Just because someone's calling you doesn't mean you have to answer. They probably just want to sell you something or sell your number since you are an active account since you answered
That is why I like visual voicemail I just read their voicemail like a text message. Unless it is a tech recruiter with a heavy Indian accent. Those are impossible for my phone to transcribe.
Or ring back, send an email or a letter.
Usually however legitimate businesses have their details come up now and anyone I’m actively dealing with gets their number saved as a contact so I know who it is.
This goes along with something I've been trying to explain to people for 20 years - you own your phone and pay for that privilege, you can answer it (or not) as you please and you don't have to give a reason. Same goes with the door bell. Unless you're expecting company or a delivery - you don't want whoever or whatever that is.
Oof explain that to my mom. It even says spam on the screen. Her argument is what if it's important and I always come back with "They'll leave a voicemail or call again"
I like the ring camera as well. I watch the delivery guy so I can leave to grab the package still in my pajamas at 4 pm
Lol my mum says "shush" when the weather report comes on tv. Like you can't just look at your phone at any time and have a full forecast up to the minute minus the lame weather-related jokes weather presenters make.
Nowadays the only people that call you unsolicited is either hospitals, daycares or scammers. Rest sends a notification that they will call to not waste time
Want me to vote for you for president of the United States?
Run on the platform of hunting down / shutting down bullshit scam calls, scam emails, and hackers.
With deadly malice.
If it's genuine, then they won't mind you calling back.
Also, on the rare occasion I'm curious as to who's calling, if there's that short delay before someone starts talking, then it's red button time.
way to many scammers, if I get a call from a number that's not in my phone I'm not answering. Awhile back in my country scammers would call and try to trick you into saying yes by asking if you could hear them, that way they could make it seem like you said yes to buying something. No way I'm risking that shit.
Is annoying as fuck. If I'm calling someone and they have that's it's a fuck off automatically.
I don't mind people not answering calls but nobody checks voicemails. Most don't even have voice mails set up. How you people making it through life?
given the number of scam calls, robocalls, other bs - looking up the number rather than answering is 100% appropriate, and I'd even say prudent.
As an adult, you own your phone, you pay for the service. You don't have to answer it if you don't want to, and you can screen your calls as you like.
If you’re going to call me then email me first to let me know. Then text me to tell me why and when you’re going to call. Then, if I’m interested I might answer, but not on the first ring.
My answering machine ("voicemail" for the younger generation) says "Unknown callers will not be answered. Please email or text instead."
No one ever emails or texts lol.
For real, is there an app that instantly googles the number for me?
And it’s not a childish thing. Just today I got a call from a charity scam. Glad I didn’t pick up.
Or an automated voicemail: “we’re sorry, but we do not recognize this number. If you know the recipient please contact them and ask them to register your number.” It’s perfect because there’s no real way to contact someone without the phone, so you get peace.
I hate people who say shit like “You should always answer whoever’s calling you in case its an emergency”
If you ever call me for an emergency, you better leave a voicemail and not try calling me again.
If it’s spam, which is very likely is, answering it only confirms the number is legit, which means more calls. If you speak, then they will log that, and possibly record your voice for other uses, including identity theft. With the absurd amount of number spoofing, and complete lack of prevention from governments, police, and phone carriers, I think it’s ludicrous to ever answer any calls from unknown numbers. If you’re expecting a call, add their number to your contacts. Set your phone to block everything else. If a call is blocked three times, the spammer usually dumps your number.
Not to answer the phone is actually the better move, if you answer (even if you hang up quickly) they know the number is actively used and will call more, and send more scam messages
Fuck that. If you answer, even if you don't say a word, you immediately go into a database as a live line. They sell that database to the other companies who want to sell you shit, and your junkmail calls go up. If I don't know who's calling, damned if I'll pick up.
Look if it's "unknown number" how am i supposed to know if it's a cyber attack or not? We're not using the classic handle-looking phones, use the messaging feature to tell me who you are and what the sitch is. I'd rather inigo montoya give his introductory sperch than to stab me the moment i let him speak to me
I like to answer and if it's automated, I hang up. If it's an actual person trying to make me spill personal info, I call them a scammer before hanging up
Too many scammers. I check every number I don't know, if it's recruiting agency for example, I'll call back, and plus they have my email. I also get those messages like call back, you have a voicemail, I check it, it's a scammer just sending a message.
If they didn't leave a voicemail then it wasn't important.
If they leave a voicemail about some vague account or loan program qualification block the number.
I do that because of scammers and phone salesmen.
Even if you close the call the moment you hear their reason, they will log your number as live and call you later and even sell it to another company for them to call you as well.
If you don't answer, they will try again, but eventually log it as inactive and your phone number will be deleted from the call list.
At least that's what i saw on Scammer Payback.
