'Private Numbers'

Portmanteau

Portmanteau wrote: »

Yeah fear of blocked/unknown numbers is bizarre.

Because your phone is for your convenience, not the callers.

s1ippy

I don't answer the door either. Why invite so many variables into your life? I contact people, anyone I know is welcome to contact me. There was a time I was inundated with cúnts bothering me, I'm old enough now to realise I've no time for that.

Feisar

ReginaldSmythV wrote: »

Because your phone is for your convenience, not the callers.

It is sort of a two way thing, people have phones for the convenience of being able to make and receive calls.

Gradius

Not answering a phone has an awful pang of paranoid America off it.

A combination of being afraid of your own shadow and pure ignorance.

It's funny to see it seeping in here now. Well, not funny, more sad. People slowly sinking into smaller and smaller world's, afraid of everything.

EmmetSpiceland

Gradius wrote: »

Not answering a phone has an awful pang of paranoid America off it.

A combination of being afraid of your own shadow and pure ignorance.

It's funny to see it seeping in here now. Well, not funny, more sad. People slowly sinking into smaller and smaller world's, afraid of everything.

Answering a call from an “private”, or unknown, number smacks of old person or sociopath.

If it’s someone you know, they’ll text. If they have to call you they can leave a “message”.

It’s never someone you want to talk to when you don’t know, or can’t see, the number. It’s cold calling or a “wrong” number.

Calling from a “hidden” number is akin to calling over to someone’s house without texting first. It’s not the 80s anymore and it is, downright, rude.

ILoveYourVibes

I don't answer them.

forgottenhills

In my experience calls from private numbers are usually from somebody trying to sell you something. I typically don't want to waste my time answering them and encourage that agent to call again. If its a genuine call the caller can leave a message and I will get back to them.

Gradius

EmmetSpiceland wrote: »

Answering a call from an “private”, or unknown, number smacks of old person or sociopath.

If it’s someone you know, they’ll text. If they have to call you they can leave a “message”.

It’s never someone you want to talk to when you don’t know, or can’t see, the number. It’s cold calling or a “wrong” number.

Calling from a “hidden” number is akin to calling over to someone’s house without texting first. It’s not the 80s anymore and it is, downright, rude.

And the other popular American thing is mentioned, announcing yourself is mandatory before calling over to a friend.

It makes for a very boring, small, predictable world where anything out of the "ordinary" causes stress. Very close to paranoia.

Gradius

forgottenhills wrote: »

In my experience calls from private numbers are usually from somebody trying to sell you something. I typically don't want to waste my time answering them and encourage that agent to call again. If its a genuine call the caller can leave a message and I will get back to them.

I often have to make phone calls from strange places that get routed through this and that, and I know it will display a strange number on the other end. To people I know, to be clear.

I have never used a voicemail thing, either leaving a message or checking my own

If I'm calling you answer or don't. End of story. All these multi steps are a pain in the hole for clear communication.

EmmetSpiceland

Gradius wrote: »

And the other popular American thing is mentioned, announcing yourself is mandatory before calling over to a friend.

It makes for a very boring, small, predictable world where anything out of the "ordinary" causes stress. Very close to paranoia.

No one is afraid, or suspicious, of unwanted “callers” either on the phone or to the door. It’s about the inconvenience.

I, and others, would consider it very strange behaviour to call on someone “unannounced”. One could only imagine that only people with very little “going on” in their lives who would welcome it.

Very little.

I don’t know how people can just not answer a call be it a private number or a number they don’t know. I’d spend the rest of the day wondering who it was, why they called, what did they want etc if I miss a call from a private number. It would drive me mad I just couldn’t not answer.

Gradius

EmmetSpiceland wrote: »

No one is afraid, or suspicious, of unwanted “callers” either on the phone or to the door. It’s about the inconvenience.

I, and others, would consider it very strange behaviour to call on someone “unannounced”. One could only imagine that only people with very little “going on” in their lives who would welcome it.

Very little.

As I said, it's a combination of fear and ignorance.

So in your case you are purposefully ignoring something because it hasn't been telegraphed to you in advance. Ignorance.

It's very, very American.

To add, it's not a case of "having little going on", it's a matter of clear communication versus putting barriers in the way of communication.

EmmetSpiceland

Gia Chubby Zombie wrote: »

I don’t know how people can just not answer a call be it a private number or a number they don’t know. I’d spend the rest of the day wonder who it was, why they called, what did they want etc if I miss a call from a private number. It would drive me mad I just couldn’t not answer.

