I think there are two separate issues here which have inadvertently become linked in peoples minds.
The examples given above are all pretty reprehensible attempts to trick us or trap us into revealing some sort of "bad behavior".
On the other hand, I think this thread is based on the article in the NYT which Joseph links above. To my mind, the topic of that article is VERY different. It describes an attempt by HHS to document the shortage of primary care providers by assessing the length of wait times until an appointment is available. It is simply a survey where people call the office and ask about getting an appointment. There is NO contact with the provider or rating of their services. Some docs (quoted in the article) have a problem with this. In my opinion, it just allows for more accurate data collection about a serious problem; one that it would be to our advantage to have documented and exposed (namely, the shortage of primary care providers). I don't see it as a threat.
