Reset Password
Reset Link Sent
| Blogs > Canus2011 > Adventure my ass! |
Secret code words
|
Secret code words Though it really isn't wasn't this particular blog is about, I have to admit to a guilty pleasure I take from time to time: the Craigsthing list of personals (or sometimes I call it the hopelessly delusional list). I don't do it often, and I may go in six month stretches without even so much as a glance, but then I may go every day for three weeks straight. Number of times I will respond to any: 1-2 times a year, number of times I create posts of my own: once every year or two. Number of responses I've received from my own posts that I have felt compelled to reply to: 1 in the last two years (with no return response). So it should be obvious from the above that it's mostly a guilty pleasure that I don't follow up with. I actually used it with a fair amount of success six or seven years ago ...it made a transition to an absurd amount of scamming and data-mining, and I don't know if it's just the fact I don't go that much anymore, that there is less of it, or if I'm just better at spotting it ...or a combination of all those, but my interests have waned even though I suspect that the number of ads may actually be slightly more sincere than they were ...say three years ago. One of the things that really gets me is the whole "secret code words" so "I'll know you're real" (or "so you know I'm real" which is slightly more realistic). I'm a born skeptic, so I don't think I ever approach things from assuming a standpoint of "innocent until proven guilty" in my personal life; I assume all of them are fake and look for clues that they may be real rather than the reverse. The whole "secret<b> code word </font></b>so I know you're real" is silly beyond words when you think about it. For instance: in your ad, if you mention that your favorite movie is "V for Vendetta" and the response says "I love your ad and we have a lot in common" then it's a canned response. If it says "I love movies too" ...then regard with extreme skepticism and look for direct references to anything else in your ad; if there is nothing direct, I don't waste my time. If the response is "I loved V" or "So what did you think of 'Watchmen?'" then it's a pretty safe bet it's not a sweaty Nigerian on the other end. A bot can quote a subject line, and a canned response is a canned response regardless of what they put in the subject line "so you know they're real." So anyways ...that wasn't the intent of the blog post, but rather a knock on the door I had yesterday from a dude wanting me to change my electric provider. He was a nice enough guy and I will always give a lot more attention to people who do "door to door" over phone calls. But I'm not planning on staying in this house any longer than I have to ...but THEY have their canned responses too ...Oh, you're moving? ...how about using our service when you move? No? ...well you know we can switch you for the next month or two while you are still here? Suddenly the "secret code words" come into play in realtime: "I'M NOT INTERESTED!" works pretty well in my experience, but if it doesn't you only need repeat at a higher volume. If you have a ferocious dog, siccing him on them works like a charm nearly every time (my muttifer's aggression tends to end at the damage he does to a cheeseburger or a treat though, so it's out for me) One thing since I moved in with Mom I've gotten used to and view with contempt are recorded phone calls. I'm also contemptful of non-recorded solicitation calls and have learned the difference between calls that come from telemarketers that have found a new niche, and (only slightly) more legitimate calls. Telemarketing firms dial numerous at a time expecting that most won't answer (and they usually spoof numbers on the caller ID); when you pick up and say hello, and have to say it three times before someone responds ...it's either a telemarketing firm, or someone who simply doesn't care too much about the call. My general rule of thumb is that if they don't respond immediately when I say hello, I hang up. I've really reached the point that I need to disconnect the phone here completely, but since it's still the number associated with all the utilities I'm a bit reluctant (especially since the mail carrier accidentally returned one to sender recently). I am going to view a different condo on Thursday, so we'll see what happens. I just know that I'm ready. cheerzall |
||||
|
You need to put your number on the Do Not Call list. It will put an end to a lot of the solicitation calls. As for CL, my guess is most of those personals ads are for a lower rung of society. I know that some are very sincere, and heartfelt, but the majority are not.
| |||
|
I've actually had a few spots of good luck on CL.... not recently of course. You should send all home-phone calls directly to voicemail. That'll keep the utiities and legit people happy but slowly make the telemarketers drop off. Fingers crossed on the new condo!
|
Become a member to create a blog
