Because they don't trust you, because they don't know who you are,
they don't care who you are.
They only look at the margin account.
So you're supposed to allow them to deduct.
They won't call you every day.
If you are buying the futures and
the price is going down, it is moving against you.
You bought the futures because you were worried that the price would go up, right?
And you want to lock in a price.
If a price goes down, then it is moving against you,
and so they will remove that amount from your margin account.
You can get out anytime, but if you bought futures and
price is going down, the reality is, you have to get out with the new price.
So they've already taken the money from you.
That was the deal from your margin account.
And you don't have to answer the phone, you're not going to do anything.
And it's no crime if your margin account is deleted.
Of course, you won't be hedge it against price risk anymore.
But you gotta answer the phone.
That's why most people, most farmers don't trade in future,
it's just too nerve wracking.
Margin calls are very unpleasant.
The guy tells you, well you put $10,000 in your margin account,
I'm sorry to say it's down to $1,000.
So they have what's called initial margin, is what they require you to put up.
And they have something called a maintenance margin, which is when they
make the phone call to you saying your account has gone against you.
You either put up more margin or we will close you out, which means by offsetting.
If you bought they would sell on your behalf.
Then you're out of the market.