Would you answer a call from a strange number?

Sh1tbag OToole

There was a thread a while ago about answering calls from blocked numbers, for this thread I mean proper numbers that you can actually call back, not the scam phone calls from meteor offering discounts originating from '00' and wanting to confirm your name and pin number.

I know someone who couldn't phone her kids in the States because she would have a "goofy number" starting with +44 and they wouldn't answer it. She had to contact them some other way and tell them which numbers were hers.

What I've noticed a lot if I call someone - usually girls I havn't called before they won't answer. Que the phone call then a few hours later from a strange number or private number with some person breathing on the other line and a bit of giggling in the background and it would be this girl with her friend's phone or a spare one trying to be very clever indeed to suss out who it was that called.

I don't answer them anymore because once I answered it and delayed putting the phone to my ear for a few seconds and a fist protruded from the earpiece at lightning speed. That incident showed me that there's real danger involved with answering these calls so its better not to take the risk.

Banjo String

50% of my calls are from unknown numbers, ie numbers not stored on my phone.Why wouldn't I answer them?


Little known fact.

Anyone with an iPhone/Android, download an app called 'hullomail' if you've a private number calling you, reject the call, and the app will display the number that tried to call you.

You can then decide to, or not to, call it back.

sinjin_smythe

Sh1tbag OToole wrote: »

I don't answer them anymore because once I answered it and delayed putting the phone to my ear for a few seconds and a fist protruded from the earpiece at lightning speed. That incident showed me that there's real danger involved with answering these calls so its better not to take the risk.

what?

YellowFeather

WORD OF WARNING HERE! I have the occasional time in my life where I don't answer calls from numbers I don't recognise for fear of being stuck talking to oddballs. Usually, when that happens, I'd dial into the caller's voicemail message (08 prefix + 5, then the rest of the number - only works for some mobile networks) in the hope that their voicemail message would include their name so I could figure out who it is. But, the last time I tried that, the person had a Blackberry which told them that they had missed a call from me!

Thank Jaysus it was work related and not somebody that I was pretending to be dead to.

As an aside, when we were kids and everybody's voicemail password was default 0000 and nobody bothered changing it, we had great fun dialing in and changing their voicemail message. Ahhhhh - good times!!

NegativeCreep

Why wouldn't you? It's not like you can be killed through the fuckin phone.

Holsten

I never do it.

I cancel the call and then Google the number haha.

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

NegativeCreep wrote: »

Why wouldn't you? It's not like you can be killed through the fuckin phone.

Were you not listening to the story?

A FIST camr THROUGH the EARPIECE!

Where To

I'd be the world's worst businessman if I didn't.:pac:

Chemical Burn

SamHall wrote: »

50% of my calls are from unknown numbers, ie numbers not stored on my phone.Why wouldn't I answer them?


Little known fact.

Anyone with an iPhone/Android, download an app called 'hullomail' if you've a private number calling you, reject the call, and the app will display the number that tried to call you.

You can then decide to, or not to, call it back.

Is this a subscription service? Do you have to pay for it? Why is Meteor not available on it when you're setting up? MY number is 086, but I am on Meteor.

Chemical Burn

BTW< by "unknown number", I think the OP means blocked/private. A lot of people call me on private, it really irks me. If you bloody know me, then why block your number form me??

Sh1tbag OToole

Chemical Burn wrote: »

BTW< by "unknown number", I think the OP means blocked/private. A lot of people call me on private, it really irks me. If you bloody know me, then why block your number form me??

I mean a proper number just one you don't recognise or have saved, the blocked number thread was done not so long ago

wardy2

id just let the call go to voice mail ,if its is important they will leave a message.....

Fox_In_Socks

This was like thread a few months ago where people were scared of answering a knock at the front door.

"Oh, I'm not expecting them! They didn't ring first! Must be a weirdo! Help!"






(May have slightly exaggerated, but you love it really, you know you do)

Pottler

I have a special answering service for people who call me on private numbers. It's very technical, sophisticated and a great filter. I dial 171 to access it. Didn't leave a voicemail? Feck off so.

Duck Soup

Fox_In_Socks wrote: »

This was like thread a few months ago where people were scared of answering a knock at the front door.

"Oh, I'm not expecting them! They didn't ring first! Must be a weirdo! Help!"






(May have slightly exaggerated, but you love it really, you know you do)

No, it's not a weirdo. But 99 times out of a hundred, it's someone wanting you to part with money. Especially with mobiles being near universal, anyone you know will give you some kind of a heads up before they arrive.

