Meet the Robot Telemarketer Who Denies She's A Robot - Part 1

The phone call came from a charming woman with a bright, engaging voice to the cell phone of a TIME Washington Bureau Chief Michael Scherer. She wanted to offer a deal on health insurance, but something was fishy.

When Scherer asked point blank if she was a real person, or a computer-operated robot voice, she replied enthusiastically that she was real, with a charming laugh. But then she failed several other tests. When asked "What vegetable is found in tomato soup?" she said she did not understand the question. When asked multiple times what day of the week it was yesterday, she complained repeatedly of a bad connection.

Over the course of the next hour, several TIME reporters called her back, working to uncover the mystery of her bona fides. Her name, she said, was Samantha West, and she was definitely a robot, given the pitch perfect repetition of her answers. Her goal was to ask a series of questions about health coverage—"Are you on Medicare?" etc.—and then transfer the potential customer to a real person, who could close the sale.

If you want, you can call her too. Her number is [phone]. This number, if you Google it, is the subject of much discussion online as other recipients of Samantha West calls complain on chat boards about the mysteriously persistent lady who keeps calling them. "A friendly sounded woman on the other end claimed I requested health insurance information," writes one mark. "She doggedly refused to deviate from her script."

When the number was called a second time, a real live employee of Premier Health Plans Inc., who gave his name as Bruce Martin, answered the phone. He said he was not sure if Samantha West's phone number, mentioned above, was one of the company's numbers. "First of all, we use TV, we use radio, we use Internet," said Martin. He described the company as selling life insurance, health insurance and dental insurance. He asked that TIME publish the name of his company, the website and phone number in the article. "If you are going to publish this in the magazine, I'd like to get something out of it," he said. The TIME reporter agreed to do just that.

Martin also said he would inquire internally about whether Samantha West worked for the company, but would not be able to respond to the request Monday night. TIME will update the story with any additional information he provides.

[mediocregamer]

"I am a real person" there is so much pent up sinister energy in this statement. I'm losing my mind

[bodaciousbongos]

She can't tell lies, she believes even if she's a robot that she's a 'real' person, but she can't lie and say she's not a robot.

[yaelmurillo]

0:33 this actually sounds like the robot was convinced her entire life that she’s human just to realize at this moment that it was all a lie. So she falls into denial

[nostop]

She sounds like a robot who is desperately trying to convince herself she isn’t a robot. Honestly, I would read a book about this. Or watch a movie, play a game, consume a piece of media containing it.

[SpringDavid]

Jesus this _feels_ exactly like a analog horror scene, the way she just doesn't say "I'm not a robot", like she's trying to lure the guy in but is willing to let him try to get away if he plays the right cards.
A situation where you NEED to know if there's another person on other side of the call yet the awnser they give is "I'm a real person", not a human person mind you, but a "real person"

[MGFBrasil]

This is eerily lifelike.
I'm impressed and a little scared at the same time

[Khrayfish]

*What's probably happening in this video is the following:*

The 'robot' is actually just a *soundboard* (a collection of pre-recorded voice lines), being activated using hardcoded *triggers* with a *voice audio interpreter* to hear what scam victim (the guy) is saying. The code will then analyse the voice, and pick an appropriate voice line to play (based on written code). Alternatively, there is a *real person* on the other side of the call, who most likely has a *thick accent, often associated with scammers (i.e. Indian and Nigerian accents).* They use the soundboard so they sound more believable.

[Hymanator]

A new scam appeared recently. When they ask if you can hear them, DO NOT SAY "YES" or they can manipulate the recording to make it sound like you agreed to a product or service you didn't want.

[honeydew]

The only reason we can tell she’s a robot is because of the lack of varying answers and tones and intelligent responses. The day we figure out how to get ai to change tone and pitch of voice is the day we die

[EUSF]

Its terrifying how smart these robot callers are getting

[SoloHunt]

It’s like she’s having an existential crisis trying too deny that she’s not a robot. She sounds so sorrowful saying she is a real person

[Caucasian_enthusiast]

The way she keeps laughing frightens me. It’s as if it doesn’t want to keep saying “I am a real person” and tries to deflect.

[Star-Seer]

The laugh at 0:41 and 1:14 is the exact same, no variation💀

[imbwildrd]

I almost feel sorry for her. It's like she's just realizing she's a robot @0:34 Her reality bubble has been popped.

[breaddog]

at 1:18 the robot got genuinely confused what human sounding message to play and it played like 3 of them at the same time

[frogman]

The reason she cant say “im not a robot” is because the recording is technically controlled by a robot, so it could cause legal issues. Since she just says “im a real person.” Shes not lying, because the audio recorder is of a real person.

[coyraig]

This scam bot from 9 years ago is more convincing than literally every scam bot I've had

[haramberoth]

The way she says I am a real person sounds like she’s hurt….almost like she knows but wants to believe otherwise

[yuarentlucky]

I can't explain it but the telemarketer is so relatable to me. I suffer from derealization so I constantly struggle to feel like I'm a real person

[ravioiliava]

It gives me chills how she avoids the question and just says “..I am a real person” so eerily