Voice response technology has advanced. Bad is the new robocall that scams people. Good is a smart home device that respond to our verbal requests.

Alert Robocall BAD

If you have picked up the phone you have likely heard a women’s voice exclaim “Oops (giggle and then)  Oh I’m sorry.” She the asks “Can you hear me?”.    

It is important for you to know that you should not respond to this question with a “YES“.    DO NOT SAY “YES” !   

Innocent people across the country are getting calls from a new advanced virtual female robot.  She (the robot) sounds like you are being call by a live person.   Consumers that have replied with a “YES” are now reporting fraud and loss claims.   

It is now believed that these “YES” responses are being recorded and then edited. The “YES” is then used to make it sound like you’ve given permission for a purchase or some other transaction.  Technology and advances in speech recognition and voice responses by machines has reached a level where many people think they are talking to a live or real person.    Unfortunately this technology is now being used by bad guys trying to steal from you.

Smart Home GOOD

A “good” example of this technology are devices like Amazon’s Echo and Dot which use “Alexa” a virtual female voice that responds and interacts with owners.  It is currently estimated that close to 10 million homes have Amazon’s virtual “smart home” assistant.  Google has a  “smart home” virtual assistant called Google Home.  Apple also has a smart home device.

Click on the images below to learn more about these Smart Home Devices that truly are “Good” examples of this amazing technology that improve your life.

     Amazon Echo        Amazon Dot

The above devices can answers questions, reads the news, reports traffic and weather, reads audiobooks from Audible, gives info on local businesses, provides sports scores and schedules, and more using the Alexa Voice Service.  They can controls lights, fans, switches, thermostats, garage doors, sprinklers, locks, and more with compatible connected devices from WeMo, Philips Hue, Samsung SmartThings, Nest, ecobee, and others.  With the free Alexa App on your smart phone  you can view shopping and to-do lists that you asked the device to add to the lists.