Aces High Bulletin Board
General Forums => The O' Club => Topic started by: Seagoon on July 18, 2007, 11:45:21 AM
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Hi Guys,
Until recently I had a free fax number via efax, that was until I started receiving Spam faxes designed to look like "corporate memos" from a company called CANCUNCHEAPTICKET.COM selling trips to cancun. Here are some examples of these faxes: http://www.junkfax.org/fax/profiles/travelcomm/travelcomm58faxes.PDF
I get one a day and it pushed me beyond the page limit for my efax free service, forcing me to upgrade. I have called several times to have my number removed. The automated number "removal" did nothing, so I started calling the actual 800 number. The person on the other end would either hang-up on me when they realized what I wanted or pretend to take the number down: "ME: Ok, could you read that back to me? THEM:Click"
I'm tempted to actually start calling them (since its an 800 number) and just start talking to or evangelizing their operators every day. It seems obvious they want to have a long-term relationship with me and won't be dissuaded, and I've been resisting them for too long. Perhaps if I spoke to their operators for hours and hours it might help our relationship? ;) What do you think?
- SEAGOON
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Seagoon is it possible to have your fax number changed?
I had no idea that people spammed fax numbers with advertisements.
Why hasn't spam been made illegal in the US yet?
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Originally posted by Elfie
Seagoon is it possible to have your fax number changed?
I had no idea that people spammed fax numbers with advertisements.
Why hasn't spam been made illegal in the US yet?
me niether.
:furious
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Doesn't your scenario violate the Junk Fax Prevention Act?
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You have legal recourse in this matter my friend.
Congress first addressed the issue of junk faxes in the Telephone Consumer Protection Act of 1991, or TCPA. Although this legislation dealt broadly with larger issues of nuisance telemarketing tactics, it included provisions making it illegal for any person to send an unsolicited advertisement to a fax machine. 47 U.S.C. 227(b)(1)(C). The law further authorized the recipient of a fax sent in violation of the statute (or a regulation promulgated under the statute) to sue the sender in state court to enjoin further violation, recover for actual monetary loss from such a violation or $500 in statutory damages for each violation (whichever is greater), or both. 47 U.S.C. 227(b(3). The law also allows the court, in its discretion, to treble these damages if it finds the plaintiff violated the statute "willfully" or "knowingly".
It seems that you could 1) Make them pay dearly with their pocketbook, 2) Mention this US Code when talking to them next time and ask them to reimburse you for the charges you have incurred due having to upgrade your service.
I'd ask to speak with a supervisor next time and if possible record the conversation from your end.
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Seagoon, do you own the fax machine, or does efax just provide the phone number and then email you the document?
If so, I wonder if this is a loophole in the law, since Seagoon is not really receiving the fax via a fax machine.
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Originally posted by Elfie
Seagoon is it possible to have your fax number changed?
I had no idea that people spammed fax numbers with advertisements.
Why hasn't spam been made illegal in the US yet?
Because thanks to our great govt and the "Canned Spam Act".. Well they basically made it legal with that bill.
It put certain restrictions on spamming, IE like having notate if it contains pornographic material and made proxy mailing illegal. Other than that for the most part it made everything else legal, in reguards to e-mailing.
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Originally posted by Seagoon
I'm tempted to actually start calling them (since its an 800 number) and just start talking to or evangelizing their operators every day. It seems obvious they want to have a long-term relationship with me and won't be dissuaded, and I've been resisting them for too long. Perhaps if I spoke to their operators for hours and hours it might help our relationship? ;) What do you think?
- SEAGOON
EVANGELIZE :D
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I have the free efax service as well. Because it's sent to me via e-mail it wasn't a big deal to just delete the e-mails before opening them. After a while it stopped and I haven't gotten one for months now.
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I signed up for efax's free service back in 2000. The free fax service allows you to recieve as many faxes as you want via-email. If you want to send a fax by e-mail you had to pay a monthly fee. After 5 to 6 months of their 'free' service they sent me a notice that said they were discontinuing my free service and if I wish to keep my fax number I would have to pay. This of course after I had business cards made out with the fax number. Needless to say, I drop their service and would never consider using any of their services again..
