I prefer to just answer questions with questions. Had a rather long and interesting chat with someone with a middle-eastern accent that had called about a free cell-phone offer. Was quite quite comical.
Had another long one with a woman that was trying to get a donation for a not-for-profit organization about the disease (cancer) that she was trying to get funds for. I lost an aunt to cancer, she had lost an aunt as well, was actually a rather sober conversation. I don't donate to people or answer any questoins about myself unless I can see the person face-to-face though.
Too many of these over-the-phone canvassing companies are actually just call centers that handle a number of contracts, and sometimes these details and such are an additional source of income that they generate by selling your information to other companies so that they can call you up as well and attempt more targetted advertising.
My father once made a donation over the phone. Now he gets an average of half a dozen calls a week or more for various donations. I've answered the phone while visiting a few times to hear the familiar greeting that seems often a standard in their profession.
"bring out your dead, *ding ding* bring out your dead"
Sorry mods, too much free time with game down... it's hard to resist but I'll limit one per day at the very most, I promise.
Ahhhh, 2005, a good vintage!
