What A Brilliant Idea!

[mosaix]

A man targeted by marketing companies is making money from cold calls with his own premium-rate phone number.

In November 2011 Lee Beaumont paid £10 plus VAT to set up his personal 0871 line - so to call him now costs 10p, from which he receives 7p.

The Leeds businessman told BBC Radio 4's You and Yours programme that the premium line had so far made £300.


BBC News - How one man turns annoying cold calls into cash


Because he works from home, Mr Beaumont has been able to increase his revenue by keeping cold callers talking - asking for more details about their services.

 

[Mirannan]

A man targeted by marketing companies is making money from cold calls with his own premium-rate phone number.

In November 2011 Lee Beaumont paid £10 plus VAT to set up his personal 0871 line - so to call him now costs 10p, from which he receives 7p.

The Leeds businessman told BBC Radio 4's You and Yours programme that the premium line had so far made £300.


BBC News - How one man turns annoying cold calls into cash


Because he works from home, Mr Beaumont has been able to increase his revenue by keeping cold callers talking - asking for more details about their services.

Excellent! About time the (expletive deleted) got kicked where it hurts.

 

[thaddeus6th]

Good for him.

I loathe cold-callers, particularly as they tend to ring when I'm trying to write. Fortunately, as my house already has windows and a kitchen, conversations tend to be concise.

 

[Boneman]

Excellent! He's been up-front and honest and don't you just love the weasly spokeman trying to dissuade people from doing this?

I knew a plumber who had a premium number on his van with the 'How's my Driving? Call this number' wording writ large.

He made about £100 per month, because he was white van man on a really bad day, every day... (For those outside the UK white van man is a euphemism for selfish, loutish driving by commercial vans, who'll cut you up/speed/park on the pavement etc etc).

 

[Verse]

Brilliant, just Brilliant. And nice radio 4 link, mosaix. The specific segment starts just after 24-minutes.

 

[Mirannan]

I can think of another way of handling this which might actually be better.

Get a second line put in, or rely exclusively on a mobile phone for personal calls. Hang a premium-rate number on the first landline, with an answerphone on it programmed to answer immediately so it doesn't ring. Put a (long!) message on the answerphone clearly stating that it's a premium rate number and to please leave your message.

This might work even better if it was a premium-rate (starting with 09) number, but that might be pushing it...

 

[StormSeeker]

Pure genius. That is all. If everyone just paid that small fee we would either

a: be left the hell alone

or

b: make **** tonnes!

 

[Aloreth]

That's a brilliant idea!

I know the article suggests that you don't do it but I must admit I am tempted