help...

useful_contacts

a number called my phone half an hour ago, i am in college so didnt reliase until i checked my phone.Its a dublin no and i live in tipp and know no one from dublin

I put the number into google nothing came up, called it back and it keeps ringing out, i know its a business no because of the posh answering machine(gave no name/business or anything though) I left no message as this no used to be a friends and they were prob calling for her but still its bugging me.

Is There a site or something you can put a no into and it will tell you who it is.I wasted the last of my credit calln them the last time

h e l p

Cookie_Monster

if its important they will ring you back, ortherwise don't worry about it

chin_grin

useful_contacts wrote: »

a number called my phone half an hour ago, i am in college so didnt reliase until i checked my phone.Its a dublin no and i live in tipp and know no one from dublin

I put the number into google nothing came up, called it back and it keeps ringing out, i know its a business no because of the posh answering machine(gave no name/business or anything though) I left no message as this no used to be a friends and they were prob calling for her but still its bugging me.

Is There a site or something you can put a no into and it will tell you who it is.I wasted the last of my credit calln them the last time

h e l p

Maybe it was...............yore ma?

Sharpshooter

It could just be a wrong number.:)

peanuthead

It was probably someone calling to conduct a long winded survey about something you dont even care about.

5starpool

Bit neurotic at times are you?

seamus

I've loads of missed calls from an unknown number over the last few weeks. Never left a voicemail. So I now just hang up when they call.

If it was important, they'd call back or would have left a message.

chin_grin

seamus wrote: »

I've loads of missed calls from an unknown number over the last few weeks. Never left a voicemail. So I now just hang up when they call.

If it was important, they'd call back or would have left a message.

"Seamus this is God................frey Jones"

teeeheehee.

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

Hurry!!! You may have won 64 million Ugandan dollars and the were calling you for you banking details so they can deposit the monies in your account!! Why are you wasting time talking to us....?

javaboy

Ikky Poo2 wrote: »

Hurry!!! You may have won 64 million Ugandan dollars and the were calling you for you banking details so they can deposit the monies in your account!! Why are you wasting time talking to us....?

This is a scam. They don't even use dollars in Uganda. They use shillings.

Caoimhín

I refuse to answer "Private number" calls.

In the UK the phone companies have a service in which a pre-recorded message will tell a private number called that, "We can not connect your call because you have restricted your caller ID."

Gone Drinking

useful_contacts wrote: »

a number called my phone half an hour ago, i am in college so didnt reliase until i checked my phone.Its a dublin no and i live in tipp and know no one from dublin

I put the number into google nothing came up, called it back and it keeps ringing out, i know its a business no because of the posh answering machine(gave no name/business or anything though) I left no message as this no used to be a friends and they were prob calling for her but still its bugging me.

Is There a site or something you can put a no into and it will tell you who it is.I wasted the last of my credit calln them the last time

h e l p

What the fcuk?

javaboy

caoibhin wrote: »

I refuse to answer "Private number" calls.

In the UK the phone companies have a service in which a pre-recorded message will tell a private number called that, "We can not connect your call because you have restricted your caller ID."

You can also get applications for many modern phones that will reject private calls or certain numbers.

Homer

Maybe the person trying to call is a "useful_contact" ??? Ah the irony in usernames!!! :P

Caoimhín

javaboy wrote: »

You can also get applications for many modern phones that will reject private calls or certain numbers.

Really? Id love to set that up. Is it a setting on the phone or do you have to get the phone company to do it?

stovelid

useful_contacts wrote: »

a number called my phone half an hour ago, i am in college so didnt reliase until i checked my phone.Its a dublin no and i live in tipp and know no one from dublin

I put the number into google nothing came up, called it back and it keeps ringing out, i know its a business no because of the posh answering machine(gave no name/business or anything though) I left no message as this no used to be a friends and they were prob calling for her but still its bugging me.

Is There a site or something you can put a no into and it will tell you who it is.I wasted the last of my credit calln them the last time

h e l p

Do some study and stop worrying about sh*te. There is a "recession" on and we're all fcuked; you're going to need a strong degree, goddammit.

Turd Ferguson

It was me calling, I just wanted to know if you would like to save monies on your long distance calls....

Sorry for all the fuss

javaboy

caoibhin wrote: »

Really? Id love to set that up. Is it a setting on the phone or do you have to get the phone company to do it?

