FCC Cracks Down on Robocalls 210
Cara_Latham writes "If you want to receive annoying robocalls from telemarketers you will have to opt in. Federal Communications Commission rules now require that telemarketers get your consent before dialing your number. Telemarketers will also have to obtain consent even if they had previously 'done business with' the consumer on the receiving end of a call."
Text messaging (Score:5, Insightful)
Can we add text messages to this please?
I'm tired of paying per-message to receive spam.
Re:Text messaging (Score:4, Insightful)
On a smartphone, if you received it, you "opened" it.
And texting back STOP (paying for another message) is probably about as effective as replying UNSUBSCRIBE to an email. Great way for spammers to get verification that your number is legit!
Re:Text messaging (Score:3, Insightful)
turn ALL texts off.
what, are you a teenager or something? seriously.
turn them off. all carriers (even pre-paid which is what I use; I hate contracts!) support blocking of texts. both sending and receiving.
email works. I never understood paying for 'text' when you already have text and its easier to de-spam than the in-band BS they call sms.
Re:change of heart? (Score:5, Insightful)
Half the time the people calling to collect a debt can't even produce proof that they are legally authorized to collect it.
First response to any collections call should always be, "I would like written proof that your organization owns this debt and are authorized to collect it." A lot of the time, you never hear from them again. I'm not gonna come right out and say they're scammer fucks, but it's funny that said proof almost never, ever, shows up...
Re:Text messaging (Score:5, Insightful)
turn ALL texts off?
great solution grandpa. This isn't the 90's anymore, texts aren't just for teens.
Re:Text messaging (Score:4, Insightful)
>what, are you a teenager or something? seriously.
I am 29. I didn't text much at all (once in a month was rare for me) until I got a phone with a real keyboard (n900), and started dating. When we are apart (most of the time; we are in different states), my girlfriend and I communicate mostly via sms, then phone calls, then IM, then email.
Re:Text messaging (Score:4, Insightful)
The same reason they don't let you block specific numbers from calling you. Because it eats into the carriers' profits if spammers/telemarketers aren't eating up your monthly minute/text/data quota.
Re:What about Slashdot comments? (Score:4, Insightful)
>> Would be nice if they switch to the method virtually every other country on Earth uses; receiving the message is free*
FTFY :)