1 00:00:04,519 --> 00:00:07,840 Speaker 1: The company that's fighting back against robo calls in a 2 00:00:07,920 --> 00:00:11,040 Speaker 1: hilarious way. What's going on. I'm rich Demiro. This is 3 00:00:11,200 --> 00:00:14,160 Speaker 1: Rich on Tech with me today is Ethan gar He 4 00:00:14,320 --> 00:00:17,759 Speaker 1: runs a company called Robokiller, which has an app that 5 00:00:17,800 --> 00:00:20,520 Speaker 1: can help you avoid robo calls on your cell phone. 6 00:00:20,720 --> 00:00:23,400 Speaker 1: But even better, they will actually fight back against these 7 00:00:23,480 --> 00:00:26,680 Speaker 1: robo calls with something called answer bots. Ethan, Welcome to 8 00:00:26,680 --> 00:00:27,160 Speaker 1: the podcast. 9 00:00:27,160 --> 00:00:27,960 Speaker 2: Hey, thanks for having me. 10 00:00:28,080 --> 00:00:31,000 Speaker 1: So tell me about Robokiller. Tell me about the app. 11 00:00:31,040 --> 00:00:32,640 Speaker 1: How is it different than other apps out there? 12 00:00:32,920 --> 00:00:36,879 Speaker 2: Yeah, so robokiller will block millions of these unwanted, annoying 13 00:00:36,920 --> 00:00:40,520 Speaker 2: telemarketing and scam calls from reaching your phone. But what's 14 00:00:40,600 --> 00:00:42,639 Speaker 2: really awesome about it is not only will it do that, 15 00:00:42,880 --> 00:00:44,959 Speaker 2: but in the background, it'll answer those calls with these 16 00:00:44,960 --> 00:00:47,559 Speaker 2: answer bots, which are robots of our own that are 17 00:00:47,600 --> 00:00:49,720 Speaker 2: really smart. They know how to press one to find 18 00:00:49,840 --> 00:00:52,760 Speaker 2: the humans behind these calls so they can waste their time. 19 00:00:53,040 --> 00:00:55,720 Speaker 2: There are recordings of our own that will have conversations 20 00:00:55,720 --> 00:00:58,640 Speaker 2: with these guys and talk to them sometimes hours on end, 21 00:00:59,000 --> 00:01:01,160 Speaker 2: just wasting their time, which is time that they can't 22 00:01:01,200 --> 00:01:04,119 Speaker 2: spend reaching into your pocket stealing money from you. Stealing 23 00:01:04,120 --> 00:01:04,800 Speaker 2: your identity. 24 00:01:05,040 --> 00:01:09,000 Speaker 1: It's quite hilarious because inside the app, you let users 25 00:01:09,000 --> 00:01:11,919 Speaker 1: see the phone calls that they're getting and the responses 26 00:01:11,959 --> 00:01:13,759 Speaker 1: you made to those with your answer bots, and it's 27 00:01:13,760 --> 00:01:15,880 Speaker 1: all recorded, and you can literally go in and kind 28 00:01:15,920 --> 00:01:17,920 Speaker 1: of normally you'd want to avoid anything to do with 29 00:01:17,959 --> 00:01:20,160 Speaker 1: robo calls, but you're kind of making this fun to 30 00:01:20,280 --> 00:01:21,720 Speaker 1: see that you're wasting their time. 31 00:01:21,920 --> 00:01:23,840 Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean, we definitely want to start with this 32 00:01:23,959 --> 00:01:26,119 Speaker 2: idea that you're we're going to give you that peace 33 00:01:26,120 --> 00:01:28,840 Speaker 2: and quiet, right when when your phone doesn't ring, you 34 00:01:28,880 --> 00:01:30,959 Speaker 2: feel good, Right, that's the problem you're trying to solve. 