Since coming to Japan, I’ve yet receive any unsolicited calls from businesses who get my contact information through means beyond my control. Whenever I get such phone calls back in Singapore, I always ask for their identity and where they got my contact number from. I remember once the person actually told me DBS gave them my information. I was like WTF? I wonder if the person just gave a random company name or if it was actually true.
This reminded me of 2 particular exchanges I thought I’d post below…
Lady: Hello, I’m calling from (unfamiliar company name 1) and I’d like to do a survey with you on travelling.
Me: Er… may I know where you got my contact information from?
Lady: Oh, we got your information from our parent company, (unfamiliar company name 2).
Me: Er, OK.
Lady: OK. First, how old are you? Are you in your 20s or 30s?
Me: 30s.
Lady: Early-, or mid-, or late-30s?
Me: Mid-30s.
Lady: OK, what are you working as? Are you in the sales or technical industry or…?
Me: Sales.
Lady: Oh, what kind of sales do you do?
Me: Services.
Lady: OK, how much do you make a month? Just a range will do.
Me: around (number).
Lady: Is your wife working or is she a housewife?
– Now, get this, I’m not married and I never said I was. No idea why she just assumed I was –
Me: Oh, she’s a housewife.
Lady: OK, one last question. What’s your name? Just the surname will do.
Me: Tan.
Lady: OK, thank you Mr. Tan. We will contact you again.
A week later, I got a phone call from another lady looking for Mr. Tan and I said, “wrong number.”
Another conversation I had was with the infamous True Yoga.
Lady: Hello, is this Mr. (my full name)?
Me: Yes, speaking.
Lady: Hi, I’m calling from True Yoga and we would like to offer you free membership for (number) months. When would you like to come down to our centre?
Me: Erm… may I know who gave you my contact number?
Lady: Oh, we have a recommendation box where our members put their friends’ information in.
Me: May I know the name of the person who wrote my name?
Lady: Oh, it’s anonymous. The members don’t write their names so we don’t know who wrote your information. So when would you like to come to our centre?
Me: Er… can I get back to you again on this?
Lady: OK. May I know when you will get back to us again?
Me: When I find out who gave you my information.
That was it. I never found out who it was and never bothered to. Thankfully I don’t face such things in Japan. But if someday I do, I’ll just start speaking in Singlish so even if the other party speaks English or Mandarin, they wouldn’t understand what crap I’m speaking.
