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June 10, 2005 12:15 PM PDT

Did I just sell my house to the Mob?

by Ben Charny

I expected telemarketers to get hold of my cell phone, not having registered with the federal Do Not Call list for professional reasons. Today was the day.

For the briefest of moments it was a positive experience. I've qualified for a $99, four-night vacation in Cabo San Lucas plus another week-long cruise, I'm told by a recording. Of my two options--press one to learn more, press two to be taken off the calling list--I pressed two.

But then I called 214-279-0990, which, according to my cell phone was the originating telephone number. It's a fax line.

Now I'm annoyed, and a little paranoid. Who really just called me, and what did I just do by pressing two? Did I consent to some enormous fraudulent charge on my cell phone account, or to be targeted by even more telemarketers?

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