For instance, numbers that look very pretty for e.g. 03-****8080, numbers from locations that I certainly have no dealings with, and private numbers i.e. numbers that are invisible on the screen of my phone.
Air yang tenang jangan disangka tiada buaya... termasuk yang bukan sungai
The reason why I fill in my number on the mobile number column of certain forms, e.g. opening of savings account, magazine subscription, etc, was because I thought I was doing them a favor by easing their work in case they need to contact me. So skema of me. But alas, doing so sometimes leads to nuisance.
There was one day I received a very polite call from someone to claimed to represent C*** Bank, Damansara Utama branch. Ok, I was sort of initially tricked that he's probably from the bank's HQ, because indeed, I have a savings account with C*** bank from that particular branch since many years back.
Oops, so how come I have an account so far from home? I opened that account when I was in my first job, where I also used to live quite near that place for a while. I had no idea where I'd be going next, so in the meantime, I randomly went to that bank.
The Friday call
But for me expecting some other calls at that material time, I wouldn't have picked up that call. The thing is, that number looked very ordinary and it was not those beautiful-looking number that I used to avoid answering.
The caller identified himself, lets call him L here, and spoke to me in Bahasa Melayu. He politely asked me if I could spare only a very brief time on the phone. Since I was bored and free on that day, I had stupidly agreed, sigh!
Here's roughly what he said to me, which I shall translate to English as follows:
L: ........ in conjunction of your **th anniversary being a loyal customer of C*** Bank, Damansara Utama branch, we are happy to inform that you have been specially selected to be part of our 15-years loyalty bonus programme........
...... first, with the programme, you will receive a loyalty bonus (bonus kesetiaan) of RM1,200 for every 3 years, which totals up to RM6,000 after 15 years.
Me: (thinking in an Ah-hui-Ah-lian manner, where got people so kind give me so much money for doing nothing? Or is it some investment plan from C*** Bank which I do not know?)
L: Secondly, apart from loyalty bonus, you will also be rewarded with birthday rewards (ganjaran hari lahir) of RM800 on the 5th year, another RM800 on the 10th year, and double the amount, which means RM1,600 on the 15th year.
..... thirdly, once the 15 years have matured, you will receive a premium refund of RM4,500. In total, you will get RM13,700 over 15 years.
So now, may I verify that your address is as per the time when you opened your C*** savings account at Damansara Utama branch?
Me: No, I have moved, have filled in a form to tell the bank of my address change 2 years ago, but no action is taken until today. But why do you ask about address?
L: That's because when you are due to receive your rewards, we will send them by cheque, via post.
#1: Whatever programme L was trying to offer is NOT related to C*** Bank, but a third party. Or else, why don't they just credit the rewards into my humble savings account instead of sending a cheque? The programme is genuine and not fraudulent though, based on findings later on.
L: Now, I am also glad to inform that apart from cash rewards, the programme also provides protection benefits.
Among the things that L stated: Compensation of up to RM50,000 for serious illnesses, and compensation of RM100,000 for personal accident that leads to permanent disablility or death. The compensation is tripled for accident involving public transport. A compensation of RM30,000 is available should there be death due to dengue. Then L read out a list of exclusion clauses.
L: Very simply, all you need to say yes to our programme is merely to commit RM3.40 daily from your C*** savings account. In a month, it's only RM100.
Your path towards rewards that I have mentioned will be active as soon as you begin your first RM100 payment.
#2: RM13,700 for me over 15 years.
But I pay RM100 x 12 months x 15 years = RM18,000.
RM13,700 - RM18,000 = (RM4,300).
Another good news is that, NO extra charge, deposit or GST needs to be paid to join this programme.
#3: Protection coverage, monthly payment. This is another insurance offer as opposed to investment or kind rewards from C*** Bank for its loyal customer.
In any event, I am not saying that insurance or takaful is bad. In fact, it is good to have one . What's most important is a plan that is affordable, and provides enough coverage for you/ your beneficiary in case of rainy days, touch wood. Just that having too many insurance plans can be costly and may be redundant.
L then gave me the customer service hotline (some 1300 88 something-something number) for this "investment" programme, told me that in order to join, I must have a minimum of RM20 left in my C*** savings account after the RM100 monthly deduction. L then read to me a long wordy sentence, inter alia that blah-blah-blah is governed by Bank Negara Malaysia, and asked me to say yes or no.
Let's no elaborate into the later conversation after that. But the call ended amicably without any scolding or argument.
This is no criticism, but let's keep ourselves alert
The objective of sharing the above ordeal here is not to personally criticise anyone, including L who is performing his job as a telemarketer, although he will gain a commission each time he secures a successful sale.
I can never imagine myself in L's shoes because my face can never be thick enough to face potential scolding from strangers, because in reality, getting calls from telemarketers can be annoying.
Never be sharp, never be flat, always be natural. Credit: Classic FM
But instead, here's to raise awareness as to how telemarketers have changed their sales tactics, by first trying to convince people that they're educating customers about the rewards for being loyal customers of a certain bank, with all the impressive-sounding returns, and then boom!!! By orally seeking customer to decide whether to commit themselves on the spot.
Many telemarketers are smart and well-trained, they will first paint a beautiful picture by telling all the good things. Once confident that you're listening, only towards the end they tell you about your commitment.
Then, they will also politely pressure you to decide on the spot as opposed to allowing time for you to think over.
Does Data Protection provision even exist?
It is inappropriate for banks to share their customers' data with third parties.
Secondly, it's also very improper that banks allow "standing orders" be made orally over the phone... by right a bank must ensure that its customer genuinely signs a document that authorizes money to be drawn from his account to a third party.
What if the person who picks up the supposedly-customer's phone is not that account holder himself, but a third person who knows a lot about the customer, and subsequently says "yes", "yes" and all "yes" without the customer's knowledge and consent?
Conclusion
I was thinking of closing my savings account with C***, if it isn't due to the inconvenient distance from where I am now, because an account only be closed at its home branch.
Wah, bahayalah if suddenly there's a windfall one day, will I receive even more telemarketers' calls? Anyway like said earlier, no money will drop down from the sky for doing nothing productive like me, so any reference to wealth and me is purely hypothetical.
Back to the topic, I shall never pick up any strange-looking number after this even though the number looks plain. Instead, I should Google up the number first, then decide whether to pick up or not if the same number calls back. Or if I pick up, I should not hesitate to hang up immediately if I find the call a nuisance.
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