What do you do when an unknown/blocked number rings you?

SparkySpitfire

Usually if a number is blocked and I'm not expecting a call, I won't pick up. Just there I got a call that my phone says came from Limerick/Scariff (061) area code. I picked up and the caller hung up immediately. Weird I thought. I don't even know anyone from Limerick; who gave you my number or how dare you type mine by mistake :mad:

Vojera

I don't answer blocked numbers unless I'm expecting a call. If it's important they'll leave a message. I hate talking to strangers on the phone.

fleet_admiral

I dont answer private numbers as a rule

HardenendMan

Have a ****. Wait, what was the question?

RayM

I usually answer in an abrupt tone of voice, just in case it's somebody trying to sell me something.

Sir Osis of Liver.

I answer all calls except the 061 numbers.

Cold War Kid

I answer it. I can't understand why people are so terrified of undisclosed numbers, but they are. Not sure what they're afraid of happening to them if they answer though. When there was no caller ID they just answered, so there appears to be something perhaps a little faddy about it.
If it's a cold call I just say "Sorry, I'm not free at the moment" and hang up. It usually is a cold call, but you can't always know. At the moment there's something up with my friend's phone so calls from her come up as blocked number.

The Backwards Man

Caller ID is the worst innovation in the history of the human race. Used to be when the phone rang you answered it, now it's a case a looking at the screen like it''s the control panel of a thermonuclear warhead, then frantically googling the number to see if you can figure out who it is.

jca

The Backwards Man wrote: »

Caller ID is the worst innovation in the history of the human race. Used to be when the phone rang you answered it, now it's a case a looking at the screen like it''s the control panel of a thermonuclear warhead, then frantically googling the number to see if you can figure out who it is.

Ha ha. That's like my grandparents passing a letter from one to the other saying, I wonder who its from repeatedly, just open it ffs!!!

SparkySpitfire

I don't want to talk to strangers though. If I didn't give you my number who are you to be calling me like.

MistyCheese

PANIC!

What I tend to do is; I place the phone carefully on the table, cover it with a saucepan, put something fairly heavy on top of the saucepan and then set the house on fire, and run like hell. Just to be really sure.

ShoulderChip

RayM wrote: »

I usually answer in an abrupt tone of voice, just in case it's somebody trying to sell me something.

Does that stop the trying to sell stuff? or does it just come accross as weird if you then realise you know the person and immediately change your tone?

The Backwards Man

SparkySpitfire wrote: »

I don't want to talk to strangers though. If I didn't give you my number who are you to be calling me like.

How do you know they are strangers if you don't answer it? It could be someone you know ringing from another phone for any multitude of reasons.

LadyAthame

I don't answer. Why are you witholding your number?

ShoulderChip

My phone has an app which searches its directory for the number calling me, and shows what company it is etc, it also warns me if others have reported the number as spam and allows me to block numbers easily.

SparkySpitfire

The Backwards Man wrote: »

How do you know they are strangers if you don't answer it? It could be someone you know ringing from another phone for any multitude of reasons.

They'd leave a voicemail if it was important. Besides that, it's very rare I get a call that's not from work, I prefer face to face for long chats or texts for short ones.

Moyglish

ShoulderChip wrote: »

My phone has an app which searches its directory for the number calling me, and shows what company it is etc, it also warns me if others have reported the number as spam and allows me to block numbers easily.

What's the app?

MistyCheese

ShoulderChip wrote: »

My phone has an app which searches its directory for the number calling me, and shows what company it is etc, it also warns me if others have reported the number as spam and allows me to block numbers easily.

Yeah? Well, em, my phone has a calculator in it.

OldMrBrennan83

This post has been deleted.

bottlebrush

You answer it and just like the olden days you call out your phone number digit by digit

LadyAthame

MistyCheese wrote: »

Yeah, well, my phone has a calculator in it.

I don't use apps either!

ShoulderChip

MistyCheese wrote: »

Yeah, well, my phone has a calculator in it.

Oh yeah? did it make the list of the top 14 calculator apps?
http://www.androidauthority.com/best-android-calculator-apps-577878/

degsie

I go straight to Boards and stick up a post about it.

The Backwards Man

I had to bin my last phone because the dialler gave up on it. Smartphones, an app for everything except a fcuking phone.

Undergod

Usually when my phone rings I answer it like.

RayM

ShoulderChip wrote: »

Does that stop the trying to sell stuff? or does it just come accross as weird if you then realise you know the person and immediately change your tone?

It makes the "sorry, I'm busy right now" sound more sincere. If it's someone I know, I either apologise for using my 'blocked number voice' or ask them why the fuck they're ringing from a blocked number (depending on how well I know them).

MistyCheese

I don't know and I can't check it right now. An unknown number tried to ring me there a minute ago so I had to get the matches out.

Cold War Kid

LadyAthame wrote: »

I don't answer. Why are you witholding your number?

Probably not for a sinister reason.

Undergod wrote: »

Usually when my phone rings I answer it like.

What?! Mad, crazy carry-on!

LadyAthame

Yeah well i don't shrug. I don't even like talking on the phone.

anncoates

Never answer it.

They can leave a message if it's important.

It's nearly always something like a recruitment agency or cold caller.

If a mate ever rings me from a different phone, like a work one, I'll save it so I recognize it in future.

LadyAthame

anncoates wrote: »

Never answer it.

They can leave a message if it's important.

It's nearly always something like a recruitment agency or cold caller.

Exactly they will leave a message and you can call back.

Undergod

If it's someone like that I don't want to talk to I can just hang up on them.

LadyAthame

Undergod wrote: »

If it's someone like that I don't want to talk to I can just hang up on them.