It might be a setting on some phones but not on any I've had. It's an application you install on your phone to allow filtering of phone numbers. I haven't used any and can't give you any particular recommendations but they're definitely out there even if you have to pay.

P.S. These apps might only work on Symbian smart phones but Google it anyway and see if you can get one for your phone.

Dinter

Oh no, I bet it was burglars outside checking if you were in.

QUICK grab all your valuables and go hide in the attic for at least five hours. It's your only chance.

Oh God, what was that bang downstairs? Is that tinkling glass? Run Useful, RUN!!

Darragh29

caoibhin wrote: »

I refuse to answer "Private number" calls.

In the UK the phone companies have a service in which a pre-recorded message will tell a private number called that, "We can not connect your call because you have restricted your caller ID."

While we're discussing this, why on earth do people refuse to answer private numbers??? How did we manage 20 years ago at home when there was no caller ID. I can't understand this paranoia about private numbers, what is the difference between a private number and a number that you don't recognise or have in your mobile!?!?!?!

I'd love to know what is behind this, why do people freak out when they get a private number coming up on their phone??? I see car sale ads now with "no private numbers", what the fu*k is this all about??? :rolleyes::rolleyes:

Dord

javaboy wrote: »

It might be a setting on some phones but not on any I've had. It's an application you install on your phone to allow filtering of phone numbers. I haven't used any and can't give you any particular recommendations but they're definitely out there even if you have to pay.

P.S. These apps might only work on Symbian smart phones but Google it anyway and see if you can get one for your phone.

It's called Webgate Advanced Call Manager and it works on Symbian phones.
It costs though, about $20 but you can try it out for 30 calls first.

seamus

Just found that my phone has the facility to allow me to automatically block all withheld numbers. Savage.

Homer

seamus wrote: »

Just found that my phone has the facility to allow me to automatically block all withheld numbers. Savage.

What phone have you got?

seamus

Samsung F480 (Tocco)

milod

Darragh29 wrote: »

While we're discussing this, why on earth do people refuse to answer private numbers??? How did we manage 20 years ago at home when there was no caller ID. I can't understand this paranoia about private numbers, what is the difference between a private number and a number that you don't recognise or have in your mobile!?!?!?!

I'd love to know what is behind this, why do people freak out when they get a private number coming up on their phone??? I see car sale ads now with "no private numbers", what the fu*k is this all about??? :rolleyes::rolleyes:

Ah ffs, everybody knows that there were no paedophiles, practical jokers or identity fraudsters back then - sure we had nothing to worry about in the 80s, those were innocent times... (polishes rose-tinted specs etc)

Ebonyellie

Why dont you ring the number from a payphone? anyway shouldnt you be worrying about what the rest of us are worrying about? being screwed by the budget? man id love your problems!

seamus

Darragh29 wrote: »

While we're discussing this, why on earth do people refuse to answer private numbers??? How did we manage 20 years ago at home when there was no caller ID. I can't understand this paranoia about private numbers, what is the difference between a private number and a number that you don't recognise or have in your mobile!?!?!?!

If you don't want me to know your number, then I don't want to answer your call. Simple as.

Imagine someone knocked on your door, you ask, "Who is it?" and they say, "I'm not telling you". Would you answer it, or would you tell them, "Fine so, see ya later"?

Darragh29

seamus wrote: »

If you don't want me to know your number, then I don't want to answer your call. Simple as.

Imagine someone knocked on your door, you ask, "Who is it?" and they say, "I'm not telling you". Would you answer it, or would you tell them, "Fine so, see ya later"?

When someone knocks on my door, I answer it to see who it is ffs! While you mention it, I've also noticed that sometimes when I'm in a mates house, if there is a knock on the door, they are afraid to answer it! If I say, "Paul, there's someone at the door!", he'll nervously light up a cigarette and say, "Ah just leave it, I'm not expecting anyone..."!!!

This is alien to me, I have my own business so when the phone rings, I answer it, not answering it is just plain stupid!

What are people so afraid of when someone knocks on their door or a private number comes up on their mobile!?!?!?!

@Seamus: Seamus, I already know that loads of people won't answer their phone if it's a private number, and clearly you fall into that category of people. What I wanted to know was WHY, people have taken up this habit. Why are they uninterested in the call if they don't know who it is??? For years we answered phones when they rang, now unless we know who it is before we answer, we refuse to answer the phone...

