Ever notice that when you look for something on Facebook or even other places you start seeing the item as ads every other second on Facebook? I mean it’s not secret, I did a cartoon about awhile back. Sometimes you think you are being listened too, as well, as you seem to just think of something and you start seeing ads all over the place for the item.
They should have a button on the ad where you can click it and say, “I already bought it,” but I think there is an “ignore” button or something, but of course, why would Facebook want to do that when they can keep getting money for those ads that are running, even though they aren’t needed anymore. Once the product is purchased, all those ads are wasted and just racking up clicks and money for Facebook from the advertiser.
But now something interesting happened the other day. I was looking around for an ultraviolet sanitizer lamp. I didn’t know I needed one, but I saw an ad and thought, “why not?” So I looked around online, not really for the best deal, but for the fastest delivery.
I bought air conditioner filters from a place I always go. I didn’t shop around or do a search, I need a certain size I can’t find in stores, so I managed to find a place online. I just went there, ordered and that was it. Now I am seeing air conditioner filter ads on Facebook. Which is a waste of money for the advertiser, since I am not in the market for those now and it’s unwanted spam.
One trick I did learn is that if you fill in the form and abandoned it, most times the advertiser will email you a coupon code to complete the order, and you can save money. So I did that. But apparently I put my real phone number in, not that I put fake phone numbers in the form, but I usually put my old landline, which I got rid of years ago — so it’s a real number, just not used anymore.
Anyway, I guess I put in my cell number and I started getting calls from the companies where I filled out the form and then abandoned it. In the meantime I bought it from one company and the other companies kept calling me. I only answered the calls because I was expecting a call from my insurance company and I didn’t know what number the would call from.
So it seems that you are not just stalked on Facebook but now they will actually call your phone number to attempt to complete the order.
Originally published at tomversation.com on August 7, 2022.
