - pick up the phone for 3 seconds to be sure the call gets billed, transmit silence, then hang up. - a recording of a reorder tone, then hang up - for those of you who said something about copyrights on reorder tones, your best imitation of a reorder tone instead of a recording - 30 seconds of modem tone, taking care to meet exactly the maximum transmit volume rules, then hang up - 30 seconds of ringback, then hang up - 30 seconds of hissing, clicking, and an unintelligible voice that might be saying "Hello", then hang up. - an imitation of a machine saying "The number <my number> has been changed. Please make a note of the new number, 976-1234.", then hang up. - a recording saying, "I'm sorry, but the number you are calling from is not in service. Please pay your bill, deadbeat, and try again", then hang up. - a repeating recording "Thank you for calling Bay Tea and Tee. Please hold." followed by 1 minute of silence. The machine senses disconnect by the other party and hangs up. - a recording saying, "Please deposit 479 yen for the next 3 minutes", preferably in a Japanese voice, followed by a minute of silence and then hang up. - a recording saying, "Organized Crime Death Squad. Do you have problems with witnesses, telemarketers, squealers, and prosecuting attourneys? Pests eliminated at economical rates. Contact your local Mob representative for details.", then hang up. - a recording saying, "Worldwide Drug Emporium. Cocaine, $5.00 a pound. Marijuana, $90 a gram. Free, confidential delivery service.", then hang up. (Expect a visit from the DEA on this one. Yes, I know the prices are stupid). And an example of a clearly unacceptable one: - an edited recording of an AT&T operator, saying "<expletive> you for calling AT&T", repeating for half an hour, without sensing disconnect. Gordon L. Burditt ...!texbell!sneaky!gordon