I think whatever psychology is behind the refusal to answer private numbers, the refusal to answer a knock at the door if you aren't expecting someone, is also behind the recent trends in people getting their vehicle windows tinted so you can't see in.

This way of doing things recently seems to be going in one direction, basically "if I don't know you, I don't want you to see me and I don't want to have any interaction with you whatsoever, so I'll tint my windows so you can't see me, I won't answer my door if you are looking for me and I won't answer my phone to you"...

Does anyone out there see what I'm seeing here???

javaboy

Darragh29 wrote: »

While we're discussing this, why on earth do people refuse to answer private numbers??? How did we manage 20 years ago at home when there was no caller ID. I can't understand this paranoia about private numbers, what is the difference between a private number and a number that you don't recognise or have in your mobile!?!?!?!

I'd love to know what is behind this, why do people freak out when they get a private number coming up on their phone??? I see car sale ads now with "no private numbers", what the fu*k is this all about??? :rolleyes::rolleyes:

Like seamus said, it's a case of "what are they hiding?" It's not the same as before when there was no caller ID. People with private numbers have made a deliberate choice to not let you see their number. That's suspicious to a lot of people. With the car sale ads, it's probably to reduce nuisance calls.

javaboy

Darragh29 wrote: »

What are people so afraid of when someone knocks on their door or a private number comes up on their mobile!?!?!?!

@Seamus: Seamus, I already know that loads of people won't answer their phone if it's a private number, and clearly you fall into that category of people. What I wanted to know was WHY, people have taken up this habit. Why are they uninterested in the call if they don't know who it is??? For years we answered phones when they rang, now unless we know who it is before we answer, we refuse to answer the phone...

Ok change Seamus' metaphor to an intercom system. Let's say you live in an apartment where people have to buzz and wait for you to release the door. Would you open up for someone who refused to identify themselves?

There is something suspicious about people deliberately hiding their identity from you. And it's not necessarily that people are afraid of answering them. It's just irritating for some people.

The_Minister

seamus wrote: »

If you don't want me to know your number, then I don't want to answer your call. Simple as.

Imagine someone knocked on your door, you ask, "Who is it?" and they say, "I'm not telling you". Would you answer it, or would you tell them, "Fine so, see ya later"?

At the very least, talk to them through the letterbox:rolleyes:

emeraldstar

Darragh29 wrote: »

What are people so afraid of when someone knocks on their door or a private number comes up on their mobile!?!?!?!

People are evil.

seamus

Darragh29 wrote: »

@Seamus: Seamus, I already know that loads of people won't answer their phone if it's a private number, and clearly you fall into that category of people. What I wanted to know was WHY, people have taken up this habit. Why are they uninterested in the call if they don't know who it is??? For years we answered phones when they rang, now unless we know who it is before we answer, we refuse to answer the phone...

As already pointed out, they've gone to the trouble of specifically hiding their number. When we had no caller ID, we didn't know who was calling or what their intentions were.

Identically, when I see a number I don't recognise I don't know who they are or what their intentions are. But when a number has been specifically withheld, they have clearly withheld it to avoid me being able to know their number.

At the very least, talk to them through the letterbox:rolleyes:

Why would I waste my time? If they're not open with me, they can go **** themselves.

Darragh29

seamus wrote: »

As already pointed out, they've gone to the trouble of specifically hiding their number. When we had no caller ID, we didn't know who was calling or what their intentions were.

Identically, when I see a number I don't recognise I don't know who they are or what their intentions are. But when a number has been specifically withheld, they have clearly withheld it to avoid me being able to know their number.

Why would I waste my time? If they're not open with me, they can go **** themselves.

Simply not true. I got a new landline recently and when it was set up by Eircom, they set it up as a witheld number by default. Many offices are set up this was due to internal switchboard configuration, etc. No malicious intent, nobody trying to mislead you or set you up, so what all the paranoia???

Does this initial and immediate reaction by someone receiving a call not suggest an unsettling depth of paranoia on the person receiving the call than on the person making it. If I get a private number and answer it, it is always someone I know, calling from a payphone or a work number, it's never some person deliberately hiding their caller ID ffs!?!?!?!

