How do you answer unknown numbers?

[tod evans]

Many years ago when caller ID first came out I started answering;

"Betty's Bondage Emporium, this is Betty speaking."

As I've gotten older, my voice even more gruff and my disposition more cantankerous, I still on occasion do the "Betty" routine.

You?

[Natural Citizen]

Jack's Mortuary. You stab em we slab em...Jack speakin.

Oooor....sometimes I do "Numbah won Chinese restawrant...whatchu need?"

[acptulsa]

I don't.

Voice mail is a wonderful aggravation saving device.

[William Tell]

"Williams funeral service, you stab 'em, we slab 'em"

[acptulsa]

But sometimes I answer known numbers, 'Land of the free and home of the brave.'

[tangent4ronpaul]

I tend to use voice mail to screen calls, though more recently I've found it handy to not memorise my own number so I have to look it up to give it out. That cuts down on a lot of calls....

What I have done a lot is answering with the last four digits of my number followed by silence. They either say something or hang up. if they are still on the connection, repeat the last four again or assert IDENTIFY YOURSELF!

Works well...

as to the type of thing you're talking about, we used to prank call people:

Hi, this is john with the electric company. we are conducting a test and need you to turn off all your lights (wait) it's dark, isn't it...

Do you have prince williams in a can (wait) well please let him out!

-t

[Dr.3D]

I have my computer running PhoneTray Pro. It automatically answers the phone and on those numbers I have told it to block, that includes those that have no name or number, it plays a recording telling the caller that the line has been disconnected. It's the same message the telephone company uses for a disconnected line.

I used to get a lot of those "Cell phone Townname" calls and now, I get very few. This works like a charm.

[oyarde]

I never answer an unknown number.

[Ronin Truth]

I never answer an unknown number.

Ditto.

[Ronin Truth]

I have my computer running PhoneTray Pro. It automatically answers the phone and on those numbers I have told it to block, that includes those that have no name or number, it plays a recording telling the caller that the line has been disconnected. It's the same message the telephone company uses for a disconnected line.

I used to get a lot of those "Cell phone Townname" calls and now, I get very few. This works like a charm.

Thanks for the info. I had not heard of that. I'll check it out.

My wife just gets so ticked off and aggravated by the junk phone calls and violations of the lame "DO NOT CALL" (Ill functioning) system.

[Suzanimal]

"Heeellllllllloooooooo!" - like an old British woman.

I don't screen my calls, I always answer the phone like that no matter who's calling, sometimes people hang up, sometimes they giggle. My kids hate it, they think I'm embarrassing.

[Ronin Truth]

"Heeellllllllloooooooo!" - like an old British woman.

I don't screen my calls, I always answer the phone like that no matter who's calling, sometimes people hang up, sometimes they giggle. My kids hate it, they think I'm embarrassing.

Isn't that a fun part of why we have kids?

[Root]

I use no-more-robo to screen my calls for me. It works great. Mid the phone rings once and then stops, the call was dumped.

https://www.nomorobo.com/

[luctor-et-emergo]

I don't answer unknown numbers. I have never gotten an unexpected fun call from an unknown number, no reason to answer them. One time I was called in the middle of the night by a friend of a girl who I had turned down and I didn't answer her calls because she was pretty much stalking me... Other times I did answer them it was usually telemarketing. I tell them to $#@! off and find a real job.

[Henry Rogue]

If I was HB, I would answer in Russian. Sadly I don't know any foreign languages. Maybe I could learn Klingon.

[Ronin Truth]

I use no-more-robo to screen my calls for me. It works great. Mid the phone rings once and then stops, the call was dumped.

https://www.nomorobo.com/

Another option and it's really tough to beat free. Thanks!

[JK/SEA]

i'll pick up and not say anything...sometimes its a real person versus a recording set to trip as soon as you say 'hello'..if its a real person, and i stay quiet, they will say 'hello'..then i say' who the $#@! is this?'...click...fun times...

[pcosmar]

"Heeellllllllloooooooo!" - like an old British woman.

I don't screen my calls, I always answer the phone like that no matter who's calling, sometimes people hang up, sometimes they giggle. My kids hate it, they think I'm embarrassing.

My wife will do a Cuban accent sometimes. (and no, she is not Latin)
She picked it up managing stores in Key West.

[thoughtomator]

"Thank you for calling the Fraud Investigative Hotline, how may I direct your call?"

[tangent4ronpaul]

"Thank you for calling the Fraud Investigative Hotline, how may I direct your call?"

tHREAD WINNNAAA

+REP

-t

[catfeathers]

My funniest phone call was from a guy (I have no idea who he was) who started reading me the jokes from a Hustler magazine. I told him I already read them. My boyfriend at the time had just bought that issue.

[Dr.3D]

Thanks for the info. I had not heard of that. I'll check it out.

My wife just gets so ticked off and aggravated by the junk phone calls and violations of the lame "DO NOT CALL" (Ill functioning) system.

I used to get my unlisted number changed every few years, now after using this, I haven't had to change it for more than a decade.
https://www.phonetray.com/

[presence]

I've got a very short list of people who I pick up the phone for, and they only get deluxe treatment if I'm near the one phone in my house when it rings. Else, if I don't know the number it goes to voice. I don't have a cell and I'm not bitch to the land line. If you need me leave a msg. If I need you I'll call back.

[fr33]

Numbers that I don't know, go to voicemail. I don't get many of them since we got rid of the land-line.

[bunklocoempire]

Land line here, I ditched my cell.

"Hello?"

Sales pitch/survey/etc.

"Hold on a second"

Then I set the phone down so the mic part is muffled (don't want no eaves droppin') and then I go about my business.... I guess I could just use the mute.. When the phone makes that loud BAHK! BAHK! BAHK! BAHK! noise, I remember I put the phone down (and why) and then I hang it up.

BAHK! BAHK! BAHK! BAHK!

"Oh yeah.."

Works for me. And I always lol when I hear that BAHK! BAHK! noise. Is that reckless of me tying up my own line like that? I don't care.

If the number is someone I know I like to use:

"Hello, is this the party to whom I am speaking?"

[acptulsa]

Eternal Slumber Crematorium and Sausage Factory.

[69360]

I don't answer unknown or restricted.

I have no landline and my cell is a prepaid. Very few people have the number. I hate phone calls, I will only answer if it's my kids usually.