It's getting that way with mobiles. If I don't recognise the number, I'll let it go through to voicemail. If it's not somebody looking for me to buy/change a service or scam me, they can leave a message and I'll get back to them in a jiffy.

Sh1tbag OToole

I have an aversion to leaving voice mail. I always just call back some other time. If they are deliberately trying to screen my call this way then they may never find out who is calling them

Fox_In_Socks

Duck Soup wrote: »

No, it's not a weirdo. But 99 times out of a hundred, it's someone wanting you to part with money. Especially with mobiles being near universal, anyone you know will give you some kind of a heads up before they arrive.

It's getting that way with mobiles. If I don't recognise the number, I'll let it go through to voicemail. If it's not somebody looking for me to buy/change a service or scam me, they can leave a message and I'll get back to them in a jiffy.

If you make a thread in Afterhours, will I need to pm you that I shall be posting in it? Before I pm you, should I leave a visitor message on your profile, telling you that I will pm you?:pac:

Sorry! I've quoted/interacted with you without prior warning! I apologise if you feel violated.:pac:

Where To

I haven't checked my voicemail since 1999. How long before the messages get auto-deleted?

Pottler

Sh1tbag OToole wrote: »

I have an aversion to leaving voice mail. I always just call back some other time. If they are deliberately trying to screen my call this way then they may never find out who is calling them

That's funny, cos I always reckon if they have a private number, and didn't leave a voicemail, it was just some sh1tbag..:D

P_1

Usually answer them with a hello, who's calling. If it's a telemarketer or whatever i simply hang up

Duck Soup

Fox_In_Socks wrote: »

If you make a thread in Afterhours, will I need to pm you that I shall be posting in it? Before I pm you, should I leave a visitor message on your profile, telling you that I will pm you?:pac:

Sorry! I've quoted/interacted with you without prior warning! I apologise if you feel violated.:pac:

If I make a thread in After Hours, I've initiated a conversation. Not surprisingly, I would welcome participants in my conversation.

On the other hand, if you're having soup in a restaurant with a friend and I pull up a chair and try to sell you a pair of shoes, you might not welcome the opportunity.

I don't mind people I don't know ringing me up if they're not trying to sell me something. The problem is, they usually are. Leave a message on voicemail and I'll figure out for myself if I want to respond. How difficult is that?

OneArt

NegativeCreep wrote: »

Why wouldn't you? It's not like you can be killed through the fuckin phone.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O4dJ3NMPauk

Don't be too sure.

Doc Ruby

I try to call them back but there's never an answer. Every other weekend I get calls at 1-3am on a Saturday night, call them back the next day and nothing. What's that all about.

Sh1tbag OToole

Pottler wrote: »

That's funny, cos I always reckon if they have a private number, and didn't leave a voicemail, it was just some sh1tbag..:D

I don't call from private numbers though so must be a different sh1tbag.

These days I look forward to telemarketers. An excellent opportunity to start taking the piss, its like making a prank phonecall except I don't have to bother with dialing the number

Happyman42

Pottler wrote: »

I have a special answering service for people who call me on private numbers. It's very technical, sophisticated and a great filter.

How do you do that?



Re: Phone calls in general-there's nothing in the contract with Eircom that says 'I have to answer'.

7ofBrian

No. I never answer an unknown or hidden number. Its usually someone looking for money lol. I have voicemail for a reason. If they make themselves known to me and i want to talk to them,ill call em back. If they remain hidden its obviosly for a reason so screw em

BOHtox

Holsten wrote: »

I never do it.

I cancel the call and then Google the number haha.

AHAHAHAHAHA wait... what are we laughing at?

starviewadams

No,if anyone's ringing me on a private number it's probably the schneaky debt collectors,I aint ever gonna answer lads so stop ringing me!

humberklog

Pi- Hey! Neil!

Me- "ignore that roundy spouting feckwit" just before I trapped myself in a moveable walled rhomboid.

Pi- Ggggggaaaayyy!


Still don't answer it's calls.

Solair

Can you imagine how it was in the old days when every call was a surprise!
No caller ID, just a loud ringing bell!

The only people who could screen calls could afford to hire a PA / secretary.

Pottler

Solair wrote: »

Can you imagine how it was in the old days when every call was a surprise!
No caller ID, just a loud ringing bell!

