The chap, who is based in Hong Kong, needed to speak to someone about a recent speech by Singapore’s finance minister. As he didn’t have a direct line, he went to the ministry’s website and began to try numbers on the ‘Contact Us’ page. There was no answer from the first one he rang, so he moved on to the next.
This time someone answered. “Hello,” said a sultry woman’s voice. Before he had the chance to reply, she continued in a seductive tone: “We have plenty of sexy ladies waiting to talk to you.”
My friend immediately slammed his phone down, frantic that his office would think he was calling a sex line. Convinced it was a mistake, the chap tried to call the ministry again, only to get the same response. After quickly hanging up, he alerted his boss, who also tried the number, and got the same answer. It appeared Singapore’s finance ministry was doubling up as an erotic chatline.
As much as that would have tickled my fancy, I soon worked out what had been happening. Some Singapore phone numbers can only be dialled domestically, as was the case with this line. So while anyone calling from Singapore would get through to the ministry, those trying from elsewhere would be treated to a steamy phone session.
What a way to get the international financial community talking!