We’re all friends here, right? So as friends, why do we always turn each other’s phone numbers over to our financial advisers?

The other day, I received a call from probably the seventh financial adviser in the past four years. All were referred to me by friends (some friends, right?). Usually they call several times and never leave a message. I don’t typically answer calls if I don’t recognize the number. However, after seeing the same number on my caller ID five or six times, I get PO’d and pick up. Sure enough, it’s often a slick-sounded financial adviser. The conversation almost always goes something like this:

“Hello. Is this Justin?”

“Yes.”

“How are you doing? Pretty nice out today, isn’t it?”

“Ummm … who is this?”

“Oh yeah, hi. This is Annoying Guy. I got your name from your good friend Bunghole.”

“OK?”

“Bunghole told me that you might be interested in talking to me. I’m a financial adviser and I’d like to schedule a time when we can get together to talk …”

“You can stop there. I already have a financial adviser.”

“Oh. Well, it wouldn’t hurt to just look things over. Maybe we could just grab a cup of coffee. What do you say?”

“I don’t think so.”

“Well, may I put you into my database to call you back every six months or so just to check in?”

“No, and please do not call me again.”

[CLICK]

So there you have it. As your friend, I am going to give it to you straight here: I have a financial adviser and I do not want to talk to yours. Do not give your adviser my name and phone number. I can already tell you that I won’t be interested, I will hate the guy no matter what because I hate all salesmen (generally speaking) and I will resent you for giving out my personal information.

If your financial guy pressures you to turn over some names and phone numbers, maybe you should be looking for a new person to oversee your finances. Who really wants to entrust their money to somebody who’s less interested in your well-being than he is about making his next sales call? And while you’re at it, tell him the “let’s grab coffee” ploy is extremely lame. At least offer to meet over a few beers.