Word-of-mouth is highly valued because it is from someone we know and trust, it is spontaneous, and it is real. When a message is carefully crafted, and its dissemination planned, targeted and orchestrated, it becomes advertising.

WOMMA the Word Of Mouth Marketing Association (US) seems like anathema to the idea of authenticity. They conduct large scale, planned, and orchestrated “word-of-mouth” campaigns through real and virtual social networks. Ordinary people …

Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) rang me (unsolicited) yesterday trying to offer me a black MasterCard with a lifetime waiver of annual fees. I could not help but wonder how long RBS itself will be around for that lifetime waiver.

I told the woman that not only do I never enter into financial arrangements with strangers on the phone (or on street corners), but that thanks to recent …

I blogged about being annoyed by Freedom Escapes’ telemarketing calls a while ago.

I recently had a look at the comments. Talk about a mountain growing out of an ant hill (we don’t have moles in Australia). They are obviously still cold calling people. And those who are annoyed enough to go online to vent have subsequently found my site via Google. I also occasionally get personal emails …

I was away in Perth a few weeks ago due to the sudden and tragic death of a close friend. During those 10 distressing days, I had no less than three unsolicited telemarketing calls from two different companies; on my mobile!

1. Whilst I was in a meeting with a member of the clergy regarding the eulogy, an Australian index trading company rang. This was the same shysters …

I got another spam phone call today from an Indian call centre. They had all the usual characteristics:

The one minute delay upfront.
They knew who I was, but did not say who they were.
They talked AT me; with the fake “you are my long lost friend” tone.
The script was very defensive – we are a community organisation, we are incorporated in Australia…

The community organisation part did perk my …

Is that email from Microsoft promising to give you $5 every time you forward it on for real? Is poor little Jimmy with no head who really needs your love and $10 really in Bethesda Private?

Great tips and a few fun hoax email generators can be had on the Break The Chain website. This stuff should be Internet 101 for everyone.

Related true story:

Once upon …

Lunchtime on a frigging Saturday, I was in the midst of dealing with social stuff and waiting for people to call back. And I get this long distance call from India, complete with 2 minute silence at the start, from this unknown, and supposedly “Australian” mobile hawker.

The person started off by prattling on about AMD – which I thought to be the microprocessor maker. Perhaps that was …

Got a dodgy letter from an unknown company called “Domain Registry of America” about one of my domain names.

With the usual scare tactics to trick me into giving them money:
“Your registration for – will expire on June 27, 2008. Act today! … You must renew … Failure to renew your domain name by the expiration date may result in loss of your online identity…”

Payment is …

While deleting my ever-full spam folder just now, I came across this one:

From: Carela Manahan
Subject: Harangue

If only more advertisers were more authentic.

(How the hell do they come up with these fake names anyway?)

Just had an unsolicited call today from a mob called “W Mobile”.

I have been selected… I will get a new phone… the usual time wasting and annoying BS and lies. I asked her if I have any existing business with her, she said no. I asked for an ABN. She said please hold. Then hung up!

Their website at the obvious address wmobile.com.au does not work. Google showed …