These calls are 100% legitimate by NL government employees. Sometimes they dial the wrong number, and sometimes the initial caller gives them the wrong number.
If you contact 811 in Newfoundland to speak with a nurse about a health issue, they sometimes have to call you back if they have high call volumes.
At the end of the call they ask if you would be willing to participate in a survey. The reason they cannot tell you who is calling or leave a message is due to privacy.
I have gone through this a few times and it's perfectly legit.
I called the number back and a machine says I have reached the administrative offices for the nurse advice line and that if I have a medical emergency I should hang up and dial 911. Then it says that inorder to reach my nurse I should call them on the original number for their service. Well, I don't live in canada and have never been there, so i highly doubt that i need to talk to a nurse there. Aparently there is no way to get through to an actual person. I am on the DO NOT CALL LIST for cell phones already.
so if you press # you will get through to a menu! I pressed ) to wait for a receptionist and was eventually told by a machine that they are only open until 3pm eastern time. But, it let me leave them a message!