Out of, morbid, curiosity, N, how many of these calls are from someone you know?

In the last, say, 10 years, I would say that upwards of 98% of calls from “private”, or unknown, numbers have been either someone trying to sell me something I don’t want, a survey or a “wrong” number.

Is this different for you?

EmmetSpiceland

Gradius wrote: »

As I said, it's a combination of fear and ignorance.

So in your case you are purposefully ignoring something because it hasn't been telegraphed to you in advance. Ignorance.

It's very, very American.

To add, it's not a case of "having little going on", it's a matter of clear communication versus putting barriers in the way of communication.

If I had to choose between the “ignorance” of not answering or the stupidity of answering, I’d take the ignorance every time.

You only seem to have a “bee in your bonnet” because you, for some bizarre reason, have to re-route your calls through numbers that are not your own.

You expect everyone to bend for your “convenience” and, well, that’s just selfish, and, not to mention, arrogant.

Uncle Pierre

I notice there was an almost nine-year gap in this thread from when it last used until somebody posted in it again yesterday. I see no good reason from 2011 why not to answer a private number, and I see no good reason from now either.

Just answer the phone. And if you don't want to talk to them when you find out who it is or what it's about, just be polite about it before ending the call. It's really no big deal.

Uncle Pierre

EmmetSpiceland wrote: »

You expect everyone to bend for your “convenience” and, well, that’s just selfish, and, not to mention, arrogant.

I love seeing such irony in posts sometimes. Always amuses me.

You expect everybody whose calls come from a private number, for whatever reason, to change their way of doing things for your "convenience". Is that not equally selfish and/or arrogant?

EmmetSpiceland

Uncle Pierre wrote: »

I love seeing such irony in posts sometimes. Always amuses me.

You expect everybody whose calls come from a private number, for whatever reason, to change their way of doing things for your "convenience". Is that not equally selfish and/or arrogant?

I believe it was Einstein, or at least it’s been attributed to him, that insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result.

I have learned not to answer a “private”, or unknown, number.

Yet you, and others, still persist to both answer and call from these “hidden” numbers.

Do many answer your call? Do you find an increase in “cold calls” from companies who have “acquired” your active number?

Few things are as important to me as my own time. I’m quite content to avoid these “time burglars”. I’m sure others, with very little going on in their lives, are only too delighted to hear their phone ring.

Not answering unknown callers is a matter of choice, not a symptom of a feeble mind or fear of the wider world. People aren't required to answer the phone if they don't feel like it, unknown caller or not.

Uncle Pierre

Way to miss the point there, buddy.

But I will say this: the words selfish and arrogant certainly do seem relevant.

EmmetSpiceland

EmmetSpiceland wrote: »

Out of, morbid, curiosity, N, how many of these calls are from someone you know?

In the last, say, 10 years, I would say that upwards of 98% of calls from “private”, or unknown, numbers have been either someone trying to sell me something I don’t want, a survey or a “wrong” number.

Is this different for you?

I have a few family members who use private number, one on the landline as it was ex-directory and they never changed it and another who when they call from their work phone it’s private number as they don’t want their mobile number being known to clients.

Also the occasional blocked number would be something like a bank or whatever but normally they show the number.

I find scams, cold calls etc rarely block the number these days.

forgottenhills

Gradius wrote: »

I often have to make phone calls from strange places that get routed through this and that, and I know it will display a strange number on the other end. To people I know, to be clear.

I have never used a voicemail thing, either leaving a message or checking my own

If I'm calling you answer or don't. End of story. All these multi steps are a pain in the hole for clear communication.

So if you call a busy person you may find their phone line is constantly busy. If you are not prepared to leave a message for that person then that person will see that they have several missed calls from you and are likely to consider you have some sort of an emergency going on or otherwise you are a bit odd.

Feisar

Feisar wrote: »

It is sort of a two way thing, people have phones for the convenience of being able to make and receive calls.

Just to make calls, or never make calls and use it in the numerous other ways a modern phone can be used. If you’re paying for it then it’s your choice.

People who block their phone numbers are vermin anyway and they must know well the person on the other end wouldn’t want to talk to them if they knew who it was.

Uncle Pierre

A question for all those who say they won't answer a call from a private number. What do you do if you get a call from a number that's not private, but which you don't recognise?

i.e. you don't have the person in your contacts, so all you see calling is a number like 087 1234567 rather than a name?

Do you answer it or not?

