Robocaller 2.0

[Skeptic Ginger]

I just got my second robocall that was using a vocal recognition program and computer generated interaction.

Anyone else starting to get these?

 

[Myriad]

Yes, I've gotten a dozen or so of these here in Pennsylvania.

The most annoyingly dishonest part of what seems to be the standard programming is it picks up on the word "recording" (as in, "is this a recording?") and replies with something like, "Ha ha, do I sound that bad? No, I'm a real person." (Yes, you're a real person recording a bunch of speech samples which will eventually be played back into my phone...) Once, it was, "No, this is a live call, but we do record calls for training purposes" (as if I might be confused by the fact that they're recording the call into thinking that the call is a recording, which makes no sense at all).

So, if you've programmed your system to directly lie about something that basic and easily detected, why should I believe anything in your sales pitch?

The program will also scold you for swearing at it (or for anything it didn't understand that might have been you swearing at it) as though offending the computer was some moral transgression.

One easy way to detect it is to ask a trivial question like "what's three plus two?" Apparently, computers now suck at simple arithmetic.

 

[Loss Leader]

I pick up the phone and if someone doesn't immediately start talking, I hang up.

 

[Trebuchet]

Yup, I've had a number of those. I typically ask them "are you a computer?" and they say something nonsensical.

The other one I'm getting a lot of lately is actual people claiming to have recently serviced my furnace and needing to come out and check on it. Two of those in the last two days.

I would vote for ANY Presidential candidate, including Trump, who makes a believable promise to end telemarketing once and for all.

 

[alfaniner]

Use the Kirk Gambit. Ask it to divide a number by zero.

 

[steve s]

...(as in, "is this a recording?") and replies with something like, "Ha ha, do I sound that bad?

I've had that same experience quite a few times. I usually respond with "What's four times five?" Then there's usually a few seconds of silence, followed by "The reason I'm calling today...."

Years ago it used to be obvious when you got a recording simply because the sound quality was so bad. But the quality has improved to the point where it's often difficult to tell whether it's a recording or not.

Steve S

 

[madurobob]

Use the Kirk Gambit. Ask it to divide a number by zero.

Thats my game when they call - ask questions they're not likely to have a useful recorded response for. But, the operators often just hang up so they can move to the next number in the queue.

What I find surprising it how easy it is to pick up on the robo nature of the caller after just a few words. I doubt that will last.

 

[Primus]

Never heard of these in the UK? Beyond tricking you into thinking its a person how does it work. Does it transfer you to a person who'll actually flog you stuff at some point?

 

[dudalb]

I hope the person who invented robocalls rots in Hell for all eternity.

 

[Skeptic Ginger]

Never heard of these in the UK? Beyond tricking you into thinking its a person how does it work. Does it transfer you to a person who'll actually flog you stuff at some point?

I never stay on long enough with any robocall. In this case, both times when I said, "are you a person", the answer came back very similar, something like: "Yes, I'm a person but I'm using my computer to reply for consistency". At that point I set the phone down and occupy their robo until they hang up. Then I hang up.

 

[blutoski]

Never heard of these in the UK? Beyond tricking you into thinking its a person how does it work. Does it transfer you to a person who'll actually flog you stuff at some point?

My guess is that it's a foray into developing a fully automated sales agent, leveraging voice recognition technology.

Load the Agent up to recognize common questions and objections and can play a scripted response. It can probably even close the deal and get credit card payment.

 

[cullennz]

I look at the phone and if it isn't a number I know I let it go to answer machine.

If it is someone worth talking to I'll cut in

 

[Loss Leader]

My guess is that it's a foray into developing a fully automated sales agent, leveraging voice recognition technology.

Load the Agent up to recognize common questions and objections and can play a scripted response. It can probably even close the deal and get credit card payment.

I remember once a guy from the cable company trying to upsell me some more channels. He asked, "What kind of TV programs do you like to watch?" I answered that I watches a lot of the Home Shopping Network. He didn't have a scripted response for that, so he just kept asking me the question. I think he asked me four or five times before he just picked something and started reading it.

This was decades before robots.

 

[Edx]

I get these a lot in the uk. Usually a long pause when you pickup. As soon as I hear the obvious recording "hello" I hang up.

 

[Loss Leader]

I get these a lot in the uk. Usually a long pause when you pickup. As soon as I hear the obvious recording "hello" I hang up.

My cell phone message says to just text me. If the phone rings and it's not my wife, I don't pick it up. Fill in your own joke here.

 

[Jrrarglblarg]

I just got my second robocall that was using a vocal recognition program and computer generated interaction.

Anyone else starting to get these?

I've gotten enough that we, as a family, have decide to Turing test phone solicitations in general. Robots taking jobs from meatbags will not be supported by this household. Humans in boiler rooms get treated with dignity and respect. Robots get interrogated with questions like "are you a pineapple?"

Also, I refuse to use self checkout lanes at the grocery store.

 

[cullennz]

I've gotten enough that we, as a family, have decide to Turing test phone solicitations in general. Robots taking jobs from meatbags will not be supported by this household. Humans in boiler rooms get treated with dignity and respect. Robots get interrogated with questions like "are you a pineapple?"

Also, I refuse to use self checkout lanes at the grocery store.

Never understood peoples dislike of self checkouts.

 

[RecoveringYuppy]

One easy way to detect it is to ask a trivial question like "what's three plus two?" Apparently, computers now suck at simple arithmetic.

It has always annoyed me that AI (Data on Star Trek TNG in particular) were depicted as being exceptionally fast at arithmetic. That's like expecting every human to intrinsically know what an ion channel is.

 

[Primus]

I get these a lot in the uk. Usually a long pause when you pickup. As soon as I hear the obvious recording "hello" I hang up.

I get a lot of the prerecorded stuff but I've never had one that interacts with you like you're a person. Is that the sort you've been getting?

 

[CynicalSkeptic]

I think I've had one. It started in on a sales pitch. I said I wasn't interested, then it jumped to "I'm sorry you're not intere..." and I hung up. Seemed like a typical human sales call following a script but on reflection I'm pretty sure it was automated. Sounded very natural but the timing was off just enough to make me suspect it.