IDD: Instant Data Dump

International Direct Dialing (IDD) is big business.

Companies are cutthroat, doing whatever they can to steal customers.

Junk mail is popular, with low prices the incentive, but reading the fine print reveals time restrictions or that the offer expires after a certain period.

Sometimes they resort to SMS spam on my mobile phone.

Their most annoying tactic is calling my home number. I answer in English, yet the telemarketers launch into their spiel, blabbering in Cantonese and never drawing a breath. They regard a pause as a chance for the victim prospect to say no.

They speak so fast I pick up but a few words: enough to know what they're trying to sell but not enough to gain details.

When I interrupt with a second "Hello?", they clue in. Once in a while a fumbling attempt to sell me in English ensues; most times they apologise and hang up.

Just to mess with them, next time I'll say:

Deui m jyuh, ngoh m sik gong Gwongdungwa.*

*Sorry, I don't speak Cantonese.

Then I'll hang up.

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