The editorial in this issue reminded me of the time that I answered a telephone survey. I usually hang up, but I apparently was in a surveying mood that night. After answering various questions they asked me some personal details at the end like my phone number.

It's a phone survey, so presumably they had my number, but they asked for it anyway. I said I didn't want to answer that question. They then asked me if I would be willing to give a short interview to a reporter. I said sure, at which point they asked me for the phone number that the reporter should call me at. I felt pretty silly at that point, so I gave them the number they had called.

Of course, no reporter ever called for an interview. It was just a false question to get more information. It was information that they presumably already had, but it was still misleading.

As I've gotten older I've gotten to the point where I pick up the phone and then hang up if no one responds right away. If there's that tiny pause after I say hello, I know that it's a phone spammer.