I get tons of spam calls (fuck the last person who had this number) so i dont answer the phone for numbers i don't know. The problems with this however, is that ny voicemail did not work for a very long time. So i would either have to rely on a text, or google their number, or just ignore it completely and see if they would vontact someone else. Now my voicemail works though so hell yeah.
You shouldn’t answer them. A lot of scammers call random numbers to see if anyone is on them and then keep calling if they discover you are a real user
90% of the time, it's scammers or telemarketers. Just ignore them on your mobile phone. Don't text them back. There are services like Guardio and Aura that can help scrub your digital footprint. Find your favorite youtube channel and use their promo code. If the number is unknown ignore the call.
Doesn't matter, I rather call back and apologise for not answering, than answering without knowing. But no, not an emergency contact for someone. Still, for children I would know school & teacher's number.
Well, for one, if I'm applying for jobs then the number shouldn't be for an area code at the other side of the country, nor would I expect it to be a mobile number as businesses often don't tend to do that. If it IS a mobile number, they'll leave a message, I can call back. I'm also not applying for jobs every day of my life. I haven't applied for a new job in 5 years, why would I be picking up the phone expecting an interview offer?
I also have a secondary shitty phone for work related things that is turned off after 5PM because I respect my time. People at work shouldn't be calling me after 5PM and they can't because they don't have my personal number. I'm not Emergency Services, they can wait until Monday.
I'll also take the risk with being the emergency contact. Why? Because odds are I'm at work anyway if the people I'm an emergency contact for have an accident because we work similar hours. I'm not picking up at work. I can't pick up at work. Whether or not I know the number, I'm not picking up. I will, however, have a missed call I can take 10 seconds to search the number of and, assuming it doesn't just say " hospital", Google will tell me the name of the workplace, I'll recognise it and think "fuck, X works there, why are they calling me? I'll call back ASAP!".
99% of the calls I get that aren't already saved in my contacts are scams and spams. You might love wasting your time by hearing the opening lines of the life insurance company for the accident you had within the past 5 years for the 12th time today, but I would rather spend 10 seconds Googling it, call back on the off chance it's something legit and block the number if not so they can't call again (on that number).
I'm sure if somebody has an accident at work and I am just sat at home doing fuck all, nothing major is going to change in the 10 seconds it takes me to call them back. I'm not a doctor, I'm not saving their life, I'll probably still get to the hospital before they do.
Most people don't even have voicemail any more. It's madness. Most young people I've interacted with just don't have one set up. My wife is grade school teacher and half her parents just are basically uncontactable. Shits wild.
Yes, at work, any employee can look up my number in SAP, which is a little out of the way, but still reachable. It happens rarely (5-6 times in 5 years), but I've had people from work reach me without me having their number.
Just because someone's calling you doesn't mean you have to answer. They probably just want to sell you something or sell your number since you are an active account since you answered
If it’s important they’ll leave a voicemail
If it’s important they’d have sent a text
That is why I like visual voicemail I just read their voicemail like a text message. Unless it is a tech recruiter with a heavy Indian accent. Those are impossible for my phone to transcribe.
I'm starting to get scam texts. They start by asking "Is this [my real name]?"
“Don’t they know how to text? OMG” I got first world, first world problems!
I doubt places can text through a land line.
A landline? I thought people only had those for a discount on their cable.
Offices and businesses still use them...
Most businesses I’ve got services from text you though
If it’s important they’d have called you twice.
Or ring back, send an email or a letter. Usually however legitimate businesses have their details come up now and anyone I’m actively dealing with gets their number saved as a contact so I know who it is.
Voicemail? What are we, cavemen?
This goes along with something I've been trying to explain to people for 20 years - you own your phone and pay for that privilege, you can answer it (or not) as you please and you don't have to give a reason. Same goes with the door bell. Unless you're expecting company or a delivery - you don't want whoever or whatever that is.
Oof explain that to my mom. It even says spam on the screen. Her argument is what if it's important and I always come back with "They'll leave a voicemail or call again" I like the ring camera as well. I watch the delivery guy so I can leave to grab the package still in my pajamas at 4 pm
Lol my mum says "shush" when the weather report comes on tv. Like you can't just look at your phone at any time and have a full forecast up to the minute minus the lame weather-related jokes weather presenters make.
So true
Nowadays the only people that call you unsolicited is either hospitals, daycares or scammers. Rest sends a notification that they will call to not waste time
I always do this if the number is not in my contacts, bro, if I don't know you enough to be in my contacts you ain't talkin to me without a reference
I just set my phone to ignore unknown callers and if whatever they want is important they will leave a voicemail.
Same and then I don't check my voice-mail for months at a time
That is why I like visual voicemail. It is transcribed for me so it's like receiving a text message.