You are just wrong when you suggest that everytime a private number comes up on your phone, that someone is trying to withhold something from you. Even if the number does come up and you don't recognise it (the number isn't in your stored contacts), I bet you will won't answer it!

The_Minister

I have my phone set to call all numbers private number, just because when out, my friends often borrow my phone to call their friends.After one friend borrowed my phone and called his drug-dealer, I found it easier to just leave my phone set to private, since most of the people I know aren't paranoid.

javaboy

Darragh29 wrote: »

Simply not true. I got a new landline recently and when it was set up by Eircom, they set it up as a witheld number by default. Many offices are set up this was due to internal switchboard configuration, etc. No malicious intent, nobody trying to mislead you or set you up, so what all the paranoia???

I think it's fair to say that the majority of people with witheld numbers chose to have them witheld. There are exceptions obviously.

Does this initial and immediate reaction by someone receiving a call not suggest an unsettling depth of paranoia on the person receiving the call than on the person making it.

Personally I answer private calls but I don't think it's paranoia to find it annoying. In most cases the person has deliberately chosen to hide it so the suspicion is justified to a certain extent. Witheld number implies something to hide. Not answering witheld numbers implies someone is fed up of nuisance calls.

I bet you will won't answer it!

I bet he willn't!:)

seamus

Darragh29 wrote: »

Simply not true. I got a new landline recently and when it was set up by Eircom, they set it up as a witheld number by default. Many offices are set up this was due to internal switchboard configuration, etc. No malicious intent, nobody trying to mislead you or set you up, so what all the paranoia???

It's not paranoia at all. I simply don't want to answer it.

You are just wrong when you suggest that everytime a private number comes up on your phone, that someone is trying to withhold something from you. Even if the number does come up and you don't recognise it (the number isn't in your stored contacts), I bet you will won't answer it!

There's a good chance I won't. There's also a good chance that I won't answer calls from numbers I do recognise too, because I'm just lazy like that. I also have a touch of control freak about me in that I prefer to make calls on my terms rather than answer them when it mightn't suit me.

Darragh29

javaboy wrote: »

I think it's fair to say that the majority of people with witheld numbers chose to have them witheld. There are exceptions obviously.



Personally I answer private calls but I don't think it's paranoia to find it annoying. In most cases the person has deliberately chosen to hide it so the suspicion is justified to a certain extent. Witheld number implies something to hide. Not answering witheld numbers implies someone is fed up of nuisance calls.



I bet he willn't!:)

:D:D

But under what circumstances would someone be ringing you from a private number, having decided to keep the number from you and be trying to basically trick you into taking a call??? This is what I'm trying to get at!?!?!?! This thing, "Ah private number, fu*k off", somewhere there is a fear of the person on the other end of the phone, what is it based on is what I'm trying to get to the bottom of...

Seamus keeps telling me his opinion, I accept it but I don't understand it. What is there to fear here???

seamus

There's no fear.

However, 99% of all the calls I've answered with unknown numbers have been people trying to sell me something. They hide their numbers so you can't go, "Ah these ****ers again, they can **** off."

For example, about a month ago I was getting 3 missed calls a day from UK numbers. They left no voicemails or anything. Googled the numbers, seemed to be some sort of telesales scammers. So I started just hanging up on them. Then they stopped for about two weeks. And now I get three missed calls a day from an unknown number. No voicemails left. I answered once for the craic, and I could hear a call centre in the background and nothing else. So they clearly hid their numbers to prevent people from telling that it's them.

It irritates me because I have the phone in my pocket, so it takes effort to see who's calling me.

Now I've blocked unknown numbers and I get no irritation.

If someone wants to talk to me, they'll leave a voicemail and I'll call them back.

robinph

It's got nothing to do with fear, it's to do with not being interested. If a number comes up that I do recognise then I'd be just as likely to ignore it if I don't want to talk to them at that time and will call them back or contact them by another means when suitable for me.

If it's a private number though then I'm certainly not interested in what they may have to say to me. If it's someone I do know then they have plenty of other means of contacting me. If it's someone I don't know then where the feck did they get my number from?

Quazzie

I don't answer prvt numbers because its either snyper breathing heavy or trying to sell me kids

Darragh29

seamus wrote: »

There's no fear.

However, 99% of all the calls I've answered with unknown numbers have been people trying to sell me something. They hide their numbers so you can't go, "Ah these ****ers again, they can **** off."

