# Guy literally makes telemarketers pay **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 29, 2013, 10:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guy-literally-makes-telemarketers-pay/667487 "2013-08-29T10:39:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2013, 10:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guy-literally-makes-telemarketers-pay/667487/1 "2013-08-29T10:39:38Z")
According to [this BBC article](http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-23869462), a guy set up the equivalent of a 1-900 number and uses it anywhere where he has to put his phone number. Authorities caution that there are regulations on said numbers, but they don’t seem too onerous, and could be accomplished by a boilerplate message before letting the call ring thought. Any other problems jump out at you? Note, he’s made 300 pounds so far, so at least some companies will in fact call the number. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2013, 11:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guy-literally-makes-telemarketers-pay/667487/2 "2013-08-29T11:02:43Z")
Very cool. Anytime telemarketers get screwed I am happy. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2013, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guy-literally-makes-telemarketers-pay/667487/3 "2013-08-29T13:43:14Z")
I especially liked the part where he put his number on twitter so that it would get picked up by marketing companies. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2013, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guy-literally-makes-telemarketers-pay/667487/4 "2013-08-29T15:00:29Z")
Yes! Now I just gotta get a 900-number. ---
**Author:** ![LavenderBlue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e95f7d/32.png) [@LavenderBlue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LavenderBlue)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2013, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guy-literally-makes-telemarketers-pay/667487/5 "2013-08-29T15:15:53Z")
My hero! Four calls alone yesterday from those nitwits at card holder services. They kept calling and then hanging up. I would beat them to a pulp if I could. ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2013, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guy-literally-makes-telemarketers-pay/667487/6 "2013-08-29T15:43:59Z")
I’d love to see phone companies offer consumers premium rate numbers like this, specifically for giving out to businesses. Just about every business wants to get the consumer’s phone number, and they all swear that they never, ever use it for telemarketing. While this wouldn’t stop sequential number dialing, it WOULD stop most telemarketers dead in their tracks, even the ones who are currently breaking the law by calling people on the DNC list. Sure, have a little canned speech at the start. That’s fair. Let Rachel and Heather from Card Services pay for annoying everyone with their fantastic offers. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2013, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guy-literally-makes-telemarketers-pay/667487/7 "2013-08-29T15:48:30Z")
And have the option of giving friends and family a code to get past the premium rate. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2013, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guy-literally-makes-telemarketers-pay/667487/8 "2013-08-29T16:14:22Z")
How much does it cost to set up a 900 line in the U.S.? Can you set it up on a pre-paid mobile phone (‘burn phone’, ‘Trak-Phone’) so that you don’t have to pay for an additional line in your house? What is the monthly fee for having a 900-number?