Calling All Marketers

"Hello?"
"Hi, this is Tom Mabe calling from IG&A long-distance services. How you doing this evening, sir?"
"I'm sleeping."
"Sir, do you ever find yourself awake at night worrying about your long-distance phone bill?"
"Dude, it's after three o'clock in the morning."
"Sir, I'm sorry, I would never call you this late. We must be in a different time zone. It's only, like, 2:15 here. Let me make it up to you. What if I told you I could save you up to $5 a year on your phone bill?"
[Click.]

Even with the Do Not Call Registry, Mabe doesn't fear running out of material. Not with reverse telemarketing on the rise. "That's where you call customer support to complain that you can't send email," he explains. "And though the guy can't help you, he makes a pitch: 'As an AOL member, you're eligible for Sprint long distance.' What's next? You call 911 during a break-in and the dispatcher says, 'I'd like to tell you about an ADT alarm system'?"