35 00:01:31,600 --> 00:01:33,600 Speaker 2: When you have robo Killer, we block these calls from 36 00:01:33,680 --> 00:01:35,080 Speaker 2: ringing on your phone. The only thing you're going to 37 00:01:35,120 --> 00:01:37,759 Speaker 2: get is a notification that says, hey, we've blocked this call, 38 00:01:38,440 --> 00:01:41,080 Speaker 2: but silently and in the background, we're answering this call, 39 00:01:41,120 --> 00:01:43,720 Speaker 2: and we're recording the conversation between the answer bot and 40 00:01:43,760 --> 00:01:47,520 Speaker 2: the telemarketer. Then once that call is done, this recording 41 00:01:47,640 --> 00:01:49,880 Speaker 2: is in the app available for you to go listen to. 42 00:01:50,160 --> 00:01:52,480 Speaker 2: So you can go listen to this robot, which you 43 00:01:52,520 --> 00:01:54,240 Speaker 2: may have even created, because we let you create your 44 00:01:54,280 --> 00:01:56,240 Speaker 2: own answer bots or choose from one that we've created. 45 00:01:56,640 --> 00:01:59,680 Speaker 2: You can then go and listen to that conversation and 46 00:02:00,120 --> 00:02:02,240 Speaker 2: hilarious when you hear you know, one of our answer 47 00:02:02,240 --> 00:02:04,240 Speaker 2: bots is a guy who's in a canoe that's sinking 48 00:02:04,720 --> 00:02:08,560 Speaker 2: and he's you know, when you hear the telemarketer trying to, 49 00:02:09,160 --> 00:02:11,959 Speaker 2: you know, sell this guy on something and he's like, hey, 50 00:02:12,240 --> 00:02:13,920 Speaker 2: what do you do about a shark, you know, swimming 51 00:02:13,919 --> 00:02:16,240 Speaker 2: around you. You know, it gets really funny and it's 52 00:02:16,280 --> 00:02:19,280 Speaker 2: amazing how entertaining it can be. But you know, it's 53 00:02:19,639 --> 00:02:22,160 Speaker 2: great to to you know, be able to solve a 54 00:02:22,200 --> 00:02:23,480 Speaker 2: problem and do it in a fun way. 55 00:02:23,760 --> 00:02:25,880 Speaker 1: The app. A lot of people are hesitant to download 56 00:02:25,880 --> 00:02:29,040 Speaker 1: these apps for two reasons. Number one, they cost money. Generally, 57 00:02:29,160 --> 00:02:31,000 Speaker 1: if you're getting a good service, you're probably gonna have 58 00:02:31,040 --> 00:02:32,600 Speaker 1: to pay for it, right, so you're like three bucks 59 00:02:32,639 --> 00:02:35,720 Speaker 1: a month. The second thing is if I sign up, 60 00:02:35,760 --> 00:02:38,480 Speaker 1: am I handing over my phone number and just accepting 61 00:02:38,520 --> 00:02:40,520 Speaker 1: a million calls from these robo callers. 62 00:02:40,800 --> 00:02:43,360 Speaker 2: No, we're definitely in the business of stopping these robo calls, 63 00:02:43,400 --> 00:02:46,560 Speaker 2: not making more come to your phone. There is a fee, 64 00:02:46,600 --> 00:02:48,480 Speaker 2: but we give you a seven day free trial. We 65 00:02:48,520 --> 00:02:51,400 Speaker 2: want people to feel comfortable before they choose their monthly 66 00:02:51,440 --> 00:02:54,160 Speaker 2: or yearly plan. We want people to know that this 67 00:02:54,320 --> 00:02:56,400 Speaker 2: is a service that they're going to get value out of, 68 00:02:56,760 --> 00:02:58,960 Speaker 2: and we're confident they will. And I think the first 69 00:02:58,960 --> 00:03:01,840 Speaker 2: time you get that notification that we've blocked a call 70 00:03:01,919 --> 00:03:03,720 Speaker 2: and then you go and listen to it, there's that moment, 71 00:03:03,720 --> 00:03:06,480 Speaker 2: that aha moment where you go, oh wow, this is 72 00:03:06,600 --> 00:03:08,480 Speaker 2: finally a real solution to this problem. 73 00:03:08,639 --> 00:03:10,280 Speaker 1: All right, let's go over some of the most common 74 00:03:10,280 --> 00:03:14,480 Speaker 1: scam calls coming in. Number one, Rachel from Cardholder Services. 