@ Stuart

Verification of callers:

I refused to answer questions purporting to be from the census folks because they couldn't verify their identity. And it was so easy! Just give me a listed telephone number I can call you back at, one that's listed in the "government numbers" part of the telephone book.

The guy offered me one number, but it wasn't in my local telephone book.

Odd thing is, 15 years or so ago, I took a course from Statistics Canada in survey methodology and that's the very method they recommended -- and said they used themselves. Seems like they've forgotten their own business m.o.

[Statistics Canada carries out the Canadian census, btw.]

As for banks, these days all they list in the telephone directory is a single toll-free number, making it difficult for someone calling from the bank to offer a verifiable call-back number.

Why does this amuse me?