"Good Morning Sir. You are eligible for a Credit Card free of charge." This was the call I got as I was entering the office today.
"Oh! That's very kind of your bank. By the way, why am I the chosen one to be bestowed with the privilege of buying anything I wish and yet pass the bills on to your bank for payment?" was my question, to which the angelic voice on the other side replies: "No Sir. Free of charge doesn't mean that payments for all your purchases are made good by the bank rather that there is no charge for issuing the card." "Oh I see, I'm sorry. I don't wish to avail your offer thank you." Don't know where they got my mobile number from and more importantly my financial standing.
"Hello Sir, this is XXXXX calling from so and so insurance company. We are offering a life long pension policy on payment of a small amount of so and so every month. You can enjoy your retired life or plan your retirement much earlier than your superannuation age. Also get tax benefits under Sec. 80CCC." I'm flummoxed. The insurance company is worried more than me about my retired life and my present tax liabilities. How fortunate am I!
Another call materialised from a mobile phone service provider and one other from a real estate developer.
Notwithstanding our dear Kapil Sibal's strict enforcements, there is no let up from the pesky calls. The only change is that earlier the calls were made from a designated number now they are made from different mobile numbers by-passing the identification criteria specified by Sibal Saab.
No sooner I complete my chat with these pesky sweet voices than an SMS drops in that reads: "Hurry. Limited offer 2/3 BHK Delux Apts available near Gurgaon", as if I have tons and tons of money stashed in god-forsaken islands (read tax havens) to buy apartments in every Tom, Dick and Harry's ventures and that too in Gurgaon, while I stay here in Hyderabad. For those with loads of monies in offshore banks (you know what to read here), Gurgaon, of course, is closer to Tihar than Hyderabad.
Take an aggressive stance for being disturbed, the charming voice on the other end, polite till then, suddenly goes dumb and disconnects the call rudely.
What baffles me is the unsolicited interest of these marketing agencies and they sweet talk us into believing that their sole job is just to keep me happy now and also 15 or 20 years down the line.
Assuming that I register my complaint with the TRAI with all the required details, I get nothing in return - for patiently and innocently listening to those charming ladies and equally patiently registering the complaint online. It is the TRAI that reaps the benefits in lakhs of rupees. Wow! Nice way of earning. Well, TRAI being a government agency, I'm contributing to the growth of the country (remember income tax department's urging tagline to pay taxes?)
And lo! As I write this post, my mail inbox shows a mail from an insurance service provider, urging me to "Celebrate Retirement - Invest Early in Pension Plans. Get time to build your Retirement Corpus. Invest in '000s and get in Lakhs."
"Oh! That's very kind of your bank. By the way, why am I the chosen one to be bestowed with the privilege of buying anything I wish and yet pass the bills on to your bank for payment?" was my question, to which the angelic voice on the other side replies: "No Sir. Free of charge doesn't mean that payments for all your purchases are made good by the bank rather that there is no charge for issuing the card." "Oh I see, I'm sorry. I don't wish to avail your offer thank you." Don't know where they got my mobile number from and more importantly my financial standing.
"Hello Sir, this is XXXXX calling from so and so insurance company. We are offering a life long pension policy on payment of a small amount of so and so every month. You can enjoy your retired life or plan your retirement much earlier than your superannuation age. Also get tax benefits under Sec. 80CCC." I'm flummoxed. The insurance company is worried more than me about my retired life and my present tax liabilities. How fortunate am I!
Another call materialised from a mobile phone service provider and one other from a real estate developer.
Notwithstanding our dear Kapil Sibal's strict enforcements, there is no let up from the pesky calls. The only change is that earlier the calls were made from a designated number now they are made from different mobile numbers by-passing the identification criteria specified by Sibal Saab.
No sooner I complete my chat with these pesky sweet voices than an SMS drops in that reads: "Hurry. Limited offer 2/3 BHK Delux Apts available near Gurgaon", as if I have tons and tons of money stashed in god-forsaken islands (read tax havens) to buy apartments in every Tom, Dick and Harry's ventures and that too in Gurgaon, while I stay here in Hyderabad. For those with loads of monies in offshore banks (you know what to read here), Gurgaon, of course, is closer to Tihar than Hyderabad.
Take an aggressive stance for being disturbed, the charming voice on the other end, polite till then, suddenly goes dumb and disconnects the call rudely.
What baffles me is the unsolicited interest of these marketing agencies and they sweet talk us into believing that their sole job is just to keep me happy now and also 15 or 20 years down the line.
Assuming that I register my complaint with the TRAI with all the required details, I get nothing in return - for patiently and innocently listening to those charming ladies and equally patiently registering the complaint online. It is the TRAI that reaps the benefits in lakhs of rupees. Wow! Nice way of earning. Well, TRAI being a government agency, I'm contributing to the growth of the country (remember income tax department's urging tagline to pay taxes?)
And lo! As I write this post, my mail inbox shows a mail from an insurance service provider, urging me to "Celebrate Retirement - Invest Early in Pension Plans. Get time to build your Retirement Corpus. Invest in '000s and get in Lakhs."
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