Uncle Pierre

Uncle Pierre wrote: »

A question for all those who say they won't answer a call from a private number. What do you do if you get a call from a number that's not private, but which you don't recognise?

i.e. you don't have the person in your contacts, so all you see calling is a number like 087 1234567 rather than a name?

Do you answer it or not?

Phone blocks them for me.

Mister Vain

Uncle Pierre wrote: »

A question for all those who say they won't answer a call from a private number. What do you do if you get a call from a number that's not private, but which you don't recognise?

i.e. you don't have the person in your contacts, so all you see calling is a number like 087 1234567 rather than a name?

Do you answer it or not?

If its an Irish number and/or I'm expecting a call I will answer it. If its from Sierra Leone they can feck off.

forgottenhills

Uncle Pierre wrote: »

A question for all those who say they won't answer a call from a private number. What do you do if you get a call from a number that's not private, but which you don't recognise?

i.e. you don't have the person in your contacts, so all you see calling is a number like 087 1234567 rather than a name?

Do you answer it or not?

Of course I will answer some one calling using their own number, unless it has a country prefix that I don't recognise or if I don't know anybody in that country.

CrankyHaus

There must be a load of people out there complaining that they never heard back from the "useless" Guards, Doctors etc who use private numbers, not to mention if they have any friends with an unlisted house number.

Not taking calls from numbers you don't recognise is next level insular stuff, I always thought the stereotype of Boards posters as shut-ins fearful of the outside world was untrue.

Uncle Pierre

So, to the two posters above who answered my earlier question - what in essence do you consider the big difference between answering a call from a number you don't recognise, and answering a call that doesn't show the number? I genuinely don't understand.

I'd have thought the aversion to blocked numbers was not knowing who was at the other line, but now it can't be that if you'd actually still answer a call that showed as 087 1234567 or anything else.

Remember it could still be a salesperson or a survey or something like that calling with the number shown.

forgottenhills

CrankyHaus wrote: »

There must be a load of people out there complaining that they never heard back from the "useless" Guards, Doctors etc who use private numbers, not to mention if they have any friends with an unlisted house number.

Not taking calls from numbers you don't recognise is next level insular stuff, I always thought the stereotype of Boards posters as shut-ins fearful of the outside world was untrue.

Not true. Any calls I ever had from a doctor or their secretary was from their surgery number which they all advertise anyway, doctors don't try to hide their work numbers certainly in my experience.

And you are confusing taking calls from an unknown number (which I do) with take calls from a private number (which I don't as this is pretty much guaranteed to be a sales call from someone who should have the courtesy of showing their number).

forgottenhills

Uncle Pierre wrote: »

So, to the two posters above who answered my earlier question - what in essence do you consider the big difference between answering a call from a number you don't recognise, and answering a call that doesn't show the number? I genuinely don't understand.

I'd have thought the aversion to blocked numbers was not knowing who was at the other line, but now it can't be that if you'd actually still answer a call that showed as 087 1234567 or anything else.

Remember it could still be a salesperson or a survey or something like that calling with the number shown.

Yes, but at least they are having the courtesy to call using their (or their company's) own number. Sales people calling from private numbers are also in some cases trying to avoid telecoms regulations around cold calling and I am rarely in the mood to assist this sharp practice.

ED E

CrankyHaus wrote: »

There must be a load of people out there complaining that they never heard back from the "useless" Guards, Doctors etc who use private numbers, not to mention if they have any friends with an unlisted house number.

Not taking calls from numbers you don't recognise is next level insular stuff, I always thought the stereotype of Boards posters as shut-ins fearful of the outside world was untrue.

Every call I've received from Gardai has been 01-666, they don't hide their number.


This is really common, not a boards phenomenon.

i57dwun4yb1pt8

never answer them , and calling to a persons house without a pre check / text / etc is just the actions of a c*nt

s8n

every call is a potential sale !!!

Answer the phone for f##k sake

CrankyHaus

forgottenhills wrote: »

Not true. Any calls I ever had from a doctor or their secretary was from their surgery number which they all advertise anyway, doctors don't try to hide their work numbers certainly in my experience.

Well you wouldn't know if it's any calls because you didn't take the ones that were private number.



I have a few friends and family that are doctors and the vast majority of the private number calls I get are from them because they forgot to change their phone back to caller ID on at the end of their work hours; eg a psychiatrist on call at home using their own phone. It's not ideal that they have to use their own phone but that's the HSE for you.



Thinking back on all the private numbers I've ever got it was mainly that, along with some guards, some friends with unlisted home numbers, 1 eejit in about 10 years, no sales calls ever and some prank calls in college and school.