75 00:03:14,680 --> 00:03:16,800 Speaker 1: I feel like I've gotten this one because the best 76 00:03:16,800 --> 00:03:18,960 Speaker 1: part about this is that everyone has a credit card. 77 00:03:19,320 --> 00:03:21,280 Speaker 1: So when they call you, they're like, this is call 78 00:03:21,320 --> 00:03:23,360 Speaker 1: from your credit card. You're like, oh, I need to 79 00:03:23,480 --> 00:03:24,000 Speaker 1: listen to this. 80 00:03:24,280 --> 00:03:26,120 Speaker 2: Yeah. The first thing she says is that there's no 81 00:03:26,160 --> 00:03:27,800 Speaker 2: problem with your account, and you're like, well, why are 82 00:03:27,840 --> 00:03:30,040 Speaker 2: you calling me then? But yeah, this is a really 83 00:03:30,120 --> 00:03:32,520 Speaker 2: old one. In fact, I think I was telling you earlier. 84 00:03:32,800 --> 00:03:35,680 Speaker 2: Rachel from Cardholder Services got replaced with like Heather from 85 00:03:35,720 --> 00:03:39,040 Speaker 2: Cardholder Services and Kristen from Cardholder Services and a whole 86 00:03:39,040 --> 00:03:42,440 Speaker 2: other slew of women from Cardholder Services for a while, 87 00:03:42,640 --> 00:03:45,080 Speaker 2: but Rachel has made her way back and is again 88 00:03:45,160 --> 00:03:47,720 Speaker 2: one of the most popular scams. And I believe it's 89 00:03:47,760 --> 00:03:50,040 Speaker 2: a debt consolidation scam where they're trying to get you 90 00:03:50,080 --> 00:03:54,240 Speaker 2: to combine credit cards. But it's you know, it's a 91 00:03:54,280 --> 00:03:57,600 Speaker 2: relentless one. It's millions and millions of calls. In fact, 92 00:03:58,600 --> 00:04:02,640 Speaker 2: it's probably a significant percentage of the five billion robocalls 93 00:04:02,720 --> 00:04:04,480 Speaker 2: and telemarketing calls that are being made every month. 94 00:04:04,600 --> 00:04:07,240 Speaker 1: Two Americans, All Right, a carpet cleaning company. What's the 95 00:04:07,240 --> 00:04:07,720 Speaker 1: deal on that? 96 00:04:08,160 --> 00:04:11,160 Speaker 2: Yeah, that was a carpet cleaning referral service. We see, 97 00:04:11,160 --> 00:04:15,320 Speaker 2: we see it to this day from what I understand, Uh, 98 00:04:15,360 --> 00:04:18,080 Speaker 2: there's a chance that a carpet cleaner will actually show 99 00:04:18,120 --> 00:04:20,799 Speaker 2: up at your door if you contract through these services. 100 00:04:21,080 --> 00:04:22,920 Speaker 2: But the calls they're making are legal. 101 00:04:23,000 --> 00:04:24,760 Speaker 1: So it's sort of a referral service. But the way 102 00:04:24,760 --> 00:04:27,520 Speaker 1: they're doing it is so it's a legit business really 103 00:04:27,520 --> 00:04:29,159 Speaker 1: because they're probably giving leads to businesses. 104 00:04:29,120 --> 00:04:32,000 Speaker 2: It's probably not a like a legal registered business, but 105 00:04:32,080 --> 00:04:35,320 Speaker 2: it is. But the what they what they're not trying 106 00:04:35,360 --> 00:04:38,039 Speaker 2: to do as far as I know, is get you 107 00:04:38,080 --> 00:04:40,160 Speaker 2: to give them money and then have nothing happen at 108 00:04:40,200 --> 00:04:42,919 Speaker 2: the you know, it's but it's still it's still a scam. 109 00:04:42,960 --> 00:04:45,760 Speaker 2: They're not. You can go contract these services by opening 110 00:04:45,839 --> 00:04:47,840 Speaker 2: up the phone book or looking online and finding your 111 00:04:48,279 --> 00:04:50,200 Speaker 2: you know, much more reputable service. 112 00:04:49,960 --> 00:04:52,960 Speaker 1: The phone book. What's that I use y'all money than 113 00:04:53,000 --> 00:04:56,120 Speaker 1: you know about y'all? All right, Investigation team of IRS. 114 00:04:56,240 --> 00:04:59,279 Speaker 1: This is a scary one because it's the government calling 115 00:04:59,320 --> 00:05:00,719 Speaker 1: you and you'll listen. 