I usually ignore phone calls selling credit cards, insurance etc. But at times just enjoy talking to them. How? I tell a little lie about myself. It is quite interesting to how call rep behavior changes when they know I am earning much lesser than people whom they can offer credit card to. I have even pleaded for credit card on phone after that. Well, few of them do say nicely that they can't offer credit card to me but more often I have received abrupt phone disconnection or slamming phone.
Now, since I am registered for DND, I haven't got such calls on my cellphone. But recently, I got a call on my office phone selling HDFC credit card to me. They told me some good things about card and I got tempted to have it since I hardly have any offers on my current card.
I agreed to take this card. They sent a representative to collect required documents from me. I didn't need to do much on the form filling. When asked, the representative told me that I will get a phone call from somebody. They will talk to me and fill the form. Scary? Well, there is more then that. I get a call today. Lady asked me various questions over phone. Some questions I denied to answer. For example if I am graduate or post graduate, I denied to answer. Well, may be I should have checked her reaction by telling I am just high school.
After various questions, she asked my permanent address as I stay in rented home. I told her I don't have one. She asked me if I can give my in laws address or any relative's address. I denied for that too. I told her she has my PAN number. Why they should need anything else to track me? She tried to ask me in fifteen different ways and I denied in one just statement that I don't have it. She assured me that there will not be any verification on this address. But I wasn't going to give on this too. She even said if I can give any address of my native location. Finally, she asked - "Sir, can you give any wrong address as I need to fill something in this form?"
I was no less than shocked with that question. I understand that company must have a good way to track defaulters. Having a record of permanent address makes chance of default little lesser.But it is shameful that one of their agent is ready to push their company in loss tomorrow to meet her numbers today. Company certainly doesn't have so much resource to validate everything. This shows how urgently we need a unique personal identification system in country. I hope Aadhaar (UIDIA) has all success.