If anything dodgy calls are much more common from unusual overseas prefixes.

ED E wrote: »

Every call I've received from Gardai has been 01-666, they don't hide their number.


This is really common, not a boards phenomenon.

That's the station, not the garda's mobile.

Mister Vain

Uncle Pierre wrote: »

So, to the two posters above who answered my earlier question - what in essence do you consider the big difference between answering a call from a number you don't recognise, and answering a call that doesn't show the number? I genuinely don't understand.

I'd have thought the aversion to blocked numbers was not knowing who was at the other line, but now it can't be that if you'd actually still answer a call that showed as 087 1234567 or anything else.

Remember it could still be a salesperson or a survey or something like that calling with the number shown.

As I said, it depends on the number. I tend to get a lot of calls from Vodafone and other surveys when I'm in work, and the odd scam call from Africa too. If its something important like a hospital appointment or a job interview, they will always leave a voice mail if I can't answer so its no big deal.

Rubberchikken

I just answer my the phone. It's not complicated.

EmmetSpiceland

I’ll only answer an “unknown” number, or one I don’t recognise, if I’m expecting a call. If not, they can leave a message, or text.

Same way, I’ll answer the door if I’m expecting a delivery, or someone calling over.

forgottenhills

Rubberchikken wrote: »

I just answer my the phone. It's not complicated.

It is more complicated if you are in an important role in a company or organisation or in public life. Do you think such people should or could answer every unsolicited call that they receive? Good luck with that.

Blaze420

Never answer private or unknown numbers - if someone doesn't have the decency to call from an identifiable number I'm not too bothered about answering it. Same as the others above, if it's someone that needs to contact me they can send a text or leave a voicemail and I'll get back to them.

Same with the front door really - if I'm not waiting for a package or expecting someone, you can knock and ring the bell as much as you want - it won't be opened.

Uncle Pierre

Jaysus lads, with this talk of not answering the door either, common courtesy and manners have really gone out the window.

Sure, it could well be a salesperson, and I don't think I've ever bought goods or services from anybody who just cold-called to my door. But it doesn't take that much out of my day to open the door anyway, have them say who they are, and then politely say "no thanks". Maybe only 30 seconds, or a minute or two max.

But it could also be somebody just asking for directions. Or out on behalf of some good local cause or organisation who are running a fundraiser that you might be consider supporting. Few months back, I even had a call from somebody asking if I might own the dead dog that he'd seen a short distance down the road, because ours was the closest house to it (not our dog, by the way!).

I just wouldn't have the plain bad manners and ignorance to sit inside ignoring the knocks or the doorbell while people were there.

Blaze420

Uncle Pierre wrote: »

Jaysus lads, with this talk of not answering the door either, common courtesy and manners have really gone out the window.

Sure, it could well be a salesperson, and I don't think I've ever bought goods or services from anybody who just cold-called to my door. But it doesn't take that much out of my day to open the door anyway, have them say who they are, and then politely say "no thanks". Maybe only 30 seconds, or a minute or two max.

But it could also be somebody just asking for directions. Or out on behalf of some good local cause or organisation who are running a fundraiser that you might be consider supporting. Few months back, I even had a call from somebody asking if I might own the dead dog that he'd seen a short distance down the road, because ours was the closest house to it (not our dog, by the way!).

I just wouldn't have the plain bad manners and ignorance to sit inside ignoring the knocks or the doorbell while people were there.

You want directions go to the local shop and ask there instead of skulking around knocking on doors.

You seem a bit too worried about manners for people who you haven't specifically asked to call to the house - why do you care if you leave them out there knocking or ringing? They are only going to waste your time so waste theirs, turn the TV up and forget about them

s1ippy

Uncle Pierre wrote: »

A question for all those who say they won't answer a call from a private number. What do you do if you get a call from a number that's not private, but which you don't recognise?

i.e. you don't have the person in your contacts, so all you see calling is a number like 087 1234567 rather than a name?

Do you answer it or not?

I wait until it rings out and Google it later on if I'm bothered, check if it's got any distinguishing info on it from WhatsApp. Usually they'll text later and it's somebody looking for something from me so I'm glad for not having answered.

Uncle Pierre

Local shop where I live is three miles away. Not much point turning round and going back that far to the village if you're pretty sure you're within a short distance of where you want to be, or are at least going in the right direction.

Ah, it's probably one of those rural/urban divides overall. I'm lucky enough to be in the countryside where it's mostly decent people. Not some city area that's hounded by ne'er-do-wells and nefarious salesmen

Blaze420

Uncle Pierre wrote: »

Local shop where I live is three miles away. Not much point turning round and going back that far to the village if you're pretty sure you're within a short distance of where you want to be, or are at least going in the right direction.