116 00:05:01,240 --> 00:05:04,320 Speaker 2: Yeah, and people to this day fall for it, even 117 00:05:04,360 --> 00:05:06,919 Speaker 2: though this you know, it's it's now been going on 118 00:05:07,000 --> 00:05:09,480 Speaker 2: at least five or six years, if not more, and 119 00:05:09,560 --> 00:05:11,520 Speaker 2: the FTC and the FCC and the i r S 120 00:05:11,560 --> 00:05:14,039 Speaker 2: have put out public service announcements trying to get people 121 00:05:14,040 --> 00:05:15,960 Speaker 2: to make sure that they don't fall for this scam. 122 00:05:16,000 --> 00:05:18,960 Speaker 2: Because the I r S will not call you about 123 00:05:19,680 --> 00:05:21,880 Speaker 2: a debt, a debt like this, it's not how they 124 00:05:22,000 --> 00:05:26,240 Speaker 2: do their enforcement. But what's really crazy about that call 125 00:05:26,800 --> 00:05:30,839 Speaker 2: is usually the end of that call is them telling 126 00:05:30,839 --> 00:05:33,400 Speaker 2: you you have to call a phone number. And if 127 00:05:33,400 --> 00:05:35,599 Speaker 2: you think about it, the people who call that phone 128 00:05:35,680 --> 00:05:39,360 Speaker 2: number are self selecting themselves as victims. They are saying, 129 00:05:39,560 --> 00:05:43,240 Speaker 2: I believe that this this robot that called me, that 130 00:05:43,320 --> 00:05:46,080 Speaker 2: told me that if I don't call them back, is 131 00:05:46,160 --> 00:05:48,440 Speaker 2: actually going to send the police to arrest me within 132 00:05:48,480 --> 00:05:50,240 Speaker 2: the hour if I don't call these people back. So 133 00:05:51,800 --> 00:05:53,400 Speaker 2: it's one that's I think it's one of the most 134 00:05:53,400 --> 00:05:56,120 Speaker 2: horrific ones because it's really based on fear. It targets 135 00:05:56,279 --> 00:06:00,320 Speaker 2: the most vulnerable in society, and at the end of 136 00:06:00,360 --> 00:06:02,960 Speaker 2: the day, it steals millions and millions of dollars. 137 00:06:03,120 --> 00:06:06,159 Speaker 1: Health Insurance Enrollment Center, health insurance hot topic. 138 00:06:06,320 --> 00:06:09,360 Speaker 2: Yeah, there's actually a number of health insurance scams. It's 139 00:06:09,880 --> 00:06:12,400 Speaker 2: no matter what area code I look at, it's health 140 00:06:12,400 --> 00:06:15,080 Speaker 2: insurance is almost always in the top five as one 141 00:06:15,080 --> 00:06:19,839 Speaker 2: of the scams. They are targeting people, especially the elderly 142 00:06:20,800 --> 00:06:23,520 Speaker 2: or people who have trouble getting health insurance. A lot 143 00:06:23,560 --> 00:06:26,560 Speaker 2: of younger people are having trouble getting health insurance. They're 144 00:06:26,600 --> 00:06:30,600 Speaker 2: targeting them with these calls because again, they look at 145 00:06:30,640 --> 00:06:34,600 Speaker 2: people these as as you know, they look for vulnerable markets. 146 00:06:35,839 --> 00:06:37,279 Speaker 1: This is a big one. I get a lot of 147 00:06:37,320 --> 00:06:40,920 Speaker 1: emails and calls about the tech support scams out there, 148 00:06:41,000 --> 00:06:44,160 Speaker 1: and the Microsoft Security Department is just one name that 149 00:06:44,160 --> 00:06:45,880 Speaker 1: this goes under. There's probably many others. 150 00:06:45,760 --> 00:06:47,360 Speaker 2: Right, but I assume when you answer that, you're like, 151 00:06:47,440 --> 00:06:49,000 Speaker 2: you know, I'm a tech reporter, right. 152 00:06:49,760 --> 00:06:51,560 Speaker 1: I actually got one of these people on the phone, 153 00:06:51,560 --> 00:06:53,680 Speaker 1: and I wanted to see what they did. So I 154 00:06:53,720 --> 00:06:55,359 Speaker 1: went through the whole flow and I saw how they 155 00:06:55,400 --> 00:06:57,400 Speaker 1: said go to this IP address. I was like, oh, 156 00:06:57,560 --> 00:06:59,119 Speaker 1: because I wanted to know what they were making people. 