The only people who could screen calls could afford to hire a PA / secretary.

"Herro, Sunshine Wok, take order prease.......oh, it's you Mick, whaddaya want?"

Happyman42

When we got our first phone it was an A+B coin phone. Children nearly died in the stampede to the hall door to answer it when it rang. Half the neighbourhood used to get calls at our house, you'd be flat out running to get people. Changed times.:D

Novella

I really don't understand why people are so terrified of answering their own phones. Seriously. If you answer a call and you realise you don't want to speak to the caller, you can make an excuse or amazingly, just disconnect. It's not a big deal.

I answer my phone whether I know who's calling, whether the number is unknown to me or even if it's private number.

Pottler

Novella wrote: »

I really don't understand why people are so terrified of answering their own phones. Seriously. If you answer a call and you realise you don't want to speak to the caller, you can make an excuse or amazingly, just disconnect. It's not a big deal.

I answer my phone whether I know who's calling, whether the number is unknown to me or even if it's private number.

Ah bless, the innocence..:pac:

Mickey H

Holsten wrote: »

I never do it.

I cancel the call and then Google the number haha.

What do you do if Google tells you that the number belongs to a Whore House in Thailand?

Jester252

NegativeCreep wrote: »

Why wouldn't you? It's not like you can be killed through the fuckin phone.

Somebody never played the Calling

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=M2l9od3_h2I#t=1539s

D1stant

Novella wrote: »

I really don't understand why people are so terrified of answering their own phones. Seriously. If you answer a call and you realise you don't want to speak to the caller, you can make an excuse or amazingly, just disconnect. It's not a big deal.

I answer my phone whether I know who's calling, whether the number is unknown to me or even if it's private number.

This.

Or download an app to check what their number is and then call them back .... on your credit. FFS phone strategies suck Just answer the fcukin thing

newmug

D1stant wrote: »

This.

Or download an app to check what their number is and then call them back .... on your credit. FFS phone strategies suck Just answer the fcukin thing

Download an app??? Suck???

I'm guessing you're under 20, or else you have had a very sheltered life. You will learn, with experience, that always answering the phone can sometimes be unwise.

Sofiztikated

Yeah, I nearly always do.

If its someone trying to sell me something, I'll just say, "naw, you're ok, thanks." They say, "no problem" and someone hangs up.

If its questionnaire stuff, sometimes I'll go through it, sometimes they get the "naw, its ok, thanks"

They're not really bothering me that much. I mean some human contact inbetween looking pictures of cats in amusing memes and arguing on boards.ie, can't really be a bad thing.

April O Neill

Yup, I answer them. Sometimes with apprehension but rarely enough is it a telemarketer. Usually it's something to do with confirming an appointment or booking I've made, that kinda thing.

Capt'n Midnight

I tend not to answer calls that come from eleventeen or pi^e*i

Ruudi_Mentari

But every call was from a 'strange' number once.. it's not always black or white / clique or freak. Could be a relative, dyin who just grabbed the nearest phone and are dependant on your response

Oink

Ruudi_Mentari wrote: »

But every call was from a 'strange' number once.. it's not always black or white / clique or freak. Could be a relative, dyin who just grabbed the nearest phone and are dependant on your response

If my number's not on speed dial, I can't think of any relative who could remember my number, even with a gun to their head...

Sh1tbag OToole

Solair wrote: »

Can you imagine how it was in the old days when every call was a surprise!
No caller ID, just a loud ringing bell!

The only people who could screen calls could afford to hire a PA / secretary.

Its what inspired me to make the thread. Here in the Youkay we have a landline with no caller display because it costs extra so I havn't a notion whose calling. Some of the tender souls here would never answer such a phone

Banjo String

Chemical Burn wrote: »

Is this a subscription service? Do you have to pay for it? Why is Meteor not available on it when you're setting up? MY number is 086, but I am on Meteor.

The basic version is free.

Subscription, €6 per month.

Both version's reveal the private number though.

Also handy for anyone on 3 contact, ad this provides free voicemail, three charge me for voicemail (my bills are 100 per month too) :cool:

summerskin

newmug wrote: »

I'm guessing you're under 20, or else you have had a very sheltered life. You will learn, with experience, that always answering the phone can sometimes be unwise.

I'm 40. have always answered my phone to any number/private number etc it has never proved to be unwise.

what's the point in having a phone if you don't answer it?


then again, i've never had the debt collectors after me.....