Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!usc!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!thunder.mcrcim.mcgill.edu!pierrer From: pierrer@pike.ee.mcgill.ca (Pierre Racz) Newsgroups: comp.org.eff.talk Subject: Retaliate against Robot salesmen (Update) Summary: Let you computer do the talking Message-ID: <1991Apr1.033719.899@thunder.mcrcim.mcgill.edu> Date: 1 Apr 91 03:37:19 GMT Sender: news@thunder.mcrcim.mcgill.edu Organization: McGill University VLSI Laboratory Lines: 191 Nntp-Posting-Host: pike.ee.mcgill.ca FIGHT BACK AGAINST COMPUTER RELATED ABUSES OF PRIVACY I have just been harassed for the fourth time this week by a COMPUTER calling me up and trying to sell me something. As a Computer Professional, I take offense to this misuse of the technology I helped to create and maintain. Being harassed by phone is really annoying since: 1 - They bother you in REAL time, sometimes interrupting you at very inopportune moments. 2 - You cannot give the caller a piece of your mind for bothering you at home. Since they don't get the negative feed back, they have no incentive to modify their behavior. 3 - There is no legislation (not even in the foreseeable future) to protect the citizen from this and other computer related abuses of privacy. 4 - They often don't identify the company they represent until you follow up on their offer. This way you don't know who is doing this to you. Proof that they know most people hate being treated this way. 5 - It is COST EFFECTIVE for these companies to continue doing it. WHAT COMPUTER PROFESSIONALS CAN DO Indirect action: Contact your local politician. This should be done, but results will be at least one election away. Direct action: Program your modem or FAX to dial their number a few times every day. Answering the phone cost them money. Give them a taste of their own medicine : Do they like to talk to a computer ? I think not. Tips on direct action : 1 - Verify the number. Don't take my word about any phone number less you yourself commit abuses of privacy by repeatedly calling a phone number posted by some practical joker. After all you don't want to behave like the people you are fighting. Phone up the number and say: "I was called by your computer and I would like more information about your offer". Their response will confirm their marketing practices. 2 - Do not threaten to "sick your computer on them". This would constitute harassment. You can and should tell them that you disagree with such practices but nothing more. If it happens that through some "operator error" your computer repeatedly dials their number, there will be no evidence of MALICIOUS INTENT. 3 - Don't over do it. You don't have to shut down their phone system to get your point across. A few minutes every day will do the trick. Remember that there are other computer professionals who will also take direct action. Our combined voices can be quite loud. 4 - Report your results to the net. People like to know that they are not alone in their thinking. If you want to remain anonymous, send me private EMAIL, and I will post it publicly with all references to you deleted. We should maintain a list of these companies and distribute it as widely as possible. 5 - Follow up on these harassing phone calls. The first impulse is to hang up. These companies know most people hate being treated this way so they sometimes don't identify themselves (this in itself may be illegal). Like direct mail, they expect positive response from about 1 in 100 people. Get their name and phone number and pass this information on to other computer professionals. 6 - Find out if this is a boiler room operation by calling at off hours. 7 - Don't get mad. Get even. Tech Tips : 1 - Most hayes compatible modems can be instructed to dial out in answer mode. The high pitch whine will leave no doubt to the person answering the phone that they are speaking to a computer. Such a command would be of the form: atdt 433-5060a ^ put the modem in answer mode. note : You can put the tailing 'a' in your dialing directory with the phone number and most telecomm programs will happily set the answer mode. 2 - Set the dial time for 20-30 seconds. When the modem dials out in answer mode it may have trouble recognizing things like dial tones and busy signals. However these companies answer the phone on the first ring. 3 - You have two choices for the time between calls. You can call continuously for a few minutes or you can call all day at wider intervals. Dealing with Telemarketing : Although a human caller trying to sell you something is less annoying than the computer variety this is the strategy I use : I first politely interrupt the sales pitch. I then tell them I don't have the time now to deal with them, if the would kindly give me their HOME phone number, I will phone them back later. Invariably, they refuse to give out their HOME phone number at which point I ask: "What is the matter, don't you ever do business at home ?". "No" they answer. "Neither do I" I say, and hang up. List of companies in MONTREAL abusing my right to privacy: (514) 433-0222 Max Tel Communication. (514) 433-0087 Max Tel Communication. These unfriendly people own the equipment that causes us all that grief. (514) 923-3572 Trans Canada Telemarketing. Particularly nasty fly-by- night operator. He also owns the equipment. (514) 433-1112 Viatour Caravane. (514) 433-5060 Viatour Caravane. After a while they switched their computer to this number. They may switch again ! 279-7474 Vacances St-Adele. These guys are non-apologetic for their invasion of my privacy. Regarding my complaint, they told me to be fruitful and multiply (but not in those words). ???-???? Some carpet cleaners that have yet to call me back or even identify themselves. (514) xxx-xxxx Trenti chaussures. Following my own advice I spoke to the manager before taking direct action. He said he received many complaints and will never use this service again. Apparently a pushy sales man talked him into using it. Their number has therefore been deleted from the list. The telemarketing industry I phoned all the telemarketers listed in my Yellow Pages. The first thing I noticed was that many of these businesses are fly-by-night operations. Of 33 numbers listed, 13 had gone out of business since the phone book had been printed in July 90. Seven others are such small companies that they cannot man their phones during business hours. Two of the remaining telemarketing operations admitted that they use the hated talking computers. They are one product companies who don't care what you think about their service. It was pointed out told by both of them that that there is nothing I can do to stop them. But there is hope yet. The other telemarketers appear to be quite professional about their service and care about what the consumers think of their services. They agree that taking computers are a bad marketing idea and that these operators give telemarketing a bad name. Unfortunately there are no regulations forcing telemarketers to be part of the direct sales association which maintains the lists of people who which not to be bothered. There is no mechanism to review the conduct of telemarketing companies, no code of ethics. To get your address and phone number removed from may of the lists call or write to : Assoc. Canadienne de Marketing direct. 2549 Blvd Rosemont suite 101 Montreal H1Y 1K5 (514) 729-5196 Last word I know I am not alone in the way I feel about this. If nobody does anything about this it will only continue. Computer professionals have been successful in the past stamping out some of the many privacy abuses. This year they forced Lotus corporation to withdraw the CD ROMS with the names, addresses and estimated incomes of 150 Million north Americans. In any case, feel free to get in touch with me. Pierre Racz Internet: pierrer@pike.ee.mcgill.ca Fidonet: Pierre Racz (1:167/116.0)