I never got one such call in my life. Also, it's hard to see how you can come to this conclusion when you have said that you don't answer private numbers.

seamus wrote: »

For example, about a month ago I was getting 3 missed calls a day from UK numbers. They left no voicemails or anything. Googled the numbers, seemed to be some sort of telesales scammers. So I started just hanging up on them. Then they stopped for about two weeks. And now I get three missed calls a day from an unknown number. No voicemails left. I answered once for the craic, and I could hear a call centre in the background and nothing else. So they clearly hid their numbers to prevent people from telling that it's them.

I never get these calls and haven't heard of anyone else getting cold calls like this...

seamus wrote: »

If someone wants to talk to me, they'll leave a voicemail and I'll call them back.

Costing you money, inconvenience and time. All they are leaving on a voicemail message is exactly what they would have said had you answered the phone, so whatever it is that they have to say, you're still getting the same information!!!

I really think this argument doesn't add up!?!?!

Darragh29

robinph wrote: »

It's got nothing to do with fear, it's to do with not being interested. If a number comes up that I do recognise then I'd be just as likely to ignore it if I don't want to talk to them at that time and will call them back or contact them by another means when suitable for me.

If it's a private number though then I'm certainly not interested in what they may have to say to me. If it's someone I do know then they have plenty of other means of contacting me. If it's someone I don't know then where the feck did they get my number from?

Just because the number is private and isn't in your phonebook, doesn't mean that the person who is trying to call you isn't known to you!

I see people getting calls from private numbers and they literally have a panic attack when it happens. Then they are tormented for the next hour wondering who it was and what they wanted, as is clearly the case here on this thead, the OP is stressing himself out about this!?!?!

I think it is just ignornant or weird if you are standing there with a phone in your hand ringing and you're afraid to answer it because you don't know who is at the other end!

javaboy

Darragh29 wrote: »

I never got one such call in my life. Also, it's hard to see how you can come to this conclusion when you have said that you don't answer private numbers.

He said 99% of the calls he answered.

I never get these calls and haven't heard of anyone else getting cold calls like this...

You have now. Seamus has got some and so have I.

Costing you money, inconvenience and time. All they are leaving on a voicemail message is exactly what they would have said had you answered the phone, so whatever it is that they have to say, you're still getting the same information!!!

I really think this argument doesn't add up!?!?!

The difference being he can choose when to check his voicemail. That makes a big difference. e.g. he can check his voicemail while sitting on the throne and not lose a moment of productive time.

Plus a lot of these people won't leave a voicemail because they probably won't take the return call if there is one and therefore won't get any commission.

seamus

Darragh29 wrote: »

I never got one such call in my life. Also, it's hard to see how you can come to this conclusion when you have said that you don't answer private numbers.

As I said, 99% of them. So that's about 20 calls in total that I've answered.

I never get these calls and haven't heard of anyone else getting cold calls like this...

Yeah, never got cold calls quite like them before (read: persistent), no idea why I'm getting them now. Must have been some site I bought stuff off.

Costing you money, inconvenience and time. All they are leaving on a voicemail message is exactly what they would have said had you answered the phone, so whatever it is that they have to say, you're still getting the same information!!!

Exactly: I'm getting information, without having to provide any. As I say, it's probably just my nature. I would prefer to have the information and decide whether I want to ring back, and if I do I can be prepared.

I got a phone call about 3 weeks ago. Incidentally I just didn't have my phone with me at the time. They left a voicemail. I listened to it when I had the time to. It was Bank of Ireland, who apparently had some products to offer me. Since all that could be is an overdraft or a loan, I chose not to ring them back. That leaves the power in my hands and I wasn't irritated or inconvenienced.

Caoimhín

Darragh29 wrote: »

When someone knocks on my door, I answer it to see who it is ffs! While you mention it, I've also noticed that sometimes when I'm in a mates house, if there is a knock on the door, they are afraid to answer it! If I say, "Paul, there's someone at the door!", he'll nervously light up a cigarette and say, "Ah just leave it, I'm not expecting anyone..."!!!

This is alien to me, I have my own business so when the phone rings, I answer it, not answering it is just plain stupid!

What are people so afraid of when someone knocks on their door or a private number comes up on their mobile!?!?!?!

