英國利茲一位自由從業的商人因飽受各種推銷電話的騷擾，于2011年11月花10英鎊為自家辦理了一個收費聲訊號碼，撥打這個號碼每分鐘收費10便士，而他可以從中分得7便士。這個號碼開通后，他的私人號碼只向親友提供，而在銀行、燃氣、電力等機構預留的電話號碼則是這個收費號碼。他表示，到目前為止，這個號碼已經為他帶來了300英鎊的收入，而他每個月接到的推銷電話也從之前的二三十通下降為13通。

原先很討厭接到推銷電話的他現在卻很希望有人來電，這樣他就有錢賺了，而且有人來電推銷時，他通常會詢問推銷服務的細節來增加通話時間，以增加收入。他甚至把這個號碼發在推特上，希望能引來更多的推銷電話。

The number of calls received by Mr Beaumont has fallen from between 20 and 30 a month to just 13 last month.

A man targeted by marketing companies is making money from cold calls with his own premium-rate phone number.

In November 2011 Lee Beaumont paid ￡10 plus VAT to set up his personal 0871 line - so to call him now costs 10p, from which he receives 7p.

The Leeds businessman said that the premium line had so far made ￡300.

Phone Pay Plus, which regulates premium numbers, said it strongly discouraged people from adopting the idea.

Mr Beaumont came up with the plan when he grew sick of calls offering to help him reclaim payment protection insurance (PPI), or install solar panels.

He said: "I don't use my normal Leeds number for anyone but my friends and family."

I'm, getting annoyed with PPI phone calls when I'm trying to watch Coronation Street. ”

Once he had set up the 0871 line, every time a bank, gas or electricity supplier asked him for his details online, he submitted it as his contact number.

He added he was "very honest" and the companies did ask why he had a premium number.

He told the programme he replied: "Because I'm getting annoyed with PPI phone calls when I'm trying to watch Coronation Street so I'd rather make 10p a minute."

He said almost all of the companies he dealt with were happy to use it and if they refused he asked them to email.

The number of calls received by Mr Beaumont has fallen from between 20 and 30 a month to just 13 last month.

Because he works from home, Mr Beaumont has been able to increase his revenue by keeping cold callers talking - asking for more details about their services.

He admitted, the scheme had changed his attitude, saying: "I want cold calls", and that he had moved on to encouraging companies to make contact.

After a recent problem with his online shopping, he declined to call an 0845 number but posted his number on Twitter in the knowledge that the number could be picked up by marketing companies.

But the premium number regulator Phone Pay Plus says the public should think twice before setting up their own lines.

They say phone line providers must meet consumer protection standards, which include transparency, fairness and complaint handling, which would mean clearly setting out the cost of each call to any organisation that rang.

(Source: BBC News)

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（中國日報網英語點津 實習生 馬國佳，編輯 Helen ）