Beating back the telephone virus scammers

[roelforg]

Did you slow down the speed (which also changes the pitch) or just the tempo (which leaves the pitch alone but, for me, leaves a stuttery sound)?

(I am using Audacity, by the way.)

I've attached two files, being the first 2.3 seconds slowed down by 90%. One is slowed speed, and the other slowed tempo.

• Attachment 219351
• Attachment 219352

I have searched the help but don't know how to increase the low tones. Please share how you did it.

I meant speed (pitch affected).
About the tones, just full-open the lower 1/3 of your equalizer (i forgot where it is in audacity).

The reason i said about the file format is because mp3'll cut off the lowest tones, you may not hear them, but they add one key feeling.

I used mixxx (load the mp3 file, set the pitchslider's range to 90% and fully drag it down; used the 3rd eq knob (a.k.a. Low tones) of the deck set to the 3 o'clock (where 12 is the default/center position) and turned on recording.).
Combine that with speakers whose bass speaker alone is the size of my face (the entire thing is the size of a chair) and a good amp; i could even see the bass move back and forth very slowly but very far on some tones.

[Paddy Landau]

I meant speed (pitch affected).
About the tones, just full-open the lower 1/3 of your equalizer (i forgot where it is in audacity).

Thank you, that worked for me!

I have not heard of Mixx before, so I'll have a look.

[David Andersson]

(off topic)

The reason i said about the file format is because mp3'll cut off the lowest tones, you may not hear them, but they add one key feeling.

The telephone cut off low tones too. MP3 can represent quite low frequencies. Lower than 30 Hz, probably under 20 Hz. The telephone and the telephone network won't transmit frequencies lower than 200 or 300 Hz. No matter if you use MP3, FLAC or WAV, the scammer won't hear it because of the limitations set by telephone technology.

[Bandit]

This doesn't apply to just telephone virus scammers--I think the best way to waste the time of any telemarketers or phone scammers is this:

Scammer: Hello, is that Mr. Landau?
You: No. Hold on a minute. I'll go get him.

Put the phone on mute and just leave it there.

I am gonna start doing that to telemarketers.

[Old_Grey_Wolf]

Personally, I think this is probably one of the best ways to handle a telemarketer.

I need to make a transcript of that. It's hilarious.



I would use it if I ever get a call from telephone virus scammers. Although I wouldn't actually say I was an officer.

However, I have never gotten one.

--
Years ago the News Paper Companies would call to try to get me to subscribe to their weekly paper. I just asked them if it came in Braille. I got all kinds of shocked responses before they hung up.

[David Andersson]

You really do not need a computer to keep the scammer going. Watch this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iq5BsgfVckw "Having fun with a scammer" (It's 12 minutes long. Watch 10:00-11:00 for the best part. Try 8:20-11:30 if you have a few minutes. Add 2:50-4:00 for a half-fun part where he argues with the scammer about yahoo vs google.)

[Paddy Landau]

You really do not need a computer to keep the scammer going…

LOL, that made me laugh. The bit with the apple was priceless!

[Paddy Landau]

I have just read an article indicating that at least some of the scammers are brainwashed into thinking that they are being patriotic to their country:

… many North Koreans are led to believe they are serving the country’s greater good by engaging in things such as insurance scams and bullion smuggling to raise money for the country’s leadership.

It makes you think!

[Dry Lips]

ArsTechnica just had an interesting article:

“Can you fix my Windows 95 computer?”: How to troll a tech support scammer
http://arstechnica.com/features/2012...pport-scammer/

[Linuxratty]

I especially enjoy when they dump the scammers into a virtual box.

What we do is let the answering machine take all calls.
To talk to us you have to let it right twice,hang up and call again. Only then does someone pick up the phone.