[hibikir]

Back when international phone calls were a real thing, messing with answering machines that had default settings was a typical fraud vector. People would change the message to say 'I accept' a couple dozen times. Then, they'd lace a collect call with a third party payer, pointed at said answering machine... which accepted the charges. Just not best done from one's home phone, as sufficient charges pointing to the same number would risk attention.

[berkes]

I don't understand. A collect call (in The Netherlands) would just move the costs of the call to the reciever.

Why is it beneficial to call an answering machine and have its owners pay for it?

[vermilingua]

Presumably a collect call that connects to a premium number, a service offered by some providers that allows collecting fees for receiving calls (dial-to-enter competitions and info services)

[kabouseng]

"third party payer"

[berkes]

What is that?

[devb]

Usually A calls B, and B accepts the charges. In this case, A calls B and then C is contacted to accept the charge.