Whenever writing about the FTC it is to comment on what fines or penalties they have issued against different companies, so this story definitely caught my eye. In their decades long battle against robocalls, the FTC is reaching out to the general population for help, and they are willing to pay you for it.
If you are able to develop a technology that helps to direct automated telemarketing calls to a FTC ‘honeypot’ system, you could win $25,000 in cash. The FTC honeypot system allows them to study these robocalls and gather information about them so that the FTC can catch the perpetrators. The problem they have had so far is that it is difficult to get calls into the system for analysis, which is why they are reaching out for assistance.
Those who are interested will have until June 15th to come up with and qualify your trap with the FTC. The FTC will then analyze all the entries to see which one comes out on top. The winner will be announced on August 9th at the Def Con 23 event. There may be two ‘honorable mentions’ awards worth $10,500 each as well, and a possibility for an additional $2,000 prize for 4th prize as well.
While $25,000 may not be a lot of money for coming up with a system like this, it is likely going to be worth the effort for many who may already have a concept in mind.
Jessica Rich, a Director at the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection, said “We’re using many strategies to fight robocalls, including law enforcement, education, and crowd-sourced innovation. Following the success of our previous robocall challenges, we’re once again seeking expertise from the public to put a new tool in consumers’ hands, and to develop technology to help law enforcement and other partners investigate these calls.”
