Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Spammers Beware!

M

mpw

Guest
Original poster
Jun 18, 2004
6,363
1
Spammers beware!
Man sues firm for spam and wins......£300 (~$500)!

It's not a huge victory but it does begin to set a precedent. At those rates my inbox must be worth a couple of million!!:D
 
Y'all in the USA at least have a junk fax law.
In Canada, companies can

1) Send un-solicited faxes to you as often as they like. If they break the regulations (like not including their real name, address, phone number and a toll-free way to unsubscribe (or conversely, ignore usub requests) then we can... send a complaint to the telco. Who will respond "We have no jurisdiction because the sender is not one of our subscribers"

2) Send unsolicited faxes to your home phone at 3 in the morning. --- There is no legal remedy for this!! --- the Telco will say: "Just block the number with caller ID" (yah dumb@$$=$, they use a different number each time, and mostly they are out of privince and there is no Caller ID info) - "So block all incoming numbers that don't generate caller ID then" (yah dumber@$$=$, and never get a call from someone with a cell phone, relatives out of province, etc...)

3) Drop automated voicemail advertising directly into your voice mailbox, which overflows the box until you listen and delete it.

4) Make telephone soliciting calls, even when the number is on all of the do-not-call lists. And if you call the Operator to get the phone number, name or address of the place that called you for the 10th time, they refuse to give it to you because of 'Privacy"
 
CanadaRAM said:
4) Make telephone soliciting calls, even when the number is on all of the do-not-call lists. And if you call the Operator to get the phone number, name or address of the place that called you for the 10th time, they refuse to give it to you because of 'Privacy"
Click to expand...
I actually like telephone advertisement. Unlike e-mail spam, you get the chance to fight back, right then and there. I usually go for the "Seinfeld routine":
(caller): "Begins offering useless product/service without giving me a chance to say -no thanks-"
(me): Sure! you know what? why don't you give me your home number?! I'll call you back in a few hours to seal the deal!
(caller): mmhh.. I'm sorry sir, I can't give you my home number.
(me): Why not?
(caller): Well, it's private sir.
(me): Oh, so I guess you don't like to have random people calling you at inappropriate hours then?
(caller): No, sir.
(me): Well now you know how I feel. (hangs up):D

There's also the "hold on a sec routine" (1 sec = 30 mins). Or you could get even more creative. It's lots of fun, really :p
 
I like to take the following route:

Caller: Hi, is this Bob Smith?

Me: No it isnt. Your calling for Bob?

Caller: Yes, I am.

Me: (with a bit of confused voice) Ummm. OK. Hold on a sec.

A few seconds later I come back on the phone, but now I have a retard (sorry for that word, but I dont know how else to describe it) voice and talk nonsense and try to lead the caller on for as long as possible. Its terribly funny to hear the reaction of the person on the other end. Sometimes they have just made a smart azz comment and then hung up. The hardest part is not laughing out loud while doing it.
 
Mr. Durden I like it I might just try that one. My current MO is something like;

Caller: *bored voice* Would you like to buy our product X? It's really good and on offer at just $99. (the product as described sounds over-priced and useless)
Me: *massively over-excited voice* $99! I have been looking for something like your product X for ages, y'know I tried product Y from your competitor but it turned out to be rubbish and I've been trying to find a replacement 'cause I use at least three or four a month, say is there anyway I could put a regular order in or would it be better if I just ordered 48 right now to see me through the year? I'll just get may credit card and you can get all the det...........*line mysteriously goes dead*
 
every so often they catch me in a mood and when the wankers ask "how are you doing today?" i tell them ;) they can sit and hear endless babbling and long gripes about anything i feel like saying. cracks me up, free therapy.
 
Once, a telemarketer called to ask me if I wanted to change my long distance service, and I said, "I'm sorry, I don't have a telephone." :D

I have to say though, ever since I went cell-only, telemarketing is just a memory for me. :) It really worked for me. I don't think I've really gotten more than one unsolicited marketing call on my cell. There are silly people who leave messages for other people on my cell phone, even when my name is clearly stated in the message, but well, you can only do so much. :D
 
mkrishnan said:
I have to say though, ever since I went cell-only, telemarketing is just a memory for me. :)
Click to expand...

No need for anyone to go cell-only, just go to www.donotcall.gov (in the U.S.) and put your name in. Works great. I went from two or three calls a week to zero.

--Eric
 
Eric5h5 said:
No need for anyone to go cell-only, just go to www.donotcall.gov (in the U.S.) and put your name in. Works great. I went from two or three calls a week to zero.
Click to expand...

I did that, before.... The really irritating thing is that my telephone provider telemarketed me once or twice a week. Because I'm their customer, they're actually not covered by the do not call...talk about customer satisfaction. My own service provider refused to stop calling me with telemarketing requests! :(

That was SBC in Detroit, MI....
 
CanadaRAM said:
Y'all in the USA at least have a junk fax law.
Click to expand...
I read about a great way to get revenge for junk faxes on Christmas. This particular self-employed woman will hit the redial button, the put in a piece of black paper, and tape it so it becomes a loop. It's deliciously evil, and she doesn't get repeat faxers. :D
 
Counterfit said:
I read about a great way to get revenge for junk faxes on Christmas. This particular self-employed woman will hit the redial button, the put in a piece of black paper, and tape it so it becomes a loop. It's deliciously evil, and she doesn't get repeat faxers. :D
Click to expand...
Sounds like a great solution! :D
 
mkrishnan said:
I did that, before.... The really irritating thing is that my telephone provider telemarketed me once or twice a week. Because I'm their customer, they're actually not covered by the do not call...talk about customer satisfaction. My own service provider refused to stop calling me with telemarketing requests! :(
Click to expand...

Wow, yeah, that would be pretty annoying. At least mine limits their marketing to flyers and junk that they send with the bill....

--Eric
 
Can someone please sue spammers for billions of dollars in damages?? I am so sick of using the internet at slower speeds because of spammers. I have been hurt by all the wasted time I must use to delete spam. I want millions of dollars for pain and suffering! Hey its America it could work!
 
Macmaniac said:
Can someone please sue spammers for billions of dollars in damages?? I am so sick of using the internet at slower speeds because of spammers. I have been hurt by all the wasted time I must use to delete spam. I want millions of dollars for pain and suffering! Hey its America it could work!
Click to expand...
I say go for it, I wouldn't be surprised if you won.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back