Show HN: CallSitter – bot that answers my calls and wastes scammers' time

Posted by szert 3 days ago

Anyone else get a lot of dumb scam calls?

These days I mostly get them on my mobile. I used to just ignore them, but then I got fed up and built a bot that answers my calls and wastes their time.

It runs on OpenAI Live 1. Jev classifies each call as spam, scam or genuine and steers the bot accordingly.

Works like a charm. All my calls go to the bot now.

I can also steer it from Telegram mid-call.

In this one the bot ended up accusing the scammer of being an AI :) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SpuTzRg8_fU

Comments

Comment by BorisMelnik 3 days ago

if you pick these calls up it proves you are a real number and will get more calls

instead, have your AI answer as "jacks Pzza" or "office depot headquarters boise ID" and they will re-classify your number.

if you want to fight for your number you have to start thinking of your phone number as part of a giant global database and convince the big data brokers you are not who you say you are

Comment by szert 3 days ago

Good point but it's just fun to listen the recordings. Easy to tune the prompt like that once I get bored with it.

Also, I am not sure how this business works. I assume they buy leaked data then fish around. So every buyer or new breach brings new wave?

Anyway, I'm just happy to waste their time. Thogh someone said that sometimes they are paid per the hour. Ultimately I still contributing to make it less profitable and less time to harass others.

Comment by cyanydeez 3 days ago

I pick up and wait for itto click. They dont care. These are automated dialers. You will stay on the list if it doesnt pick up.

In theory, sure. But not answering makes your value higher. It will never take you off the list.

Comment by szert 3 days ago

I am pretty sure the two police scam attempts I uploaded are real people.

There are more , one guy spent almost an hour talking with the bot, even called back when the bot hang up because of the time limits I put on (it says I gotta go sorry). It played so well all the way, like pretending to search for email in spam folder, looking for a pen etc. :)

And a few automated crap AI like the add me on what's app and a whatever crypto bot.

Comment by cyanydeez 3 days ago

My theory is: picking up, making zero noise and just waiting for it to hang up has a chance of marking it as a fax line or some other automated system. Eitherway, it wastes their time but never engages.

But it's also _not a real person_; these are automated dialers that wait for someone to speak, then they get transfered to a scammer. 99% of the time, there's not anyone listening at the start. It's only when you engage does it go to the scammer.

People conceptualize this stuff wrongly. Having worked in debt collection teaches you just how automated it all was, 30 years ago.

Comment by dawnerd 3 days ago

Used to be true but these days there’s enough data on real numbers it doesn’t matter. I get 8 calls a day now across two lines. Every day. Exact same time exact same ai voicemail.

Comment by cjimesh 3 days ago

Answering such calls puts an even bigger target on your head, doesn't it?

Comment by szert 2 days ago

yeah, I am considering to tweak the bot to give away it's AI playing with them after some time. Currently I just steer it live from Telegram with some trolling instructions when I have time for fun.