157 00:06:59,120 --> 00:07:02,760 Speaker 1: Do ya download some software to your computer that lets 158 00:07:02,800 --> 00:07:05,360 Speaker 1: them remotely take access? Yep? And it was very slick, 159 00:07:05,520 --> 00:07:06,760 Speaker 1: I must say. How they did it? 160 00:07:06,839 --> 00:07:10,400 Speaker 2: Yeah, they you know, they really have become experts in 161 00:07:10,600 --> 00:07:12,560 Speaker 2: playing this mind game to get you to go that 162 00:07:12,600 --> 00:07:14,240 Speaker 2: one next step, you know, and if you do this, 163 00:07:14,320 --> 00:07:16,160 Speaker 2: everything's going to be okay. If you do this, everything's 164 00:07:16,160 --> 00:07:18,559 Speaker 2: going to be okay. And your computer, which was working 165 00:07:18,640 --> 00:07:21,440 Speaker 2: fine before you got this call, all of a sudden 166 00:07:21,600 --> 00:07:22,120 Speaker 2: is locked up. 167 00:07:22,120 --> 00:07:22,280 Speaker 1: You know. 168 00:07:22,280 --> 00:07:24,680 Speaker 2: They've put some ransomware and you can't get you know, 169 00:07:24,720 --> 00:07:27,400 Speaker 2: and they're saying, hey, I can fix this for you. 170 00:07:27,400 --> 00:07:29,320 Speaker 2: You just have to, you know, go to Target and 171 00:07:29,320 --> 00:07:31,960 Speaker 2: get me a five hundred dollars gift card or something crazy, 172 00:07:32,000 --> 00:07:35,040 Speaker 2: you know, like they the payment schemes are always strange, 173 00:07:35,080 --> 00:07:37,240 Speaker 2: you know, whether it's with bitcoin or something like this. 174 00:07:37,360 --> 00:07:40,440 Speaker 1: But uh yeah, but yeah, we'll do it. Because I 175 00:07:40,480 --> 00:07:42,520 Speaker 1: just got an email from someone who said her mom 176 00:07:43,000 --> 00:07:44,960 Speaker 1: bought I think it was like eight thousand dollars in 177 00:07:45,040 --> 00:07:47,320 Speaker 1: iTunes gift cards, and they stayed with them on the 178 00:07:47,360 --> 00:07:49,840 Speaker 1: phone to go from store to store because you can't 179 00:07:49,920 --> 00:07:52,320 Speaker 1: clearly buy all those at one store. I just couldn't 180 00:07:52,320 --> 00:07:53,760 Speaker 1: even believe that that was real. 181 00:07:53,880 --> 00:07:56,160 Speaker 2: And I've heard of the irs scam ending with that, 182 00:07:56,240 --> 00:07:59,000 Speaker 2: with you know, someone driving around getting these, you know, 183 00:07:59,040 --> 00:08:01,840 Speaker 2: buying these gift cards, and you'd think someone, you'd think 184 00:08:01,880 --> 00:08:04,800 Speaker 2: someone would say to themselves, the government would not make 185 00:08:04,840 --> 00:08:07,320 Speaker 2: me go to target, right, or you like drive around 186 00:08:07,360 --> 00:08:07,560 Speaker 2: like this. 187 00:08:07,760 --> 00:08:10,760 Speaker 1: Okay, So let's listen to one of these answer bots 188 00:08:10,840 --> 00:08:13,720 Speaker 1: because they are just hilarious. Here's an answer bot calling 189 00:08:13,760 --> 00:08:17,040 Speaker 1: back a robocaller on the Robokiller app. 190 00:08:18,200 --> 00:08:23,400 Speaker 2: Hey, Abby, here's the deal. 191 00:08:24,760 --> 00:08:29,640 Speaker 3: You just call me in a vocal training exercise mode. 192 00:08:30,440 --> 00:08:32,559 Speaker 3: Just hear me like think for like thirty seconds and 193 00:08:32,720 --> 00:08:35,679 Speaker 3: e then that long before. 194 00:08:36,120 --> 00:08:38,680 Speaker 1: Your legend never did. 195 00:08:39,520 --> 00:08:42,160 Speaker 3: At But yeah, can you just like give me your 196 00:08:42,160 --> 00:08:44,760 Speaker 3: honest opinion about what you thought of that? 197 00:08:48,720 --> 00:08:48,960 Speaker 1: Dude? 198 00:08:49,120 --> 00:08:53,120 Speaker 2: Oh no, oh my god, are you watching the television 199 00:08:53,200 --> 00:08:54,600 Speaker 2: right now? Do you see what's happening? 