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Comment by pbhjpbhj | Hacker News Reader

You need an automated answer service:

"Type 121 to be connected or hold the line for endless cat facts at $5/min ... Did you know cats on average have just under 4 legs ..."

With the code being randomised and an actual pay service.

Someone in the UK did something like this, apparently, and made money.

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The robocalls I get these days ask you to press a button to continue, hearing more about your expiring warranty, etc. If you don't respond in a few seconds it disconnects.

So have it press a button. It’s just a DTMF tone. (Is that a redundant acronym phrase?)

> a DTMF tone. (Is that a redundant acronym phrase?)

Technically not, since "DTMF" is a proper noun referring to the overall encoding system, and is used as a adjective indicating that this particular tone is associated with that system. Compare "That farm raises KFC chickens. (That is, chickens intended for use by the resturant (chain) that calls itself "Kentucky Fried Chicken".)". Or "The left is what a MacOS window looks like, and the right is what a Windows window looks like.".

I love your answer + examples and concur wholeheartedly.

My point was that they're already deploying counter measures. They also tend to use a two tier system where the first person you talk to is an idiot who reads lines. If you bite, they second you to a second tier to close. If you're not a real person, they hang quickly at the first tier. I've gotten to the second tier and really pissed someone off (mission accomplished) insisting that I was the old lady they were calling, when I clearly had a man's voice.

I use to use Google's call screening, and was foiled by this when I wanted to screw around with them by pressing buttons to speak canned messages. Google really needs to update that with a DTMF keypad.

I would like to know more about this exciting income opportunity.

Search for "Hello this is Lenny".

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