Lenny the telemarketing troll - for use against telemarkers: "In 2009, the anonymous IT worker began using an interactive automated message to handle telemarketing calls to the company...

Rose42

"In 2009, the anonymous IT worker began using an interactive automated message to handle telemarketing calls to the company where he worked. He called the chatbot “Lenny” in homage to his elderly neighbor who used to collect plastic shopping bags in a “giant man-height stockpile” in his backyard."

https://motherboard.vice.com/en_us/article/d3b7na/the-story-of-lenny-the-internets-favorite-telemarketing-troll

tradio Loc: Oxford, Ohio

I get around six a day.

DanielB Loc: San Diego, Ca

I just don't answer my home phone anymore.

Rose42 wrote:

"In 2009, the anonymous IT worker began using an interactive automated message to handle telemarketing calls to the company where he worked. He called the chatbot “Lenny” in homage to his elderly neighbor who used to collect plastic shopping bags in a “giant man-height stockpile” in his backyard."

https://motherboard.vice.com/en_us/article/d3b7na/the-story-of-lenny-the-internets-favorite-telemarketing-troll

hasslichhog

Rose42 wrote:

"In 2009, the anonymous IT worker began using an interactive automated message to handle telemarketing calls to the company where he worked. He called the chatbot “Lenny” in homage to his elderly neighbor who used to collect plastic shopping bags in a “giant man-height stockpile” in his backyard."

https://motherboard.vice.com/en_us/article/d3b7na/the-story-of-lenny-the-internets-favorite-telemarketing-troll

Great post. Particularly good for vulnerable seniors, too many of whom have lost tens of thousands of dollars to phone scammers

NJFrank Loc: New Jersey

If I don't recognize the number I don't answer the phone. If they want me, they can leave a message and number to call them back. Some of these people call three or four times a day. Some times I will answer the repeat numbers and not say anything until they hang up. Very few have a real person on the other side who will say hello right away.

TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

One excellent and free answer is nomorobo - it has almost completely eliminated those calls for us and it’s free for your house phone ($1.99/month for your cell).

DaveO Loc: Northeast CT

TriX wrote:

One excellent and free answer is nomorobo - it has almost completely eliminated those calls for us and it’s free for your house phone ($1.99/month for your cell).

If your provider has it. Mine does not.

TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

DaveO wrote:

If your provider has it. Mine does not.

I’m guessing you mean your phone provider doesn’t support it - it’s a 3rd party ap/service.

DaveO Loc: Northeast CT

TriX wrote:

I’m guessing you mean your phone provider doesn’t support it - it’s a 3rd party ap/service.

Yes. Neither my cell nor landline provider.

TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

DaveO wrote:

Yes. Neither my cell nor landline provider.

A sadness. Wish I had another good solution - they’ve started callin on my cellphone now, so I may start paying the $1.99/month for it. At the moment, I just don’t answer unless I know the number, but for people who use their cells for work, that’s not an option. Did I mention that I HATE robocallers even more than telemarketers? Robocallers should be illegal with a huge enforced fine, but many are from outside the US and/or hard to trace, so probably not a workable solution.

DaveO Loc: Northeast CT

TriX wrote:

A sadness. Wish I had another good solution - they’ve started callin on my cellphone now, so I may start paying the $1.99/month for it. At the moment, I just don’t answer unless I know the number, but for people who use their cells for work, that’s not an option. Did I mention that I HATE robocallers even more than telemarketers? Robocallers should be illegal with a huge enforced fine, but many are from outside the US and/or hard to trace, so probably not a workable solution.

I saw a special where the phone companies are developing software that will prohibit most of this. Probably won't be free...welcome to the USA.

I ignore most, but the locally spoofed ones are more difficult. We both have parents in their 90's, so that adds to our thoughts.

Flash Falasca Loc: Beverly Hills, Florida

the worst thing now is sometimes I call the number back and someone answers and they say they didn't call me, one call when I called back I got an anwsering Machine so I swore at him like a drunken sailor, well I later I get a call from this guy wanting to know why I called him and swore after a bit we figured out a robo caller had used his caller id, so they are using caller id of are other peoples numbers !! one woman I got when I redial a number that called me told me one time she got a call and the id was her own phone number !!

DaveO Loc: Northeast CT

Flash Falasca wrote:

the worst thing now is sometimes I call the number... (show quote)

This was national news months ago and is referred to as "spoofing." People are more likely to answer a call in their own directory and the offenders are more difficult to trace....like the phone companies don't see thousands of calls per day from certain numbers.

Follow the money.

sb Loc: Florida's East Coast

DanielB wrote:

I just don't answer my home phone anymore.

I don't either (answer my cell phone). Especially now that telemarketers make the phone number look like it is from your home area code. It makes it easy, though - I don't KNOW anyone in Warren, Maine, etc. If it is anything important they will leave a message and I will get to it - eventually!

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

I found a better solution. I bought Call Blocker 5000 and later a Call Blocker 10000. It's fantastic.

As for telemarketers, you won't see them driving to work in BMWs and Porsches. They working for low pay in a high-stress job that demands results. Blowing whistles, screaming at them, or wasting their time with software doesn't make their day any more pleasant. It's the wealthy people running those businesses who deserve to be tormented. The people who make the laws should also take some of the blame.

Here's an idea. Every time you get a telemarketing call, immediately call you senator or representative and tell him. If he get a dozen calls from you every day, maybe he'll do what he's supposed to do and represent you, rather than the millionaire business owners.

https://smile.amazon.com/CPR-V5000-Call-Blocker-Robocalls/dp/B0191XMBV2/ref=sr_1_3?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1542893612&sr=1-3&keywords=cpr+5000
https://smile.amazon.com/CPR-V10000-Call-Blocker-Robocalls/dp/B07GPNQNWG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1542893590&sr=8-1&keywords=cpr+10000