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From: tn07+@andrew.cmu.edu (Thomas Neudecker)
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom
Subject: Re: Mercury Marketing Again
Message-ID: <13792@accuvax.nwu.edu>
Date: 18 Oct 90 09:51:40 GMT
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X-Telecom-Digest: Volume 10, Issue 744, Message 4 of 7


I don't know about the Mercury Marketing program but in Pittsburgh the
local scam is to say "Hi I am AAAAA with the Pittsburgh Press, I am
calling to see if you recieved your paper today?"  A "yes response
branches to a thank you and hope we can continue to serve you."  A "I
don't subscribe" response then brings up "do you want to?", with what
ever is the current special new price.

When directly asked, the operator states that they work for the
newspaper but a response of "I didn't receive tonight's paper, can you
have one sent out?"  always blows them away.  They would then hangup
or say this or that but never would they provide a replacement paper
or a return phone number.  I have a couple of lines in and more than
one listing name on the line so I would these calls about once a month
on each line/listing.


Tom Neudecker
Pittsburgh, Pa.