Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!accuvax.nwu.edu!nucsrl!telecom-request From: David M Archer Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom Subject: Automated Collect Calling Message-ID: <11243@accuvax.nwu.edu> Date: 23 Aug 90 15:52:13 GMT Sender: news@accuvax.nwu.edu Reply-To: v116kznd@ubvmsd.cc.buffalo.edu Organization: University at Buffalo Lines: 28 Approved: Telecom@eecs.nwu.edu X-Submissions-To: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu X-Administrivia-To: telecom-request@eecs.nwu.edu X-Telecom-Digest: Volume 10, Issue 588, Message 8 of 11 A week or so ago, I received a most interesting call on one of my phone lines. For some reason I at least seem to get a lot of wrong numbers on this line, so a wrong number is not at all unusual. What was somewhat interesting was that it was one of those automated collect call handling systems whereby I hear a recorded message along with a recording of the calling party saying his/her name, and am then asked to reply either yes or no. Now, I've heard about these systems for some time, so I wasn't too astonished, except that for some reason I wasn't in the right frame of mind and replied "what?". Luckily it interpreted that as a no, and it said goodbye and hung up. But it does make me wonder how foolproof it is, and just how many people have or will be charged for collect phone calls that they didn't authorize. I'm wondering if there are any readers of this newsgroup who have had troubles with this system and if they have any comments? [Moderator's Note: A few days ago, someone said they recieved such a call, said NO and got billed anyway. Was your call from a telco payphone or from a COCOT, or could you tell? Phone phreaks love the easy way fraud can be committed with this system: When asked to tape record their name, they say, "Call me at xxx-xxxx" or otherwise deliver some message. A live operator would never accept that for a 'name', but the equipment can't tell the difference. It calls and tells me there is a collect call from 'call me back at xxx-xxxx', and will I accept the charges. I say no, but that's okay; the message was delivered! PAT]