Now with DebtCC record calls and do recorded phone interview

There are two problems in making the calls private:

Problem1: What is the identifying information for authentication ?

Problem2: Cost increase

Problem1 described in detail:
Say mikey you call the 800-601-1579 number how does the system know that is mikey calling and this phone call should be made available only in the mikey member area ?

Various options to deal with it:

OptionA: Ask mikey to enter his ssn# in his member area and also ask mikey to enter the ssn# when he calls the 800-601-1579 and then chooses the option #3 saying he is a community member wanting to make a recorded phone call.

OptionB: Ask mikey to enter his user id # when he calls the 800-601-1579 and then chooses the option #3 saying he is a community member wanting to make a recorded phone call.

Which is a better option ?

Problem2 described in detail:
The calls cost us 4 cents a minute. 2 cents for incoming to the 800 number and then 2 cents outgoing to the creditor or the collection agent. If it was all VOIP the cost would be insignificant. But our community members are calling from PSTN and are getting connected back to PSTN so we need to pay for VOIP/PSTN interconnect fees.

With our adsense and ranking chart income and the cost of running the website we figured we could afford $500 worth of calls every month without charging the users.

If I allow community members to make completely private calls the number of calls made will jump up significantly. Since the system can then be used by a community member to make personal calls too.

Various options to deal with the spike in the number of calls:

OptionA: Some how make 4 cents a minute since that is what it costs me. But I do not want to charge the community members. Since this website was started when I was in financial trouble and all of us who come here are in some financial trouble or other.

OptionB: Another way to do it, is to tie it some way with the points on the forums system. The problem with this approach is that new members will not be able to use the voip system until and unless they have enough points.

OptionC: After the calls are recorded put them in a queue, some one from debtcc listens to the call edits out any account number or social security number or personally identifying information and then makes it available publicly.

Lets all decide together whats the best way to do it and we will do it that way.

Our RnD team has spent a lot of installing http://www.asterisk.org on the VOIP server (I wil be putting the picture of our servers here some day soon the opteron 1U linux servers look real ****) We really want it to be used worldwide in a way that brings a level playing field between the creditors / collection agents vs. an individual debtor. Right now the chips are too much in the favor of the creditors and collection agents.

ps. You are inching closer to the hall of fame

As a new user, I say for problem 1, I think option B. this way if someone has stolen your identity, they don't have access to this as well. For problem 2, option C. If nothing else then they can be used in two ways. Examples for others AND proof.


PS: Is there a way to block the caller ID on this end? I have a creditor who won't answer the phone when I use this system.

I would say the same, Option B for both of them. That would at least make it so that no one is going overboard making calls--Only when necessary.

Once again this goes back to keeping this site running below budget--It wouldn't be fair or right to have a debt consolidation website losing money.

My first question is how would you enter a user ID if your your ID is text (like LCW, or MIKEY for example) just use the corresponding numbers on the phone? How much time will that take to input the conversion into the phone system?

It seems to me option "c" on problem 2 could become very labor intensive and cause a strain on a relatively small staff. Additionally, those doing the editing would have access to very sensitive information, and some mechanizem would need to be in place to make sure that information doesn't get used in improper manner.

Can you do it where people would have an option between public (free) and Private (four cents/minute)? That way they would have the opportunity to chose to cover their cost?

That sounds like a good idea, Clay. Those who are worried, or know that they'd have to put some personal information on there would have the choice.

Vikas

This might be a little difficult, but is there a way you can "pause" the recording by hitting the * key, so the consumer can give out the personal information, and then continue the recording with the same function?

I understand wanting to keep it as cost-effective as possible, but leaving that information for anyone to hear is very risky. I trust just about everyone on this board, but there are a few sour lemons out there who could take advantage of the system.

Also, can only community members listen to the recordings, or can a guest view them as well?

Regards-
Mike

Hey Vikas. if someone calls in from a VOIP or cellular connection, does that lower your costs any?

I agree with option C---that afterwards, someone listens and edits out any personal info that could be used for identity thief. Although I trust everyone here, you never know what someone else might be up to that just wonders into the group. Especially some of the flamers we've had lately.

Thanks everyone for their quick feedback even on a weekend. Is our community one that never sleeps

Based on your feedback here is the update:
A. The Interactive vice response menu has been made simpler by reducing the number of options from 4 to 3.

B. When some one calls 800-601-1579 and chooses option 2 to make a recorded phone call, the system will ask the person for a 6 digit numeric user id. Once the userid is available then the call is recorded into the users member area. So for problem 1 described above we choose option A.

C. Since we have a budget of $500 that allows us 10,000 minutes a month of calling so for the time being the only deterrent for people from using the system for personal calls will be the terms of service which will state that:
"Any call be made public after removing any ssn# or account numbers. We encourage people to make the calls public to generate awareness."

The userid is a 6 digit number. Every member of the community has a username and a userid.

If some one calls in VOIP using something like http://www.asteriskguru.com/tools/idefisk_beta.php then I do not need to pay the PSTN interconnect fees. But if someone is using say http://www.vonage.com VOIP I still need to pay the PSTN interconnect fees. Since the VOIP carriers dont have a inter exchange yet.

Right now there isnt. Its a good idea though. I will see if I can write some code for it.

Please try out the system and lets make it the best defense against the collectors calling and abusing our community members.

How do we know what our ID number is? There is no space for it right now in our profile? Do I create it or is it computer generated?

Nevermind I found the answer!