Junk voice mail floods phone services
Firms are dialling directly into message systems to leave ads without ringing
By JOHN HEINZL
Cynthia Wilkey has nothing against Darryl Sittler, the former captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs. But what she found "completely irritating" was the phone message he left her the other day.
Somehow -- without ringing her line -- a recording of Mr. Sittler pitching for MasterCard found its way onto her home voice mail. In the past few weeks alone she also got messages from John Hunkin, chairman of Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, and from Crystal Springs Water.
Spam has already swamped e-mail systems. Now, junk voice mail is becoming a popular marketing weapon for companies aiming to reach consumers quickly, cheaply and directly -- and not everyone is thrilled about it.
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