200 00:08:55,840 --> 00:08:56,880 Speaker 1: No, what's going on? 201 00:08:57,160 --> 00:08:58,839 Speaker 2: Oh my god, you got to turn on the news. 202 00:08:58,880 --> 00:08:59,600 Speaker 3: This is awful. 203 00:09:00,160 --> 00:09:03,360 Speaker 2: No, Oh god, I can't even watch this. Oh no, no, 204 00:09:03,840 --> 00:09:05,800 Speaker 2: what the hell's going on? You got to turn on 205 00:09:06,640 --> 00:09:10,360 Speaker 2: the news or something. It must be all over the internet. 206 00:09:10,400 --> 00:09:12,960 Speaker 2: Oh my god, what is it? 207 00:09:13,000 --> 00:09:15,960 Speaker 1: Tell me? You're freaking me out, man. These answer bots 208 00:09:15,960 --> 00:09:18,559 Speaker 1: are hilarious. So you've made it fun to interact with 209 00:09:18,600 --> 00:09:21,080 Speaker 1: these guys. What does this do? What does it prove 210 00:09:21,120 --> 00:09:23,000 Speaker 1: when you call these guys? I mean, it seems like 211 00:09:23,120 --> 00:09:26,000 Speaker 1: you're wasting your time, But is there actually a benefit 212 00:09:26,080 --> 00:09:27,440 Speaker 1: of these answer bots? 213 00:09:28,080 --> 00:09:28,360 Speaker 3: Well? 214 00:09:28,679 --> 00:09:32,559 Speaker 2: Yeah, absolutely. Answer bots are designed to waste scammers time, 215 00:09:32,679 --> 00:09:34,760 Speaker 2: and time is money, if you think about it, whether 216 00:09:34,800 --> 00:09:36,840 Speaker 2: we like it or not, whether they're legitimate, meaning they 217 00:09:37,000 --> 00:09:39,600 Speaker 2: registered or not. These are businesses. They look at this, 218 00:09:39,960 --> 00:09:41,520 Speaker 2: you know, they look at this from a dollars and 219 00:09:41,559 --> 00:09:45,840 Speaker 2: cents perspective. They have costs, which are making these calls labor, 220 00:09:46,480 --> 00:09:49,360 Speaker 2: and they have revenue that's the scam money that they 221 00:09:49,400 --> 00:09:54,400 Speaker 2: bring in. They will do anything to increase their bottom line, 222 00:09:54,800 --> 00:09:56,840 Speaker 2: but at the end of the day, time is the 223 00:09:56,880 --> 00:10:00,400 Speaker 2: one thing that's their most precious commodity they've got. You know, 224 00:10:00,480 --> 00:10:03,840 Speaker 2: they can make millions and millions of robocalls, but they're 225 00:10:03,880 --> 00:10:06,360 Speaker 2: limited by the number of humans who can actually go 226 00:10:06,400 --> 00:10:08,440 Speaker 2: and then fit and finish the scam. 227 00:10:08,520 --> 00:10:10,560 Speaker 1: You know, close to the people forget about this aspect 228 00:10:10,800 --> 00:10:12,920 Speaker 1: because we call them robo calls. We assume they're just 229 00:10:13,040 --> 00:10:16,320 Speaker 1: all robotic and automated, But there is a portion of 230 00:10:16,360 --> 00:10:18,560 Speaker 1: the call where push comes to shove and you have 231 00:10:18,640 --> 00:10:20,520 Speaker 1: to talk to a real person to kind of complete 232 00:10:20,520 --> 00:10:21,160 Speaker 1: that transaction. 233 00:10:21,280 --> 00:10:24,040 Speaker 2: Yeah, I've never heard of a of a scam call 234 00:10:24,440 --> 00:10:27,559 Speaker 2: where it doesn't end with you talking to a human being. Oh, 235 00:10:27,640 --> 00:10:30,160 Speaker 2: it starts with a robocall, because that's the you know, 236 00:10:30,200 --> 00:10:32,559 Speaker 2: that's the top of the funnel. They can make gazillions 237 00:10:32,559 --> 00:10:36,920 Speaker 2: of calls very cheap, and you know, they just have 238 00:10:37,000 --> 00:10:40,240 Speaker 2: to have someone available to answer when when the group. 