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When the Private Number calls

Foxhound38

A friend of mine has, as long as I've known him, refused to take his phone off "Withheld Number". In fact, he bought a new phone of late and the first thing he did was put his number on private. Now, the lad in question can be a bit on the strange side at the best of times to be fair, but I have always found something slightly creepy about this in particular.

Does anyone else generally put their phones on private? Do you answer calls from Private Numbers?

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GirlOfGlass

I never get why people won't answer a private number call.
It's no harm! All you have to do is hang up if you don't like who's calling you.

I also don't get people who call on private number. Are they afraid people won't answer if they see their name come up on their phone!?

spider guardian

I remember years ago there used to be this service that would "display" private numbers. All it turned out to be was a call divert service that would play the caller a message telling them to leave a message or ring back with a displayed number.

Rubbish.

AnonoBoy

looder wrote: »

That is one of the coolest things I've ever seen!

OMG! You'll be blown away when you see one of these things in action then: Amazing!

lucylu

The only time I withhold my number is when I have to ring the plumber otherwise the sh1t will not answer the phone

Banned Account

lucylu wrote: »

The only time I withhold my number is when I have to ring the plumber otherwise the sh1t will not answer the phone

Do you get the plumber in regularly?

Teeheehee

Abrasax

Fitzcaraldo wrote: »

Do you get the plumber in regularly?

'Cept when the painters are in.

gudbuzz

thebigbiffo wrote: »

never EVER answer private numbers....a recent study showed that 99% of the time it's MBNA

and AIB in my case! private numbers = private investigation, no thanks!

Mr. Presentable

Boskowski wrote: »

A bit of a pet hate of mine, hence the rant. Sorry. Here we go.

Not answering private numbers is surely a pretty paranoid thing to be (not) doing. Like Oh Dear I might have to interact with someone. Possibly someone I don't know.:eek: I might have to say to someone 'I don't want to talk to you', or 'I don't want to buy something from you' or 'fvck off'. I might actually have to say something 'real' instead of a fake 'How are you love. Glad you called, listen I was just on my way but I call you back, surely.'? How mortifying, embarrassing, humiliating, inconvenient. Seriously.

Very fvckin American really.

In America people now get caller monitoring. Like you ring that person and a machine talks to you first where you have to leave your name and intent and then press a key or something. So that the person being called can screen the incoming call first without actually having to interact with someone. I should actually start selling those what with the huge number of paranoids on this forum alone.

Pretty fvckin sad really. And very American. So no doubt it will be the must have over here soon, too.

Question by the way to you people not answering to withheld caller id's.
Do you only open letters with the sender firmly written on it? Surely most of those are trying to sell you something or are looking for money...

I think you may have missed the point.

Why conceal your identity? Why?

I often get calls from people I don't want to talk to but to whom I have to show a modicum of respect - mother, for example, so when I see the number I have an informed choice.

Also, the nature of cell phones is that you can get calls wherever and whenever, unlike a landline which you only hear at home/work. So it is also a convenience filter. I'm eating lunch and the phone rings - oh it's Bob, good, or it's someone who doesn't want to ID themselves - tough.

El Horseboxo

Calls from them telemarketers seem to come up as 'call' on my phone rather than private number. Haven't a clue why.

Jeanious

GirlOfGlass wrote: »

I never get why people won't answer a private number call.
It's no harm! All you have to do is hang up if you don't like who's calling you.

a) why bother wasting your time? If its some cold-caller than you havent wasted your time talkin to them....if its someone else, well frankly if they won't show the basic courtesy of letting you know who they are, then they don't deserve to be answered, imho.

b) im sure some companies/scams use autodiallers that know when someone picks up, i.e. that they've just called a valid number. Ignore it and they might eventually fcuk off.

spider guardian wrote: »

I remember years ago there used to be this service that would "display" private numbers. All it turned out to be was a call divert service that would play the caller a message telling them to leave a message or ring back with a displayed number.

