Your correspondent received an email from the British Chamber of Commerce today:

We have been made aware of an outside organization phoning BCCC members directly, purporting to be the British Chamber of Commerce, and asking for information to update their database.

Clearly someone is trying to create a database of their own which can only end up as a source of irritation to BCCC members. The individual introduces herself as ‘Fiona from the British Chamber of Commerce’ and refuses to provide a ‘call back’ number.

If you receive such a call my advice would be to hang-up and call me back on the BCCC phone line below. We are just completing the BCCC database update for the next issue of the Directory so have no reason to canvass members by phone for further details.

Your correspondent knows nothing about these phone calls, but would still like to speculate: The prime suspects have got to be investment and medical insurance brokers that target expatriates in east Asia.

They usually have fake English sounding names like Morris and Spencer and employ young Westerners to call up companies in China that employ foreigners. They demand meetings to discuss your glorious financial future together with them.