MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Tired of answering those annoying robocalls coming to your cell phone day and night? There’s an app that allows you to silence them and get revenge on those making the calls.
“Basically it answers the call on your behalf,” said Ashton Bingham.
A few years ago LA filmmaker Ashton Bingham decided instead of ignoring the robocalls he would have a little fun with the callers.
Bingham recorded a call where he kept a scammer on the line for about a half hour. The video went viral after the scammer made a reference to the attack on the twin towers.
“It took it to a whole new thing. So we’ve since started doing this as a regular thing–raising awareness and taken it to a whole other level,” said Bingham.
Bingham and Art Kulik started Trilogy Media and have made dozens of popular Youtube videos where they scam the scammers.
“Because there are so many scammers and we can`t change that. It does work to our advantage that here is always someone to mess with,” said Bingham.
They have also partnered with the creators of the award-winning Robokiller App.
The app recognizes millions of spam and scam numbers. Once you downloaded to your phone it tags and intercepts the calls.
“It doesn’t ring on your phone. It doesn’t ring anymore,” said Bingham.
Robokiller not only blocks the nuisance numbers it also allow you to use an answer bot take the calls. Many of answer bots were created by Bingham and Kulik.
“We are practical jokers where we create this story these situations. In one “his wife” is giving birth. So, the telemarketer, scammer she participates,” said Kulik.
The app also records the calls so you can play them back or post them to social media.
The idea is to waste scammers and spammers time and expose them.
” It`s basically just a tool that lives in your phone and keeps you from being annoyed,” said Bingham.
The app costs $3.99 a month or $29.99 for a yearly membership.
Bingham and Kulik say it’s the best way to stop the calls and turn the tables on those eager to take your hard-earned cash.
“Sometimes we get some pretty crazy outcomes. It’s hilarious,” said Bingham.
One robocall monitoring system estimates last month alone nearly five million robocalls were made in the U.S.
It is illegal for anyone to make robocall to your cell phone without your permission even if it’s a legitimate business.
To register you cell phone number on the National Do Not Call List click here.