Ah, it's probably one of those rural/urban divides overall. I'm lucky enough to be in the countryside where it's mostly decent people. Not some city area that's hounded by ne'er-do-wells and nefarious salesmen

You've hit the nail on the head - if you live in a rural location then I can understand why your first instinct might be to answer the door if someone calls.

Personally, I live in a city estate which is a bit like a zoo at times - everything from our brethren in perpetual motion selling carpets and rugs, to Jehovahs, to Sky/Airtricity salespeople etc etc and my arch nemesis the TV licence man. I am undefeated so far

CrankyHaus

Uncle Pierre wrote: »

Local shop where I live is three miles away. Not much point turning round and going back that far to the village if you're pretty sure you're within a short distance of where you want to be, or are at least going in the right direction.

Ah, it's probably one of those rural/urban divides overall. I'm lucky enough to be in the countryside where it's mostly decent people. Not some city area that's hounded by ne'er-do-wells and nefarious salesmen

Nope, life-long Dubliner here. I think all this cowering inside the house from strangers knocking is madness too.

woodchuck

I've had to block private numbers on my phone, due to an ex who was getting a little stalker-ish. I had blocked his personal mobile number, but he got around it by calling me from a private number. It's kind of annoying as I have no idea what other calls I could be missing, but you gotta do what you gotta do.

Wanderer19

I run a couple of small businesses, one of which I'll have suppliers - I want to be in the right frame of mind before answering.

The other business is massage, and I received calls late/in the middle of the night, so I blocked all unknown numbers.

Uncle Pierre

Uncle Pierre wrote: »

Jaysus lads, with this talk of not answering the door either, common courtesy and manners have really gone out the window.

Sure, it could well be a salesperson, and I don't think I've ever bought goods or services from anybody who just cold-called to my door. But it doesn't take that much out of my day to open the door anyway, have them say who they are, and then politely say "no thanks". Maybe only 30 seconds, or a minute or two max.

But it could also be somebody just asking for directions. Or out on behalf of some good local cause or organisation who are running a fundraiser that you might be consider supporting. Few months back, I even had a call from somebody asking if I might own the dead dog that he'd seen a short distance down the road, because ours was the closest house to it (not our dog, by the way!).

I just wouldn't have the plain bad manners and ignorance to sit inside ignoring the knocks or the doorbell while people were there.

The charity callers are worse than the sellers. **** them, if I want to donate to a charity I’m well able to look one up.

Uncle Pierre

ReginaldSmythV wrote: »

The charity callers are worse than the sellers. **** them, if I want to donate to a charity I’m well able to look one up.

I said local causes or organisations. I'm not talking about chuggers who are on a wage and who want your direct debit details.

A few examples around here that I'm thinking of include:
- the old man (around 80) who goes around twice a year to sell tickets for a card drive that the Old Folks Club run. Tickets cost €2 each. He's as likely to call at 8 a.m. or 10.30 p.m. as he is at any "normal" hour so he's always an unexpected caller but I'm always happy to give him a couple of quid anyway.

- the soccer club that runs a €10 draw/sweepstake each July/August based on certain events in the first month or so of the upcoming Premier League season. Am happy to support this too.

- a collection last year to support a local family who tragically have two young children with a rare disease that means neither of them are likely to live to see ten years of age.

But you and others would leave all these people standing outside rather than having the common courtesy to open the door to them. Bravo.

Uncle Pierre

Uncle Pierre wrote: »

I said local causes or organisations. I'm not talking about chuggers who are on a wage and who want your direct debit details.

A few examples around here that I'm thinking of include:
- the old man (around 80) who goes around twice a year to sell tickets for a card drive that the Old Folks Club run. Tickets cost €2 each. He's as likely to call at 8 a.m. or 10.30 p.m. as he is at any "normal" hour so he's always an unexpected caller but I'm always happy to give him a couple of quid anyway.

- the soccer club that runs a €10 draw/sweepstake each July/August based on certain events in the first month or so of the upcoming Premier League season. Am happy to support this too.

- a collection last year to support a local family who tragically have two young children with a rare disease that means neither of them are likely to live to see ten years of age.

But you and others would leave all these people standing outside rather than having the common courtesy to open the door to them. Bravo.

I wouldn’t leave them standing outside. You’d hope after a few seconds they’d get the message and keep going. If they remain standing there then that’s on them.