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From: djheydt@kithrup.com (Dorothy J Heydt)
Subject: Re: They are not usually so honest
Message-ID: <sy4ux8.Hr8@kithrup.com>
Date: Fri, 20 Jun 2025 02:29:32 GMT
References: <83885kd5o69dn3sbdnn2m4d7ltng2e97j1@4ax.com> <sy4Bt2.uLG@kithrup.com> <10329ko$7gl9$1@dont-email.me>
Organization: Kithrup Enterprises, Ltd.
X-Newsreader: trn 4.0-test77 (Sep 1, 2010)

In article <10329ko$7gl9$1@dont-email.me>,
Evelyn C. Leeper <evelynchimelisleeper@gmail.com> wrote:
>On 6/19/25 3:36 PM, Dorothy J Heydt wrote:
>> In article <83885kd5o69dn3sbdnn2m4d7ltng2e97j1@4ax.com>,
>> Joy Beeson  <jbeeson@invalid.net.invalid> wrote:
>>>
>>> Spammer:  First we need to verify your information
>>>
>>> Me:  First we need to verify that you got my number from a
>>> legimate source.
>>>
>>> Spammer:  That is not the case
>> 
>> [Hal Heydt]
>> not quite the same thing, but one of my latest tactics on cold
>> calls is the ask who they are trying to contact.  Amazing how
>> often that is followed by a few seconds of silence and a <click>.
>> 
>> I still get calls asking for my late wife--who died at the end of
>> June 2022.  My standard answer is that she is no longer at this
>> number. It's mildly surprising that no caller ever asks if I have
>> a new number for her (it's been suggested that I supply the
>> number of Dial-a-Prayer) and no one ever asks why she is not
>> longer available.
>> 
>> A real irritation is the kind of call I got this morning asking
>> for her.  When told that she was no longer at this number, the
>> guy launched into his fund raising spiel at me.
>
>I got a spam call two days after Mark died.  When the spammer asked how 
>I was, I said "My husband died two days ago; what do you think?" and he 
>immediately launched into his spiel.

[Hal Heydt]
Typically crass behavior.  I don't confirm or deny data,
particularly medical data.  Often, I will ask where they got what
they claim is medical data about me (which is either so common to
be pure guesswork or flat out wrong).  I will push for them to
tell me what doctor supplied it, with the implication that
*somebody* is going to be in trouble over HIPAA violations.

One call actually named a doctor...but not one of mine (I think
he pulled a name out of his posterior because I was pushing for
one).

I never tell them Dorothy has died.  Only that she is no longer
at this number. It's none of their f'ing business.

>(I normally don't answer the landline, but while Mark was in the 
>hospital/nursing home, and then afterwards for a while, I did, because 
>it could have been important.)

Good reason to answer.  Might relieve some stress to yell at
them.