Robo Call

Ring..... Ring....

Caller ID gives a Minnesota area code, 651-478-3825. No other info.

"Hello?"  .....

Nothing. I'm already suspicious. But what the heck? Again, "Hello?"

A recorded "Hello?" comes back to me. 

Pause, slight click.

Then, as if the recording hadn't already just said "hello", an uninflected voice continues,  "Hello, this is Sarah from the Department of Visa and Master Card. How are you today?"

"Not answering robo-callers. Bye."

Click.

Seriously? There's a "Department of Visa and MasterCard?" Department within what? A department is a subset of something bigger, but what? Aren't Visa and Master Card competitors? And why just pick those two? Don't they like Discover? American Express? I'm sure they have no clue whom they just dialed, and fully expect me to cough up that information for them, along with account numbers, etc. Just how dumb do they think we are? AKA how dumb are they? And for that matter, since these kinds of people keep calling, there must be something in it for them, begging the question just how dumb are we?

*   *   *   *

I've gotten similar calls over the years from somebody forgettable offering to let - uhh, help - me screw my credit card companies by $10 grand each to minimize my debt. I never took them up on it, though I'd heard there was a way to do so legally. Even when my main card was nearly at its max, I wouldn't consider doing that. I've worked for many years to establish and grow my credit rating. Why would I mess with that? Even when my balance was high and I unexpectedly retired ahead of time, I wouldn't consider it. I just kept working to shrink that balance  down. Right now I have two cards, nevermind which: one's a debit card so no actual balance, the other with several hundred sitting on it. Periodically something comes up and the balance goes up, like when we returned last fall and needed a new oven. The last of that lingering expense will be gone in a couple weeks. So no, whatever the heck they're offering, no way I'm buying.

Perhaps, however, some day when I have enough spare time for a little mischief, I might decide to engage with them for a few chuckles. 

Or then again, maybe not.