I'm sure they are now talking about how sucky I am.

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

Give em 867 5309.

Cookies to whoever gets the reference.

"Jenny, I got your number, I need to make you mine...."

Tommy Tutone, one of the great 80s one-hit wonders. I have that song on my computer.

[lordlundar]

This is why I love being a Canuck. The privacy act actually prohibits this activity. We are only allowed to ask for a name and number for database reference (ie for a Service plan).

[Banrion]

http://www.rejectionhotline.com/

You can get a number for your area. Just give that out.

The same group also have a few numbers called "Telemarketer's Nightmare for the New England area.

http://www.rejectionhotline.com/telemarketers.php

This is super funny too, and it's long, so it really wastes their time.

[ThinMick]

Totally off topic, but one of our local stations was doing an interview with the guy who started the rejection hotline, this morning. Says he realised he needed to hand the day-to-day dealings over to someone else when he noticed that he wasn't returning emails from MTV and Virgin.

On topic, I usually just give out one of the local loopback lines. Drives people batshit.

[Cia]

I usually use 307-555-1212 - Wyoming information number.

I saw a woman throw a hissy fit in Walden's when they asked her for her telephone number w/o area code and an e-mail address so that they could start her membership card. She kept saying over and over "I don't want them calling me - I don't give out my number". Lady they can't find you without the area code. After she finally took a breathe I said to her "Yea, more discounts for me." The sales ladies giggled. The lady didn't get her membership card and she left in a huff.

[rdp78]

Well, I don't have too much of a problem with giving out my zip code or well even my phone number (actually it's our answering machine's line which no one really answers). I'm thinking maybe I should stop giving out that phone number and start giving out a fake one or refuse too. Now if they start asking for my full name or even my SSN yeah, I'm going to have problem since I'm hoping that's illegal to do that (unless it's something nessaccary like filling out a doctor's form). Well, I'm kind of glad that store I work for doesn't ask any info from customers unless they are paying by check.

[Luna]

When I'm feeling particularly annoyed and/or the cashier is being rude about wanting me to dispure my personal information - I give out the second line at my mother-in-laws house. If she's been mean to me, or we've fought/argued recently I give out her main line. The woman has had the same phone number in let's see...hubby is going to be 36 next year and they moved to NJ when he was 12?

Yes, that long.

If it's for some sort of discount shopper card - I ask for a copy of their privacy policy. I understand that sometimes getting discounts means you're going to get junk mail from co-companies in return, but if I read they're selling to anyone who is buying, I'll then go back and cancel said card. I don't care about junk mail - but I don't want to be called.

[Sofar]

You could always give them (212) 637-8463, or MERTIME, the old New York date and time line. I think it still works.

[Becks]

Hmmmmmmmmm...I wonder if I can remember the phone number for an asshat of an ex-bf that doesn't live in this state...

[Spiffy McMoron]

One more thing that I forgot to put into my previous post

They will use your phone number to track where you live-but it's not for nefarious purposes. they will use the information that they've gathered to see where the people that go to their store live, and they will use that information to see where eould be the most efficent to build another store-why cannablize from one store, when you can build it ten block further, and attract #### more new shoppers? Also, the companies try to get the same infromation from competing stores and will try to build close to them, in the hopes of stealing their sales.

Thank you Human Geography course!

[XCashier]

They will use your phone number to track where you live-but it's not for nefarious purposes. they will use the information that they've gathered to see where the people that go to their store live, and they will use that information to see where eould be the most efficent to build another store-

Wouldn't the zip code work better, then? My phone area code covers many zip codes.

[Dreamstalker]

That's what I would think too. The only thing in a phone number that's geographically useful is the area code.

Computer stores and online ordering I give my real number. Anything/one else, such as political droids downtown, gets my old freshman dorm number which was probably deactivated the day I moved out (exchange remains the same, but the suffixes are juggled around every year).

[Auto]

Chicago song, IIRC.



It's not that I'm ticked about giving out personal infomation. It's that I'm ticked about being asked for any information.

It's pretty simple. I want to get in. I want to be able to find stuff relatively easily. I want to be able to check out relatively quickly. I don't mind them asking me if I have a frequent shopper card (no, I refuse to clutter up my wallet, thanks). But I do mind them asking for any information not needed for the transaction. ANY information. I'm usually thinking about the day, or what I'm going to do next, or how to solve a problem... I don't want to be distracted. Period.

My thinking too. If I'm in a bad mood and not in a rush, I simply don't cooperate. No showing ID either, if I'm paying with a CC.

If I'm in a rush, the phone number I give out is 202-456-1414. That's the main number for the white house.

[jb17kx]

It's common practice for tourist attractions and big-ticket retail stores aroundhere to ask for post code, for the aforementioned reason.

However, just recently, I was struck with an idea after watching a certain television show. And I was able to use it not long after...

I was being quite aggresivly persued for a phone number for a purchase at a shop where I was going to carry out and had no intention of requiring service... But I wasn't getting the sale untill I handed over a phone number.

So I pulled out a little slip of paper from my wallet and recited the following number:

0118 999 881 999 119 725 3

Australian phone numbers are only 8 digits long (or 10 with the area code, one for the whole state), so naturally it didn't fit into the computer. The cow behind the counter insisten on my giving her one that would fit, but she couldn't, with my strong accent, refute the fact that I was from England, so she just lopped off the last 12 digits and I was on my way.

For those who don't get the refference in that phone number, this clip is for you.

[FloridaLizardQueen]

I have had people ask me for my email address when I am checking out to which I reply that I don't have one.