@Seamus: Seamus, I already know that loads of people won't answer their phone if it's a private number, and clearly you fall into that category of people. What I wanted to know was WHY, people have taken up this habit. Why are they uninterested in the call if they don't know who it is??? For years we answered phones when they rang, now unless we know who it is before we answer, we refuse to answer the phone...

I think whatever psychology is behind the refusal to answer private numbers, the refusal to answer a knock at the door if you aren't expecting someone, is also behind the recent trends in people getting their vehicle windows tinted so you can't see in.

This way of doing things recently seems to be going in one direction, basically "if I don't know you, I don't want you to see me and I don't want to have any interaction with you whatsoever, so I'll tint my windows so you can't see me, I won't answer my door if you are looking for me and I won't answer my phone to you"...

Does anyone out there see what I'm seeing here???

Darragh, the reason i don't answer a private number is simply that the caller has gone to the effort to block their number, therefore i see it as an attempt to take me by surprise. It a caller hasn't the manners to display their number then i refuse to answer.

Also, the Guards, ex girlfriends, crank callers and the bank always call with a withheld number, so i save myself the hassle and wont answer.

robinph

Darragh29 wrote: »

Just because the number is private and isn't in your phonebook, doesn't mean that the person who is trying to call you isn't known to you!

Not suggesting that I don't know them, just that I don't wish to speak to them. I will answer the phone when I want to, not when someone else decides. It's just about if you let the phone ringing dictate what you do or not.

I will quite happily leave the phone ringing in work even if it's not a good time for me to be taking that call from that person immediately and call them back at a time convenient for me.

Darragh29

caoibhin wrote: »

Darragh, the reason i don't answer a private number is simply that the caller has gone to the effort to block their number, therefore i see it as an attempt to take me by surprise. It a caller hasn't the manners to display their number then i refuse to answer.

Also, the Guards, ex girlfriends, crank callers and the bank always call with a withheld number, so i save myself the hassle and wont answer.

If I ring people from my work number, it comes up as private number. I don't go to the effort of blocking the number, I just pick up the phone and make a call. It's nothing to do with manners or Gardai or banks or ex girlfriends, it's just the way the system was set up!

robinph wrote: »

Not suggesting that I don't know them, just that I don't wish to speak to them. I will answer the phone when I want to, not when someone else decides. It's just about if you let the phone ringing dictate what you do or not.

I will quite happily leave the phone ringing in work even if it's not a good time for me to be taking that call from that person immediately and call them back at a time convenient for me.

It sounds to me like there is a general beating around the bush here with this. Nobody can explain to me WHY they will not answer a private call. All I'm hearing is "I just won't, I don't want to, I'll decide when I'll answer my phone, etc".

Now I don't get many of these calls, if it is someone with a wrong number, no harm done, I tell them they have the wrong number! If it is the Gardai, I ask them what they want and hope to fu*k that my premises or my house hasn't been robbed!

Ignoring calls like this is just silly in my opinion. Ok, some folks here get unsolicited calls from businesses.

I see people having panic attacks when a private call comes in on their phone and nobody here can explain why this is happening...???

robinph

Darragh29 wrote: »

I see people having panic attacks when a private call comes in on their phone and nobody here can explain why this is happening...???

Don't know about those people, they sound a bit odd really.

javaboy

Darragh29 wrote: »

It sounds to me like there is a general beating around the bush here with this. Nobody can explain to me WHY they will not answer a private call. All I'm hearing is "I just won't, I don't want to, I'll decide when I'll answer my phone, etc".

You're also hearing people like Seamus say they get nuisance calls. Some people's phone numbers end up on these lists and get regular cold calls. If seamus was to answer every private number, he'd be wasting valuable time. What's so hard to understand about that?

I see people having panic attacks when a private call comes in on their phone and nobody here can explain why this is happening...???

I think you're exaggerating about the panic attacks but yeah it shouldn't really cause anyone a lot of stress to receive a witheld call. Anyone who reacts really badly probably has other issues.

You never answered my earlier question btw:

javaboy wrote:

Ok change Seamus' metaphor to an intercom system. Let's say you live in an apartment where people have to buzz and wait for you to release the door. Would you open up for someone who refused to identify themselves?

tony1kenobi

Darragh29 wrote: »

It sounds to me like there is a general beating around the bush here with this. Nobody can explain to me WHY they will not answer a private call.

I won't answer a private call because I have something to hide.