A New Way to Deal With Telemarketing Calls

A man in the U.K. is charging telemarketers for calling him. From BBC News:

A man targeted by marketing companies is making money from cold calls with his own higher-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 line had so far made £300.

Phone Pay Plus, which regulates premium numbers, said it strongly discouraged people from adopting the idea.

Beaumont says that he’s following the rules of premium numbers by informing all telemarketers exactly how much they’re being charged for calling him, and suggesting they email him if they don’t like the charges.

(HT: James Kraft)