Spam Phone Calls: When I see a caller ID I don't recognize, I pick up and hang up. That can be risky, though. When the phone rang just now, I almost hung up, but I thought I'd answer.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

When I see a caller ID I don't recognize, I pick up and hang up. That can be risky, though.

When the phone rang just now, I almost hung up, but I thought I'd answer. Good choice. I'm getting a chimney liner kit delivered from Texas, with free shipping. This call was to arrange delivery. The kit costs $430 vs almost $2,000 locally for the same material. I'm glad I answered the phone.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

Caller ID can be spoofed.
One reason I don't have it on the land-line.

My cell tells me the "number", but only "who" if that number is in my contact list.

Scruples Loc: Brooklyn, New York

jerryc41 wrote:

When I see a caller ID I don't recognize, I pick up and hang up. That can be risky, though.

When the phone rang just now, I almost hung up, but I thought I'd answer. Good choice. I'm getting a chimney liner kit delivered from Texas, with free shipping. This call was to arrange delivery. The kit costs $430 vs almost $2,000 locally for the same material. I'm glad I answered the phone.

Hey Jerry, Be Careful. I don’t pick up if I don’t recognize the telephone number. I would be very nervous if it was the husband or the boyfriend of the cashier in the supermarket. I didn’t do anything. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it. ROFLMAO!

Shellback Loc: North of Cheyenne Bottoms Wetlands - Kansas

If you’re not in my contact list, I don’t hear or see the incoming call - it goes straight to voice mail. If it’s important, leave a voice mail and I’ll listen to it. If it’s a business I deal with regularly and they have multiple numbers, I will add the unrecognized number to my contacts.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

Shellback wrote:

If you’re not in my contact list, I don’t hear or see the incoming call - it goes straight to voice mail. If it’s important, leave a voice mail and I’ll listen to it. If it’s a business I deal with regularly and they have multiple numbers, I will add the unrecognized number to my contacts.

I've actually had a spammer or two leave voice messages.
Rare, but it happens.
I wound up adding "scan scheduling" to my contact list for that reason.

Guyserman Loc: Benton, AR

jerryc41 wrote:

When I see a caller ID I don't recognize, I pick up and hang up. That can be risky, though.

When the phone rang just now, I almost hung up, but I thought I'd answer. Good choice. I'm getting a chimney liner kit delivered from Texas, with free shipping. This call was to arrange delivery. The kit costs $430 vs almost $2,000 locally for the same material. I'm glad I answered the phone.

Did you not give this the smell test?

dbjazz Loc: Long Island, NY

jerryc41 wrote:

When I see a caller ID I don't recognize, I pick up and hang up. That can be risky, though.

When the phone rang just now, I almost hung up, but I thought I'd answer. Good choice. I'm getting a chimney liner kit delivered from Texas, with free shipping. This call was to arrange delivery. The kit costs $430 vs almost $2,000 locally for the same material. I'm glad I answered the phone.

That's why there is voicemail. If it's legitimate and important, they'll leave a message.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Scruples wrote:

Hey Jerry, Be Careful. I don’t pick up if I don’t recognize the telephone number. I would be very nervous if it was the husband or the boyfriend of the cashier in the supermarket. I didn’t do anything. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it. ROFLMAO!

Unfortunately(?), girlfriends are not a situation in my life. I have friends who are girls, but they're not my girlfriends.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

dbjazz wrote:

That's why there is voicemail. If it's legitimate and important, they'll leave a message.

Unless one may be expecting a return call, but they use a different number.
Then it's a crap shoot whether to answer or not.

mikenolan Loc: Lincoln Nebraska

I've been tempted to change the message on our answering machine to:

If you know our cell phone numbers, please call us on them. Otherwise, leave a message, we'll return calls we feel are legitimate.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

mikenolan wrote:

I've been tempted to change the message on our answering machine to:

If you know our cell phone numbers, please call us on them. Otherwise, leave a message, we'll return calls we feel are legitimate.

Only works for people?, not robo calls.
I've had some robo calls last longer than the greeting and get half a message....
When on vacation, I sometimes just turn auto-answer off.

mikenolan Loc: Lincoln Nebraska

Robocalls seem less likely to leave a message.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

mikenolan wrote:

I've been tempted to change the message on our answering machine to:

If you know our cell phone numbers, please call us on them. Otherwise, leave a message, we'll return calls we feel are legitimate.

Funny!

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

mikenolan wrote:

Robocalls seem less likely to leave a message.

I was surprised that a robo left a recording last week.

mikenolan Loc: Lincoln Nebraska

jerryc41 wrote:

I was surprised that a robo left a recording last week.

When they do, it's often one that starts mid-sentence, intentionally.