239 00:10:40,360 --> 00:10:43,040 Speaker 2: Then when a smaller group of of the people who 240 00:10:43,040 --> 00:10:46,800 Speaker 2: got the call, press one or call them back that 241 00:10:46,960 --> 00:10:49,520 Speaker 2: small group. And in some cases, you know, I've seen 242 00:10:49,520 --> 00:10:51,840 Speaker 2: an IRS phone scam where I kept calling them back 243 00:10:51,880 --> 00:10:53,800 Speaker 2: and calling them back, and I realized that it was 244 00:10:54,000 --> 00:10:57,360 Speaker 2: two people. It was two people. They were they weren't 245 00:10:57,360 --> 00:10:59,560 Speaker 2: in the same room, but they were. They were. It 246 00:10:59,600 --> 00:11:02,720 Speaker 2: was two eyes who were making these calls. And I 247 00:11:02,840 --> 00:11:05,360 Speaker 2: realized all I had to do was keep calling them 248 00:11:05,360 --> 00:11:07,800 Speaker 2: back and wasting their time and I could drive them 249 00:11:07,840 --> 00:11:11,000 Speaker 2: crazy at the end of the day, whether it's two 250 00:11:11,080 --> 00:11:14,200 Speaker 2: people or two hundred people in a bullpen, answer bots 251 00:11:14,320 --> 00:11:16,840 Speaker 2: have that same effect. Answer bots can talk to two 252 00:11:16,960 --> 00:11:19,560 Speaker 2: hundred people at a time, and that's two hundred people 253 00:11:19,600 --> 00:11:23,640 Speaker 2: who can't be talking to somebody's elderly grandmother or anybody else. Yes, 254 00:11:23,679 --> 00:11:27,040 Speaker 2: it's hilarious, Yes it's fun, but we ultimately believe that 255 00:11:27,080 --> 00:11:29,280 Speaker 2: this is impacting their bottom line and we hear it 256 00:11:29,679 --> 00:11:32,200 Speaker 2: at the end of the day. We're having a huge 257 00:11:32,240 --> 00:11:36,040 Speaker 2: impact on this. You know, we're disrupting this illegal marketplace 258 00:11:36,080 --> 00:11:40,480 Speaker 2: because our answer bots are really impacting their time. Sixty 259 00:11:40,640 --> 00:11:44,640 Speaker 2: thousand hours of time last month that we wasted of spammers. 260 00:11:44,679 --> 00:11:47,200 Speaker 2: That was sixty thousand hours that they didn't have to 261 00:11:47,640 --> 00:11:48,920 Speaker 2: reach into your pocket and rob you. 262 00:11:49,120 --> 00:11:51,439 Speaker 1: Ethan Gar, thanks so much for joining me. The app 263 00:11:51,480 --> 00:11:54,920 Speaker 1: again is called Robokiller. It's available for iOS and Android. 264 00:11:55,200 --> 00:11:57,240 Speaker 1: Check it out seven day free trial. After that you 265 00:11:57,280 --> 00:11:59,760 Speaker 1: can pay a little monthly fee to have all of 266 00:11:59,800 --> 00:12:02,480 Speaker 1: your calls blocked but or all of your robo calls blocked, 267 00:12:02,480 --> 00:12:05,560 Speaker 1: but more importantly, be entertained this thing. They even have 268 00:12:05,800 --> 00:12:08,480 Speaker 1: an answer bot radio where you can just tune in 269 00:12:08,520 --> 00:12:10,720 Speaker 1: and listen to some of these other calls that they're recording. 270 00:12:10,760 --> 00:12:13,280 Speaker 1: It is crazy, Ethan, thanks so much for joining me. 271 00:12:13,320 --> 00:12:15,000 Speaker 2: Thank you so much. It's been a pleasure. All right. 272 00:12:15,000 --> 00:12:16,600 Speaker 1: If you want to link to Robokiller, you can go 273 00:12:16,640 --> 00:12:20,200 Speaker 1: to my website. It's rich on tech dot tv, or 274 00:12:20,320 --> 00:12:22,880 Speaker 1: just check the show notes. Thanks so much for listening. 275 00:12:22,920 --> 00:12:25,000 Speaker 1: I'm Rich Uniro. I'll talk to you real soon.