Some people don't get the message.

The Diabolical Monocle

Answer, obviously.

Could be someone you know ran out of credit and got a loan of a strangers phone who has the number blocked.
or
Some payphones still exist out there and may have no number displayed.
or
your friend was playing with settings/settings got adjusted while phone bouncing around in pocket, he's calling to invite you to the awesome thing.


so its a gamble of (someone you know who badly needs your help) VS (oh sorry wrong number).




worst case scenario is 'hi its steve calling, did you know you could save up to 30% on yo' - bleeep.

The Backwards Man

anncoates wrote: »

Never answer it.

They can leave a message if it's important.

It's nearly always something like a recruitment agency or cold caller.

If a mate ever rings me from a different phone, like a work one, I'll save it so I recognize it in future.

I have the voicemail deactivated in my phone, can never be arsed listening to them.

Ethel

Cold War Kid wrote: »

I answer it. I can't understand why people are so terrified of undisclosed numbers, but they are.

Nobody is 'terrified' to answer a blocked call. I'm not terrified to answer a blocked call. I choose not to answer for the same reason I won't answer my door unless I'm expecting someone. I like my privacy.

DEFTLEFTHAND

A man named Frank Garrett has been phoning me on a blocked number the past few nights and cursing me out of it. Elderly sounding chap, says he operates a pole barn building company somewhere in Oklahoma. I'm totally confused by it. :(

The Backwards Man

The Diabolical Monocle wrote: »

Answer, obviously.

Could be someone you know ran out of credit and got a loan of a strangers phone who has the number blocked.
or
Some payphones still exist out there and may have no number displayed.
or
your friend was playing with settings/settings got adjusted while phone bouncing around in pocket, he's calling to invite you to the awesome thing.


so its a gamble of (someone you know who badly needs your help) VS (oh sorry wrong number).




worst case scenario is 'hi its steve calling, did you know you could save up to 30% on yo' - bleeep.

Ex directory landlines show up as private too.

buried

I answer it. Could be work related or hopefully a new customer that got my number from someone else. Could be a wrong number. Could be the Microsoft people calling me to fix my computer and I can bull$hit them back for a while until I get bored of it. Could be many things. If I find out the caller is someone that I don't want to talk to I tell them that. Its only a phone call for christsakes

Undergod

LadyAthame wrote: »

Some people don't get the message.

For dealing with a specific problem, like a weirdo stalker, it makes sense to me; as a general policy I've always found it a bit bizarre.

Uncle Ben

The blocked numbers used to precede the registered letters. Now I just don't give a damn and answer them.

MistyCheese

The Diabolical Monocle wrote: »

worst case scenario is 'hi its steve calling, did you know you could save up to 30% on yo' - bleeep.

Aw, you hung up too early. Now we'll never know what Steve was trying to save us 30% on! It could've been something really cool like... love.

Cold War Kid

Ethel wrote: »

Nobody is 'terrified' to answer a blocked call. I'm not terrified to answer a blocked call. I choose not to answer for the same reason I won't answer my door unless I'm expecting someone. I like my privacy.

I've known people to have used the "You wouldn't answer your door to someone wearing a balaclava" analogy (worst analogy ever) in relation to this though :pac: that's what I was thinking of when I used the word "terrified".
I don't answer the door (after checking out the window and seeing it's a Jehovah's Witness or Airtricity sales rep) either. I don't think answering your phone is comparable though - it's just a matter of pressing a button and then pressing another button to end it.

punisher5112

Do YOU like scary movies op.

I can see what you are doing right now.

Don't turn around........
Private number calls are never good either the cops or a killer.

SparkySpitfire

The Diabolical Monocle wrote: »

Some payphones still exist out there and may have no number displayed.

Actually! Smartphone batteries being **** as they are, I was due to meet someone in (Dublin) town but we hadn't arranged a time/place as they didn't know when their luas would arrive so I sat in a cafe off Grafton to wait. My phone ended up dying so I went up to Stephen's Green to use a payphone. Every single one of them had been plastered with "Sorry this phone has been disconnected" and the date of disconnection was a week previous. :mad:

I ended up finding them in the crowd getting off the next luas but if someone was in a genuinely stressful situation, where are they meant to find a phone?

LadyAthame

It's your phone do what you like.

I do get nervy about it and don't like answering it that's why. i know they will leave a message ...if its a genuine call ..if they are private enough to use blocking they should respect the privacy of others.


Mostly if you get a call from a private number they don't leave a message. I have never gotten a message from a private number what does that tell you?

MistyCheese

If they dont leave a message then it doesn't tell you very much at all.

LadyAthame

MistyCheese wrote: »

If they dont leave a message then it doesn't tell you very much at all.

Lol ok you do what you want it's your phone. What a thead!

punisher5112

MistyCheese wrote: »

If they dont leave a message then it doesn't tell you very much at all.

wasn't important so

The Diabolical Monocle

SparkySpitfire wrote: »

Actually! Smartphone batteries being **** as they are, I was due to meet someone in (Dublin) town but we hadn't arranged a time/place as they didn't know when their luas would arrive so I sat in a cafe off Grafton to wait. My phone ended up dying so I went up to Stephen's Green to use a payphone. Every single one of them had been plastered with "Sorry this phone has been disconnected" and the date of disconnection was a week previous. :mad:

I ended up finding them in the crowd getting off the next luas but if someone was in a genuinely stressful situation, where are they meant to find a phone?

You can sometimes recharge your dead phone battery while outdoors by drinking your own piss, Bear Ghrylls had it in his video.

The Backwards Man

It tells me if you're not going to bother answering why should I bother leaving you a message.