Rubbish.

About 3 years ago i had a vodafone bill phone (SE w910i if it matters!) that displayed private numbers as:

Private Number
0871234567

Dunno whether it was a glitch, or that particular phone or what, but when i changed to prepay it stopped workin....fcukin handy though!

brummytom

I answer calls from anyone - plenty of people have my number and I don't have theirs, so it could be one of them. If it's someone being a dickhead, I just hang up.

Only ever put my phone on private (put 141 in front of the number) if pranking.

who the fug

Never answer private numbers, even my boss knows to leave a voice mail and I will call straight back, and when I am at home I get my butler to answer the phone.

Phones are a bleeding menace, if you want to get hold of me and you know me you know where to find me

3hn2givr7mx1sc

Do ye think something bad is going to happen to ye or something if ye answer a private number or what?
So what if it's someone trying to sell you something-just hang up, if it someone you don't want to talk to-tell them you can't talk now.

Simples.

Boskowski

nipplenuts wrote: »

I think you may have missed the point.

Why conceal your identity? Why?

I often get calls from people I don't want to talk to but to whom I have to show a modicum of respect - mother, for example, so when I see the number I have an informed choice.

Also, the nature of cell phones is that you can get calls wherever and whenever, unlike a landline which you only hear at home/work. So it is also a convenience filter. I'm eating lunch and the phone rings - oh it's Bob, good, or it's someone who doesn't want to ID themselves - tough.

Loads of possible reasons. I'm working in an office and I don't want anyone to know my direct dial in. This could apply to loads of things. Could be something bad, could be MBNA. Could be something good, could be that recruitment agency wanting to tell you you can have the job but they need a decision asap.

But I get you. Fair enough and I concede for your average private person there probably isn't a reason not to send it and I'm actually not withholding my number either. But I don't get it why it's such a big deal for some people.

Probably comes from not being 20 anymore and having grown up with and being used to phones not displaying numbers. I mean until a few years ago nobody knew who was ringing. Most normal thing in the world. So when someone says they wouldn't take such a call that sounds so paranoid to me.

galah

never answer them. Used to have a stalker (yes, really), who kept using a private number (among various ever-changing mobile numbers) to call my phone. Ever since then, I will not pick up any private number, or a call from any number I don't recognise.

(I might call the latter crowd back from the landline, in case it was something important...).

biko

Why do people say "Hello?" when answering non-private numbers? They know perfectly well who it is.

El Horseboxo

Boskowski wrote: »

A bit of a pet hate of mine, hence the rant. Sorry. Here we go.

Not answering private numbers is surely a pretty paranoid thing to be (not) doing. Like Oh Dear I might have to interact with someone. Possibly someone I don't know.:eek: I might have to say to someone 'I don't want to talk to you', or 'I don't want to buy something from you' or 'fvck off'. I might actually have to say something 'real' instead of a fake 'How are you love. Glad you called, listen I was just on my way but I call you back, surely.'? How mortifying, embarrassing, humiliating, inconvenient. Seriously.

Very fvckin American really.

In America people now get caller monitoring. Like you ring that person and a machine talks to you first where you have to leave your name and intent and then press a key or something. So that the person being called can screen the incoming call first without actually having to interact with someone. I should actually start selling those what with the huge number of paranoids on this forum alone.

Pretty fvckin sad really. And very American. So no doubt it will be the must have over here soon, too.

Question by the way to you people not answering to withheld caller id's.
Do you only open letters with the sender firmly written on it? Surely most of those are trying to sell you something or are looking for money...

Everyone has someone annoying who calls them more than they want. I have about 2 or 3 of them who call always at the worst time. Either when hungover, just about to eat or when watching something. And they just keep on talking and even when you are clearly trying to tell them that you are busy. They are mates and i get along with them in person but when it comes to calls they really bring out the annoying fúck inside them.

