David’s Ramblings

My regular FM radio station bit the dust a couple of months ago and I’ve been forced to migrate the dial looking for another station that isn’t too irritating. Funny how that’s the criteria, find one that sucks the least… you know there is something unsustainable and rotten when that is the criteria used to find a service; and people wonder why the airlines aren’t making money?

Anyway I’m digressing from my point. The commercial air time is totally consumed by debt relief, credit card consolidation, reverse mortgage scammers and Life Lock identity theft protection. I’d like to address them all but I’ll start with Life Lock’s commercial.

I’m struck by the total ’skim over the content without thinking logically’ nature of the message. It doesn’t make sense but is delivered with total confidence. It is a confirmation of the emotional sell. No thinking; all emotion.

The opening statement is that more that n million people will have their personal information stolen this year.
True, since the average data breach involves millions of records. BUT that isn’t the same number that will suffer from an identity theft. That is a different number! we are already talking about apples and oranges. It’s not logical, just scary.

Then they talk about huge benefits like opt out of free credit cards offers. Ah OK I pay you monthly all year long for one task that is free that takes me 5 minutes and an internet connection? Great deal. They do other things too, the one significant item is an offer of help to fix any problem caused while you are a member, but they don’t tell you what the limitations of that are… that’s the fine print.

They close the ad by saying ‘call now and mention this ad any you’ll get a 10% discount! That’s like getting 1 month free!’ Uh last I heard the year was 12 months so 1 month free is not 10% off?

Is anyone listening while their brain is in gear?

My other question is why the only advertisers are catering to folks who need tax relief, debt counseling and such. Is our middle class in such bad shape. That’s scary…

PS - Today Lifelock was hit with a 12 million dollar fine for deceptive advertising and “their claims were bogus and accused them of operating a scam and con operation” Read More Here