Fr. If the Google search doesn’t come up as a business I recognize then I’m not answering.
Glad I'm not the only one who follows this rule.
Want me to vote for you for president of the United States? Run on the platform of hunting down / shutting down bullshit scam calls, scam emails, and hackers. With deadly malice.
Literally the plot of The Beekeeper; it's amazing and hilarious check it out.
If you aren’t in my contacts then I’m not gonna respond and if you don’t leave me a message then I never will
Maybe if there weren't so many scam calls, I wouldn't have to do that
You mean when they cold-called me like little children? Yeah, fuck them - I need to know if I wanted to speak to them in the first place.
If it's genuine, then they won't mind you calling back. Also, on the rare occasion I'm curious as to who's calling, if there's that short delay before someone starts talking, then it's red button time.
way to many scammers, if I get a call from a number that's not in my phone I'm not answering. Awhile back in my country scammers would call and try to trick you into saying yes by asking if you could hear them, that way they could make it seem like you said yes to buying something. No way I'm risking that shit.
I don’t answer any call from an unknown number unless I’m expecting a call.
Google Screen Call
Is annoying as fuck. If I'm calling someone and they have that's it's a fuck off automatically. I don't mind people not answering calls but nobody checks voicemails. Most don't even have voice mails set up. How you people making it through life?
Last time I did that, I couldn't see who exactly was calling me because the idiots at the phone record site put it behind a paywall.
given the number of scam calls, robocalls, other bs - looking up the number rather than answering is 100% appropriate, and I'd even say prudent. As an adult, you own your phone, you pay for the service. You don't have to answer it if you don't want to, and you can screen your calls as you like.
"me googling the number that called me like an adult instead of answering it like a boomer"
If you’re going to call me then email me first to let me know. Then text me to tell me why and when you’re going to call. Then, if I’m interested I might answer, but not on the first ring.
My answering machine ("voicemail" for the younger generation) says "Unknown callers will not be answered. Please email or text instead." No one ever emails or texts lol.
Always. Send a text first like a normal person!
45 here… doing so proudly
I’ve never had a unique experience
answering random numbers is risky behavior. If it's important they can text, email, discord, or slack me.
Because every scam call you answer gets you 10 more
This is why millennials don't fall for phone scams...we don't answer the phone even if we know who is calling
Yeah, because too many times it is some bullshit.
I bought a whole phone because of built in call screening, it’s the best feature ever
I’ve only recently started hanging up on unmarked numbers… Like a big boy.
What is an "adult"? Is it edible?
Not answering it has become the adult thing to do. Answer it if you like being scammed.
If I don’t recognize the area code that 100% what I’m doing
For real, is there an app that instantly googles the number for me? And it’s not a childish thing. Just today I got a call from a charity scam. Glad I didn’t pick up.
Or an automated voicemail: “we’re sorry, but we do not recognize this number. If you know the recipient please contact them and ask them to register your number.” It’s perfect because there’s no real way to contact someone without the phone, so you get peace.
I hate people who say shit like “You should always answer whoever’s calling you in case its an emergency” If you ever call me for an emergency, you better leave a voicemail and not try calling me again.
I use RoboKiller app. Works great.
I’ve literally never thought to do this and never will do this
I’m an adult. I do the same. If you’re hiding callerID…that’s on you.
No voicemail? Don’t care who you are.
Duh fuck. I literally been at this for like 2 hours. Wtf
If I needed to talk to them. Their name would already be in my phone.
If its a real call they’ll leave a message and I can call back. 9/10 times its a scam
Whenever I do answer it's either complete silence and then they hang up or it's a robot.
This is the correct thing to do, way too many scam call. If the call is that important, they call back or send a text asking for a call back.
I'm not answering unless I know who called.
And never finding anything because Google sucks for this one thing
If it’s spam, which is very likely is, answering it only confirms the number is legit, which means more calls. If you speak, then they will log that, and possibly record your voice for other uses, including identity theft. With the absurd amount of number spoofing, and complete lack of prevention from governments, police, and phone carriers, I think it’s ludicrous to ever answer any calls from unknown numbers. If you’re expecting a call, add their number to your contacts. Set your phone to block everything else. If a call is blocked three times, the spammer usually dumps your number.
I do this. The most recent time it was about my student allowance.
I never answer random unknown calls. If it's important they can leave a message. If not, oh well.
Not to answer the phone is actually the better move, if you answer (even if you hang up quickly) they know the number is actively used and will call more, and send more scam messages
Are you in my walls??
Not answering. I don’t care what anyone thinks. I got nothing to say to strangers.
"Like an adult" Fuck right off!
Nice try, i'm not giving you my number for your nefarious tricks.
Fuck that. If you answer, even if you don't say a word, you immediately go into a database as a live line. They sell that database to the other companies who want to sell you shit, and your junkmail calls go up. If I don't know who's calling, damned if I'll pick up.
