https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/ ... ng/561545/

In The Atlantic article, the author asserts that most people don't answer the telephone anymore, even though most everyone
has a smartphone available with them 24/7.

The main reason is that 80-90% of phone calls are spam, sales calls, robocalls, and wrong numbers.

Personally, I seldom answer the phone, reasoning that if it is important then they will leave a voicemail. Often I will look to see if caller ID identifies the person and if so, then I will pick up. Otherwise, I let it go to voicemail.

What say you?

Caller ID is something I used for a few years before cellular phones became practical. I've long enjoyed not answering just because the damned thing was ringing. But if it's someone I know, and if I'm not busy and if I'm in a conversational mood, I'll answer.

registering numbers on the federal do not call list works for me, it cuts down on spam calls

other than that I answer it almost every time it rings because 90%+ of the calls I get are from family and friends

The Do Not Call list stopped working when the phone companies chose to let users play with caller id.
Now, scammers and spammers just put up a fake phone number on caller id.
The phone companies could easily fix it. But, they don't because they make money from all those calls.

We get 10-20 fake/scam calls a day. i ignore most of them.
Sometimes I "pickup" the phone, and set it on the table in front of the radio, so they can chat with each other.
On rare occasions, I answer the phone and try to keep them on the hook as long as possible.
If they're busy trying to scam me - they can't scam Granny at the same time.

I think that when they find a phone scammer, they should break every knuckle of every finger.
Then do the toes to make sure they don't dial with their feet!

When I'm at work, I don't pay attention to my phone. If it's an emergency, you should be dialing 911. If you're important enough to me, you have my office number.

When I'm at home, I don't pay attention to my phone. If it's an emergency, you should be dialing 911. If you're important enough to me, my phone is set with a distinctive alarm.

Anywhere in between, I'm driving my car and not answering the phone.

As for telemarketers, robocalls, and the Do Not Call List, stop answering your phone. The Do Not Call List means nothing for those calling from out of the country and those within could care less. Unless there are enough complaints, nothing is done. Today's computers are programmed to recognize when a call is answered by a human. Pick-up the phone and they know it's a real number, to which they keep calling. You may think you're being cute and wasting their time, but you're just setting yourself up for future calls.

Texting and email is much more convenient. I can read and respond at my leisure. I can pretend to have never received it at all . I can even insert a picture. Afterall, a picture is worth a thousand words

I have 3 cell phones. One private, one for work, and one for internet friends. I kinda like when I get spammers and scammers because I have so much fun with them at their expense.

90% of my home phone calls and 80% of my cell calls and text messages are from robocallers, spammers, scammers, telemarketers, etc.

I pick up the rlandline and hang it up immediately. The cell phone calls are declined.

LoboLoco wrote:The Do Not Call list stopped working when the phone companies chose to let users play with caller id.
Now, scammers and spammers just put up a fake phone number on caller id.

Yeah, it's real funny when you look at the caller id and it's your own number calling you.

Nothing suspicious about that at all.

I have an answering machine, if I don't recognize it and it's important, they'll leave a message.

If the first few seconds of the message is important, I reach over 3 inches away from my keyboard and pick it up mid way through their message.

Otherwise, the call is dumped.

If you have a land line and the provider allows a feature called Simultaneous Ring you can use NoMoRobo (.com) to ‘block’ the call. Your phone will ring once. That is because NoMoRobo looks at the calling number and if it is in their database they pickup then hang up. Hence the single ring. If you actually get a spam call you can post the number to the NoMoRobo site.

On my cell I use an app called Hiya.

Depends on my mood, which most times for spammers is not very good. I'll go into my Gomer Pile routine (like gaal-le). See if they will bit on the whose on first routine.