:mad:
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Originally posted by Seagoon
I'm tempted to actually start calling them (since its an 800 number) and just start talking to or evangelizing their operators every day. It seems obvious they want to have a long-term relationship with me and won't be dissuaded, and I've been resisting them for too long. Perhaps if I spoke to their operators for hours and hours it might help our relationship? ;) What do you think?
- SEAGOON
That's what me dad did, and it worked wonders. Hasn't had a telemarketer in years. Every time they called, he would answer and start just talking to them. It also works if you try to sell them something. After a while, they quit.
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Hi Mickey,
Originally posted by Mickey1992
Seagoon, do you own the fax machine, or does efax just provide the phone number and then email you the document?
If so, I wonder if this is a loophole in the law, since Seagoon is not really receiving the fax via a fax machine.
The company sends the fax, from their perspective its a normal fax #, then the company converts it to an email with an attachment which is sent to me.
So is spamming fax numbers illegal? And if so, what would my legal recourse be? This has cost me quite a bit in upgrading my service.
- SEAGOON
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We could take efax's number and add it to every calling list there is :D
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I think they need to learn a bit more about the bible.
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Originally posted by eskimo2
I think they need to learn a bit more about the bible.
Word!;)
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Originally posted by Elfie
Why hasn't spam been made illegal in the US yet?
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.
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Holden is being sarcastic again. :)
"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances."
Go ahead and try to assemble peaceably near a political convention, a presidential motorcade route or site where the president or vice president is appearing. Or try to exercise your right to free speech on a sidewalk. You'll be lucky not to get tasered.
Or ask why "In God we trust" would be on currency, or churches are tax exempt, or why an oath of office is done with one hand on a bible with the words "so help me God" if it were not respecting an establishment of religion. Or petition government agencies that are now indemnified against legal process for redress of grievances. See how far you get. ;)
Spam is not illegal because you have not paid enough in lobbying perks, political donations, fact-finding missions to Aruba or call girls (boys) to get the attention of politicians.
P.S. Seagoon - maybe you should just dump the fax machine and move on. They're so 1980s anyway. :)
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Originally posted by Rolex
or why an oath of office is done with one hand on a bible with the words "so help me God" if it were not respecting an establishment of religion.
The constitution says the oath of office is:
:--"I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States."
The "so help me God" ending is traditional, not mandated by law.
Theodore Roosevelt did not use a bible in his oath ceremony.
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http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-800-713-7907
and
http://www.junkfax.org/fax/profiles/Travelcomm.htm
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Originally posted by Seagoon
I'm tempted to actually start calling them (since its an 800 number) and just start talking to or evangelizing their operators every day. It seems obvious they want to have a long-term relationship with me and won't be dissuaded, and I've been resisting them for too long. Perhaps if I spoke to their operators for hours and hours it might help our relationship? ;) What do you think?
- SEAGOON
I say bug the hell out of them, just keep calling them and calling them and calling them, and let them know this will continue until you remove me. And BTW for future refrence, when you see any kind of spam with a removal number, or removal email address this is a trick, if you respond to them asking to be removed it lets them know that yours is a valid number, or email addy.
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Hello Rolex,
Originally posted by Rolex
Or ask why "In God we trust" would be on currency, or churches are tax exempt, or why an oath of office is done with one hand on a bible with the words "so help me God" if it were not respecting an establishment of religion.
...
P.S. Seagoon - maybe you should just dump the fax machine and move on. They're so 1980s anyway. :)
Just a quick note, because many Americans don't understand this.
All non-profit organizations, religious or otherwise, are tax-exempt. This includes Mosques, Synagogues, Churches, as well as the ACLU, NOW, People for the American Way and so on. However, Pastors, including this one, pay taxes just like everyone else.
Additionally, its worth noting that in Europe, many nations not only tax-exempt churches, but several nations still have tax-supported churches such as Germany and Britain - and that despite the fact that a much higher percentage of Europeans are openly atheist or non-religious. The first amendment was crafted in part to eliminate the possibility of one church becoming "established" and state supported as they still are in Europe.
Regarding faxes, I'd love to get rid of them, but you'd be amazed at how many businesses, services, and government institutions still use them and how often they want something signed and a copy faxed (not scanned and emailed) back to them or how often people want to fax me signed documents. I agree that it's sooooo 80s and I'm like "gag me with a spoon" when they ask. Then again the Teletype stayed on in business for many years after it should have been replaced by newer technology.
- SEAGOON