# How could I make home and cell numbers "pay per call"?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-could-i-make-home-and-cell-numbers-pay-per-call/578995>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [April 19, 2011, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-could-i-make-home-and-cell-numbers-pay-per-call/578995 "2011-04-19T20:18:39Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![robert\_columbia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@robert\_columbia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robert_columbia)\
**Post date:** [April 19, 2011, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-could-i-make-home-and-cell-numbers-pay-per-call/578995/1 "2011-04-19T20:18:39Z")

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Back when I was a child, “pay per call” 1-900 numbers were advertised heavily. The gist was that they would bill you at $1.50 a minute for a novelty phone call.

Do these exist anymore? How easy would it be to “get” 1-900 numbers for home and cell that give me money every time someone calls me?

I’m guessing that if I succeeded in doing this, some telemarketing calls will go away, and the rest will pay me.

Has anyone done this?

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**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\
**Post date:** [April 19, 2011, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-could-i-make-home-and-cell-numbers-pay-per-call/578995/2 "2011-04-19T20:23:24Z")

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[http://www.ehow.com/how\_1000710\_get-900-number.html](http://www.ehow.com/how_1000710_get-900-number.html)

I think 900 numbers are regulated by the FCC, so you should also look into that.

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**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\
**Post date:** [April 20, 2011, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-could-i-make-home-and-cell-numbers-pay-per-call/578995/3 "2011-04-20T00:37:19Z")

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A 900 number is like an 800 number. It’s an alternate number which rings the same line as the primary number. You can’t have a naked 900 number without a regular number behind it.

So first you get a regular local number e.g. (202) 123-4567. And you pay $20 or whatever per month for that. Then you get a 900 number (900) 123-4567 which is “pointed to” the (202) 123-4567 number. And you pay $50 / mo for that.

So now whenever somebody dials (202) 123-4567 your phone rings & you get $0.

And whenever somebody dials (900) 123-4567 your phone rings & you get $1.00 of the $1.50 which the 900provider will stick on the caller’s bill. But you’ll get the $1.00 about 2 months later after the caller pays the bill. If he disputes the charge, you get zero, and maybe pay a penalty from the 900 provider.

Oddly enough, telemarketers are smart enough to choose Door #1 every time.