Company may have faked voice recording

[apocalypsedreams]

I really cannot think which forum this should be in.

 

I am in a civil dispute unrelated to banking or dca's or the like.

A smallish company claims to have a voice recording of me answering yes to a particular question.

The company is UK based but says it outsources its calls to India.

I have listened to the recording, a wav file, and it sounds very suspect.

In two places the recording sounds like it has had my voice spliced into it, and at at least one other point it sounds as if a section has been removed.

The background audio clearly changes in these two instances.

Might anyone be able to advise on what I might do or whom I might contact to allay or confirms my suspicion?

 

Strange, I know, but I am intrigued to get to the bottom of it.

[renegadeimp]

You could always get an audio program for your PC and look at the output. If it's been spliced, then it would be very obvious just looking at the output on the screen.

[apocalypsedreams]

Just had a look at it using the scope visualisation on Windows Media Player and it looks suspect from that.

[renegadeimp]

You might have to get an independent expert to verify it, but it might be pretty costly, unless you can find a University who could do it for you, or some independent producer.

[apocalypsedreams]

I've put the word out to a couple of people who might know someone in this field. Thanks to renegadeimp, and any other tips would be most appreciated.

Edited February 20, 2013 by apocalypsedreams

[apocalypsedreams]

I have now enquired with a forensic sound expert on how much analysis and preparation of a report would be. I have also listened to the recording several more times and have identified six instances in which audio has been removed or has had my voice spliced in in response to answers. Incredible!

[renegadeimp]

Any chance you could give us more info on the company, or at least the background of your problem? We can then advise on the next best course of action if/when it is confirmed that the audio is fake.

[apocalypsedreams]

The company is in telemarketing. It's UK based but says it outsources work to India. I have a dispute with another company which is subject to a county court claim. These guys do work for the company against which I have the claim. The telemarketer claimed I had agreed to something that I know I had not. Then they produced and emailed me the recording when I indicated I would drop the county court claim if I had indeed agreed to the key question. But it's fake, I am sure of it. I have a script, burned into my memory, that I use of telemarketers. If I converse with them for any period of time, be it 30 seconds to several minutes, I always use the same script. None of my script is on the recording.

[dx100uk]

in this situation

 

verbal contract on the phone - non admissable recordings sadly-doctored!

THEY would have to pay for it to be analysed not you or else they cannot use it in court

to gain advantage as you will contest its authentisity

 

end of!

 

dx

[apocalypsedreams]

Thank you dx.

 

This is so flagrant I am considering turning it on them.

[dx100uk]

i would

ok there are varying 'opinions' on if they can use it or not

but

at the end of the day ,

IF they use it,

you contest that is has been doctored.

 

you can produce even from windows simple trace pixs that shows a marked 'change' in levels around the areas where by you think its been doctored.

that will then force the judge to doubt the authenticity of the rcording & thus tell them to not use it

or

go away and get it professionally analysed and prove its not doctored

 

well i think you already have that evidence!

 

so they wont even go there.

 

there is nothing stopping you from calling their bluff now

 

send then a dump of one of the bits

and say if you intend to use this

 

you will have to dis-prove what i am saying.

 

dx

[apocalypsedreams]

I have sent the company an email referring them to a section of the recording where my reply has been changed to "yes".

[Conniff]

Get yourself a telephone recorder and this can never happen again.

[Conniff]

I've moved you into General Consumer Issues maybe there will be more thoughts here.

[apocalypsedreams]

No reply from the recording company at all. The other company against which i have the county court claim has filed a defence mentioning the recording!

I have written to the recording compnay and sent them a bill for my trouble.

[griffzilla]

There are always ways to tell if a recording has been doctored.

 

Have a look at this link: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-20629671

[biggeorge]

For Android mobile phone get Call Recorder from Android market, works great on my HTC One X and very useful to prove what has been said

in any call, all time stamped with number/name.

 

George

[explosive_monkey]

Use a free program, called Audacity, Itll give you a full 'Visual' of the voice recording.

[ericsbrother]

Suggest to both the companies that you are intending to report them to the police for using a false instrument to gain a pecuniary advantage, ie fraud and theft. Perjury carries a maximum of life inprisonment (unless you are an MP when 6 months seems to be the limit) so they ought to think about that as well.

I once had a CC action against someone who sold me dodgy goods and the judge warned them to be careful what they said and to retract certain phrases of their testimony when it was apparent that they were perjuring themselves. They wisely did so.

[caledfwlch]

Suggest to both the companies that you are intending to report them to the police for using a false instrument to gain a pecuniary advantage, ie fraud and theft. Perjury carries a maximum of life inprisonment (unless you are an MP when 6 months seems to be the limit) so they ought to think about that as well.

I once had a CC action against someone who sold me dodgy goods and the judge warned them to be careful what they said and to retract certain phrases of their testimony when it was apparent that they were perjuring themselves. They wisely did so.

 

I was about to suggest actually going to the Police, never mind threatening to do so.

 

I would think that using fake recordings in order to change the outcome of a legal action, even if at the current stage, it is to attempt to get the Plaintiff to discontinue action is a violation of the Fraud Acts. The Police will also have access to experts to establish that the recording has indeed been doctored.

 

To the OP, I strongly suggest going to the Police.

 

Also go through the recording and mark down the exact timecode and reason for every single point where it sounds like the recording has been tampered with.

[apocalypsedreams]

As an update, the company has made a without prejudice, without fault offer to me...

[renegadeimp]

Be very careful with a "without prejudice" offer. Mouse over the highlighted words and have a read.

[ericsbrother]

Thank them for their communication dated ...... and nowt else in reply.