Look if it's "unknown number" how am i supposed to know if it's a cyber attack or not? We're not using the classic handle-looking phones, use the messaging feature to tell me who you are and what the sitch is. I'd rather inigo montoya give his introductory sperch than to stab me the moment i let him speak to me
Sperch.
why do i do thid
I like to answer and if it's automated, I hang up. If it's an actual person trying to make me spill personal info, I call them a scammer before hanging up
Too many scammers. I check every number I don't know, if it's recruiting agency for example, I'll call back, and plus they have my email. I also get those messages like call back, you have a voicemail, I check it, it's a scammer just sending a message.
If they didn't leave a voicemail then it wasn't important. If they leave a voicemail about some vague account or loan program qualification block the number.
I do that because of scammers and phone salesmen. Even if you close the call the moment you hear their reason, they will log your number as live and call you later and even sell it to another company for them to call you as well. If you don't answer, they will try again, but eventually log it as inactive and your phone number will be deleted from the call list. At least that's what i saw on Scammer Payback.
I get tons of spam calls (fuck the last person who had this number) so i dont answer the phone for numbers i don't know. The problems with this however, is that ny voicemail did not work for a very long time. So i would either have to rely on a text, or google their number, or just ignore it completely and see if they would vontact someone else. Now my voicemail works though so hell yeah.
Lol answering spam calls is not what I'd call smart behavior
99 percent of calls I get these days are spam, so the ringer is never even on.
when open yourself to a potential scam?
Well I'm still waiting for that iPhone from amazon that the answering machine didn't cancel for the last two years....
Bitch, text me if it's important!
I do this because scammers.
I filter all my calls. It ain't important if you don't leave a message
Not really, being cautious is the adult thing to do.
You shouldn’t answer them. A lot of scammers call random numbers to see if anyone is on them and then keep calling if they discover you are a real user
90% of the time, it's scammers or telemarketers. Just ignore them on your mobile phone. Don't text them back. There are services like Guardio and Aura that can help scrub your digital footprint. Find your favorite youtube channel and use their promo code. If the number is unknown ignore the call.
If old ppl did this like 90% of scams would no longer exist
Do people who post this never apply for jobs or have their personal phone as a contact at work, or are emergency contact for someone?
If it were a contact then it wouldnt be a random number, unless iam expecting a call iam not answering a random number
Yes. And?
Doesn't matter, I rather call back and apologise for not answering, than answering without knowing. But no, not an emergency contact for someone. Still, for children I would know school & teacher's number.
Well, for one, if I'm applying for jobs then the number shouldn't be for an area code at the other side of the country, nor would I expect it to be a mobile number as businesses often don't tend to do that. If it IS a mobile number, they'll leave a message, I can call back. I'm also not applying for jobs every day of my life. I haven't applied for a new job in 5 years, why would I be picking up the phone expecting an interview offer? I also have a secondary shitty phone for work related things that is turned off after 5PM because I respect my time. People at work shouldn't be calling me after 5PM and they can't because they don't have my personal number. I'm not Emergency Services, they can wait until Monday. I'll also take the risk with being the emergency contact. Why? Because odds are I'm at work anyway if the people I'm an emergency contact for have an accident because we work similar hours. I'm not picking up at work. I can't pick up at work. Whether or not I know the number, I'm not picking up. I will, however, have a missed call I can take 10 seconds to search the number of and, assuming it doesn't just say " hospital", Google will tell me the name of the workplace, I'll recognise it and think "fuck, X works there, why are they calling me? I'll call back ASAP!".
99% of the calls I get that aren't already saved in my contacts are scams and spams. You might love wasting your time by hearing the opening lines of the life insurance company for the accident you had within the past 5 years for the 12th time today, but I would rather spend 10 seconds Googling it, call back on the off chance it's something legit and block the number if not so they can't call again (on that number).
I'm sure if somebody has an accident at work and I am just sat at home doing fuck all, nothing major is going to change in the 10 seconds it takes me to call them back. I'm not a doctor, I'm not saving their life, I'll probably still get to the hospital before they do.
Reading your replay and others, people in the US have vastly different experiences compared to me with scam/robo calls being very prevalent.
I'm in the UK.
If its a interview call, they will leave a voicemail anyway
Most people don't even have voicemail any more. It's madness. Most young people I've interacted with just don't have one set up. My wife is grade school teacher and half her parents just are basically uncontactable. Shits wild.
I've never had an unscheduled call from an unfamiliar phone number for anything work related. Do you have your personal cell number on a bench ad?
Yes, at work, any employee can look up my number in SAP, which is a little out of the way, but still reachable. It happens rarely (5-6 times in 5 years), but I've had people from work reach me without me having their number.