Telemarketer Blows Whistle on Tape-Altering Scam

Recently, Florida-based telemarketing firm Epixtar is frequently accused of cramming an extra $30 onto phone charges of small businesses, yet has proof of legality by recording their calls. Until they laid off some people, one of whom has blown the whistle. The companies' cramming tactics become "legal" by altering those taped recordings to include a quick statement about the $30 charge. MSNBC has the article, including a short audio clip of a sample call.

Screwed-over employees

[paranoid.android]

Until they laid some people

Well, I guess they really screwed their employees over, too.

They WHA?!

[Your_Mom]

...Until they laid some people...

Damn, say what you want about telemarketers, but I think I want to work for this company.
The whistleblower obviously was a person that was not laid.

"You just put your lips together and blow."

[Anonymous Coward]

Lends a different connotation to "blowing the whistle," doesn't it?

Fun things to say to Telemarketers

[Michael's a Jerk!]

Here [totse.com] Enjoy.

Not Surprising

[Bruha]

These tactics have been around in the industry for way too long. I had a roomate that used to make money off these cramming punks by telling them he had a better deal from X company and they'd give him 100 dollars to switch plus pay the switching fees and such. And he'd play all sides.

Man let me tell you his beer fund was funded :)

Re:Screwed-over employees

[Workpad z50 User]

They screw the public and lay their employees. Sounds like one Fucked Company [fuckedcompany]

Re:They WHA?!

[switched4OSX]

or, perhaps, was one who was forced to blow the bosses "whistle"

I own a small business,

[Jin Wicked]

And I've got a telephone, but I've not heard anything about this laying, blowing or cramming until now. Evidently I am in the wrong field.

All I ever get are wrong numbers.

More of the Classics

[Michael's a Jerk!]

How to piss off AT&T [ahajokes.com]

A Nice List [funmansion.com]
Another Good List [aaronscollection.com]

50 Stupid things to Say [lifeisajoke.com]

These bastards are a pet hate of mine. I've tried most of these at one stage or another. If you can keep from laughing, it's fun to string them along :-)

Re:Screwed-over employees

[pheared]

After being laid they couldn't wait to start blowing "whistles".

The telemarketing biz doesn't sound so bad after all.

Re:Until they laid some people...

[switched4OSX]

not to mention the size of the severance "package" the boss gives ya.

Comment removed

[account_deleted]

Comment removed based on user account deletion

To Hell with fair penalties.

[Rai]

I want one of two things: Either the company responsible for telemarketing fraud is fined the entire dollar amount of all assets plus 50% and all employees directly involved in the particular incident receive no less that 10 years in prison and a fine of no less than $25,000 per instance with all fines being equally disputed among those victims of this company's fraudulant operations.

Or I want button installed on my phone that will kill whoever is on the other line.

Re:Screwed-over employees

[Anonymous Coward]

Maybe you meant this: working link [fuckedcompany.com]

Shame

[prostoalex]

I am only afraid that an event like this would give telemarketing industry a negative image.

Re:Until they laid some people...

[Anonymous Coward]

"severance" and "package" are two words that make me cringe when used together

Try cramming Epixtar

[iamacat]

Hold on. Slashdot has so many people experiences in social engineering. Why not give Epixtar a call and sell them some choice beachfront property in Arizona? Then if they don't pay, present them with a recorded conversation. After defending their strategy in court they wouldn't be able to just back out of it.

Better yet, try it on the next telemarketer that calls you. Should be fun and legal, since they called your "business" to "inquire about your services" themselves.

Re:Screwed-over employees

[Anonymous Coward]

The boss called Pam into his office. He told Pam, "Things are getting hard and I am either going to have to lay you or Jack off." Pam replied "You are just going to have to jack off, because you are not going to lay me."

So did anybody else notice...

[Lord_Dweomer]

o wait, yup, sure enough first 5 posts or so pointed out the um......"typographical errors". I can just imagine how the whole Clinton/Lewinski thing might have started.

What he meant

"If you blow the whistle you'll be laid off"

What he actually typed

"If you blow my whistle you'll be laid."

eh, easy mistake, anybody could have made it.

Re:Don't waste your breath with telemarketers.

[markov_chain]

In my next residence I will register my phone under an alias. If anyone calls asking for the alias, then they are immediately identified as a telemarketer and I will tell them there is no one here by that name. This crap has gone far enough.

Hey, that's an awesome idea! Register yourself under the name Mr. Mudder Fokker, so that they avoid calling you in fear of getting in trouble for obscene phone calls :)

I Recommend a Seinfeld

[michaelhood]

JERRY: Uh, sorry, Excuse me one second. Hello.

TEL: Hi, would you be interested in switching over to TMI long distance service.

JERRY: Oh, gee, I can't talk right now. Why don't you give me your home number and I'll call you later.

TEL: Uh, I'm sorry we're not allowed to do that.

JERRY: Oh, I guess you don't want people calling you at home.

TEL: No.

JERRY: Well now you know how I feel. [Hangs up]

Seinfeld Episode Transcript [prohosting.com]

Re:To Hell with fair penalties.

[clem]

Or I want button installed on my phone that will kill whoever is on the other line.

Hopefully this button isn't close to the call waiting button. Take the following scenario:

"Mom? I'm getting a call on the other line, can you hold a sec?"

BZZZZZZT

"Er, Mom, you still there? Mom?"

Re:what are the stipulations?

[Anonymous Coward]

Unless prostitution and telemarketing combine!

The prostitute forces her way into your home and compels you to have sex for money.

Try to Telezap that one away.

Hearing voices (True)

[Johnny Mnemonic]

Me: Hello?

Telemarketer: Would you like to sign up for our cell phone plan?

Me: I'm sorry, I don't use the phone.

TM: You mean, you don't use cellphones?

M: No, I don't use the phone. Sorry.

TM: Aren't we using the phone now to communicate?

M: No, I don't think so. I think you're just another voice in my head.

(without missing a beat) TM: Well, this voice in your head is telling you to sign up for our cellphone plan...

Re:Morality?

[rhombic]

Maybe they could just take away his red Swingline stapler?

Re:Don't waste your breath with telemarketers.

[ocie]

What I do with telemarketers:

as soon as you realize that someone is trying to sell you something:

State loudly and clearly "I am not interested"

Put the phone down (don't hang up)

see how much longer they stay on the line.

Sometimes for a bit of variety, I put the phone next to the TV.