FTC Looking for Ideas to Stop the Likes of Rachel from Credit Services

Do you have a good ideas that might help to block these abusive telephone calls? Visit the website to learn more.

Are you tired of receiving calls from Rachel at credit card services?

Older seniors, your parents perhaps, feel helpless when they receive these manipulative, and illegal telephone calls. During the last few years of her life, my husband’s mother sometimes became quite distressed when she answered the phone and heard Rachel or one of her automated cohorts on the other end of the line.

Now the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is doing something about it. The agency just announced that it is soliciting innovative ideas on how to prevent these calls. Anyone can submit an idea and the FTC is offering a $50,000 prize for the best idea.

Below are two paragraphs from the agency’s website announcement.

The Federal Trade Commission is challenging the public to create an innovative solution that will block illegal commercial robocalls on landlines and mobile phones. As part of its ongoing campaign against these illegal, prerecorded telemarketing calls, the agency is launching the FTC Robocall Challenge, and offering a $50,000 cash prize for the best technical solution.

This is the agency’s first government contest hosted on Challenge.gov, an online challenge platform administered by the U.S. General Services Administration, in partnership with ChallengePost. Challenge.gov empowers the U.S. government and the public to bring the best ideas and top talent to bear on our nation’s most pressing issues.

This story at National Public Radio gives more information.