these 'you've done a survey and got a free holiday' calls...

Yes a scam. Don't waste your time with them. I did, stoopid me lost a days holiday because of it.

Of course it would have been free*

*Flights not provided. Flights can only be booked through our approved agent. Prices start from £199 exclusive of taxes. Taxes start from £999.99. Extra supplements applicable for all flights from NotLondon.

I tell them how lonely I am and how lovely it is to talk to someone. That usually gets them off the phone. Bizarrely though, the Indian call centres seem more sympathetic to that and take me seriously for the first 30 seconds.

I've found this too. I guess the subtle piss-taking intonation / sarcasm takes a while to register in a different language.

I had great fun once by refusing to answer any questions until they had first answered mine.

not neccessarily. usually it IS actually a free holiday, just that the accomodation isnt great, and you have to eat there which isnt covered. they ll insist you spend the day with them where they will put you under huge pressure to sign for a timeshare, but its not hard to say no. i went on one once in spain, but i only went because it involved an afternoon on a sunseeker, and i wanted to see what it was like. the tactics are amateur at best, and they even employ fit looking (but rough) women to schmooze you and flirt with you. i loved it ?

thankfully we were staying elsewhere, and it wasnt a "free holiday" type thing.

It's not really a scam, it's probably for a company called Club La Costa, we had loads of calls from offering the same thing & basically they want you to go & sit in a presentation for a few hours while they try to sell their membership to you. Think they told us you just have to pay £29 booking fee & you get 7 nights accommodation & flights for 4 people!