Sometimes they have called with their numbers displayed and sometimes it has been on a private number. Either withheld or from a landline. There are times when i see their name come up on my phone and i won't answer it because i don't want to talk to them. So when i get a phone call from a private number at a time when i don't want to talk to them why should i answer it in case it is them? Nothing to do with paranoia. Just don't wanna risk having the ears burned off me. Don't tell me you've never let your phone ring out when you seen someones name come up who you didn't wanna talk to at that point in time.

liah

It's not a paranoia thing. Phones are inherently rude inventions. It's my life, I'll talk to you when I choose to, I'm not going to be forced into talking to someone I don't want to just because they called me. End of.

AnonoBoy

liah wrote: »

It's not a paranoia thing. Phones are inherently rude inventions. It's my life, I'll talk to you when I choose to, I'm not going to be forced into talking to someone I don't want to just because they called me. End of.

*snap* *snap* *snap* You go girl!

lucylu

Fitzcaraldo wrote: »

Do you get the plumber in regularly?

Teeheehee

we are trying to get him to install solar panels for the last 6 months ...

[Deleted User]

I always answer private numbers, Nothing i hate more than wondering who it was calling me, I find it quite distracting.

A lot of people appear to think the person behind private number is hiding something, imo a person not answering private number is obviously trying to avoid a person/people catching up with them for some reason.

Diabhal Beag

Ever notice how private number users are always shy? Is it just me?

Caoimhín

Abrasax wrote: »

I never understand why people don't answer private numbers.
Do they think the caller is going to put a curse on them or something?

If someone doesnt have the manners to allow their number to be sent, i simply dont answer.

Also, the bank and the Garda use private numbers....

Boskowski

Diabhal Beag wrote: »

Ever notice how private number users are always shy? Is it just me?

fear of rejection.

Biggins

Foxhound38 wrote: »

Does anyone else generally put their phones on private? Do you answer calls from Private Numbers?

Always display my number.

No, I don't answer them.
If someone come up to your door knocking but wearing a mask hiding their face, would you answer it?

Anyway, frankly I consider it rude.
If they have any manners they will say who it is - not have you play constant guessing games.

Banned Account

lucylu wrote: »

we are trying to get him to install solar panels for the last 6 months ...

Will they fit?

Teeheehee

Snowie

never get a call for an interview and a private number comes up? turns out to be the compnay. I genrally answer them if its a melt I start making it sound like im going out of coverage and send a text syaing cant talk driving... but i can text.., :pac:

Gang of Gin

Hmm. I tend not to, but recently I've pretty much been pushed into answering any call - being unemployed and waiting for 'that' call about a job has altered my perception on private numbers. But then again, employers tend to leave a message.

FruitLover

Abrasax wrote: »

I never understand why people don't answer private numbers.
Do they think the caller is going to put a curse on them or something?

If it's a marketing company and you answer, your number will be verified as active and will receive even more sales calls.

Boskowski wrote: »

Question by the way to you people not answering to withheld caller id's.
Do you only open letters with the sender firmly written on it? Surely most of those are trying to sell you something or are looking for money...

Bad analogy. Opening a letter can not confirm an active address as answering a call can confirm an active number.

Boskowski wrote: »

I mean until a few years ago nobody knew who was ringing. Most normal thing in the world.

I don't remember answering any marketing calls in the '80s or '90s (when it was normal for phones not to display incoming numbers). Commercial calls have probably increased several thousand-fold since then.

Biggins wrote: »

If someone come up to your door knocking but wearing a mask hiding their face, would you answer it?

I bet the kids hate you at halloween! :eek:

ash23

I have my voicemail set up and personalised. If someone wants me, let them leave a message.

I don't answer private numbers. I usually get them during business hours and I don't fancy having everyone overhear me explain to the bank why I am overdrawn yet again!

They want their privacy, thats fine. But I want mine too and therefore I choose not to answer these calls in case it is a private matter.
They can leave a message and I'll call them back at a time and place that's convenient for me.