Whatever happened to good old-fashioned honesty?

Of late my mom and I have received a number of unsolicited phone calls where the caller ID lists the phone number twice--for example, a call from (386) 233-3694 will have "3862333694" in the name field--or where the caller ID lists the phone number (such as (800) 831-9690) but has "Unknown Caller" in the name field.

I believe the Canada Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission ought to mandate that this practice stop. If you want to be taken seriously and treated warmly as a company, this practice is far from acceptable, as it suggests you have something to hide. Further, it suggests that you might have the means to alter the caller ID data to make it appear as though the call is originating from some place other than where it truly originates.

Mom and I are very observant of the caller ID feature of our phones. If we do not recognize the area code or phone number at all, or if we recognize the phone number as that of a proven telemarketer or telemarketer-like company, we will not pick up the phone. Occasionally the caller from such a number will leave us a message, and if we find from the message that the caller is legit, only then will we call them back.

There's an old Bell Canada ad from 1985 that makes a very excellent point: "A satisfied customer is a repeat customer." Granted, the ad is itself about telemarketing, but it's about legitimate telemarketing, not the unsolicited variety. And the unsolicited variety of telemarketer is never going to have a satisfied customer because the very nature of his business prevents him from getting first-time customers in the first place.

Whatever happened to good old-fashioned honesty?