# What is Your Telephone Persona for Spammers and Scammers? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 24, 2022, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-telephone-persona-for-spammers-and-scammers/960027 "2022-02-24T02:41:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2022, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-telephone-persona-for-spammers-and-scammers/960027/21 "2022-02-24T17:54:48Z")
> [@Spoons](#): > > If I don’t recognize the number on the call display, I’ll often ignore it. > [@gnoitall](#): > > If I don’t recognize the number, I have no need or desire to engage in even perfunctory conversation Do you people not get calls from the doctor’s office, the other legit commercial establishments whose numbers you don’t recognize? We’ve started using [nomorobo](https://nomorobo.com/), which has helped a lot. Most spam calls now ring once and then are automatically cut off. But we still get a few. I used to make up stories, or otherwise keep them on the phone, until one of them managed to convince my MIL to hand over rights to her computer and her credit card. After getting her a new computer and a new credit card, I had no more patience for “the guy from Microsoft”. I have taken to replying, “does your mother know you are cheating people for a living?”. They usually curse me and hang up, which is at least as satisfying as any interaction I had previously. ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2022, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-telephone-persona-for-spammers-and-scammers/960027/22 "2022-02-24T18:00:06Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#): > > Do you people not get calls from the doctor’s office, the other legit commercial establishments whose numbers you don’t recognize? I figured I’d get pointless pushback on this. If it’s from my doctor, I’ll recognize it. If it’s from my doctor and I don’t recognize it, they’ll leave a voicemail. If they don’t leave a voicemail, they would have contacted me through the online e-records and patient portal system. Likewise any “commercial contacts”. Either I have taken the initiative to establish a business relationship (in which case I will recognize the call) or the business has no legitimate reason to contact me. Welcome to the 21st Century. The phone is primarily for outbound calls. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2022, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-telephone-persona-for-spammers-and-scammers/960027/23 "2022-02-24T18:07:40Z")
Well, you recognize numbers a lot better than I do. Or see fewer different doctors. It’s a PITA to have to try to call them back, too. If I miss a call I often end up playing phone tag with them. ---
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2022, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-telephone-persona-for-spammers-and-scammers/960027/24 "2022-02-24T18:31:07Z")
> [@gnoitall](#): > > Welcome to the 21st Century. The phone is primarily for outbound calls. For some. If I don’t recognize a number, it’s probably because it’s a new client. ---
**Author:** ![Author\_Balk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Author\_Balk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Author_Balk)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2022, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-telephone-persona-for-spammers-and-scammers/960027/25 "2022-02-24T20:17:00Z")
I hang up as soon as possible. A while ago I said that that they called my six year old daughter’s phone. I asked why they wanted to talk to a six year old girl. They hung up. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2022, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-telephone-persona-for-spammers-and-scammers/960027/26 "2022-02-24T20:29:45Z")
If it’s a robot calling on behalf of a PAC, I tell it to send an envelope to John Barron. I keep wanting them to ask me for the address, so I can tell them it’s on Ocean Ave. in Palm Beach, but they apparently already have an address associated with this landline. A couple of months ago, an envelope came addressed to John Barron. ---
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2022, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-telephone-persona-for-spammers-and-scammers/960027/27 "2022-02-24T20:31:27Z")
I hope you return to sender’d it. ---
**Author:** ![Icarus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icarus/32/72_2.png) [@Icarus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icarus)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2022, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-telephone-persona-for-spammers-and-scammers/960027/28 "2022-02-24T20:34:34Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#): > > Well, you recognize numbers a lot better than I do. My phone does, because I save them in my Contacts if I have called them, or they have called me. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2022, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-telephone-persona-for-spammers-and-scammers/960027/29 "2022-02-24T21:29:45Z")
I’ll eventually get around to doing that, after a few back-and-forths. It’s not always worth it, though. When my mom was dying I got a lot of calls the visiting nurses made on their cell phones. It was a different number every time. I do sometimes screen calls (stand next to the answering machine and pick it up if they sound like a real call, or if it’s my cell phone, use google’s screening service) but sometimes it’s easier to just pick up the call, and hang up if it’s spam. ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2022, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-telephone-persona-for-spammers-and-scammers/960027/30 "2022-02-24T22:47:34Z")
Sometimes I’m expecting a call from a doc’s office, and the number they call from doesn’t match the doc’s number in my list. So, I end up answering calls from unfamiliar numbers. When I do, I’m careful about what I say until I’m sure I know who I’m talking to. I’m careful to _never say yes_ to any questions. I can say _I am that person_ or _that is my address,_ but never yes. If, after a few words, It’s obviously not who I expected, I just hang up. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2022, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-telephone-persona-for-spammers-and-scammers/960027/31 "2022-02-24T22:55:12Z")
I actually made a scammer laugh the other day. When he took his time telling me what he wanted, I yelled “What do you **want** , you fish-faced enemy of the people?” The last thing I heard was him laughing as I hung up. ---
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2022, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-telephone-persona-for-spammers-and-scammers/960027/32 "2022-02-24T22:56:20Z")
When it is a telemarketer, possibly selling me something that I may actually want, I tell them to give me the elevator pitch. 15 seconds or less. ---
**Author:** ![carnut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnut/32/3531_2.png) [@carnut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnut)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2022, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-telephone-persona-for-spammers-and-scammers/960027/33 "2022-02-26T00:02:41Z")
> [@AskNott](#): > > Sometimes I’m expecting a call from a doc’s office, and the number they call from doesn’t match the doc’s number in my list. I’m job hunting. I try to answer local calls and sound enthusiastic. The scammers have figured this out. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2022, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-telephone-persona-for-spammers-and-scammers/960027/34 "2022-04-25T18:11:46Z")
There was a similar thread I was looking to add onto where I had a couple funny ones. Like “Confused Grandma” or “Simple Jack”. They are pretty much what they sound like. The latest I’ve started using is “Strong AI”. Basically…I talk in a …robot voice…so the…telemarketer…isn’t sure…if…he or she…is…talking to…a very…fucking rude and…sexually graphic…bot. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2022, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-telephone-persona-for-spammers-and-scammers/960027/35 "2022-04-25T18:20:40Z")
I have switched to “pissed off Fed”. “Who the HELL are you?? This is a restricted government line! (turning away from mic) Run a trace on this _now_.” ---
**Author:** ![Ynnad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/4491bb/32.png) [@Ynnad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ynnad)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2022, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-telephone-persona-for-spammers-and-scammers/960027/36 "2022-04-25T19:00:15Z")
> [@Ynnad](#): > > When I tell the car warranty people my car is a 1974 AMC Pacer they just hang up. So I quit telling them that. I told the last couple of car warranty people that I drive a 2018 Lancaster model BR5. They both told me that that’s a fine automobile. I told them no it’s not. It breaks down all the time. I really do need that warranty. ---
**Author:** ![LurkMeister](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3da27b/32.png) [@LurkMeister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LurkMeister)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2022, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-telephone-persona-for-spammers-and-scammers/960027/37 "2022-04-25T20:08:56Z")
Most of the time if I answer a number I don’t recognize my “persona” consists of saying, “hello? hello? is anyone there? goodbye!” because no one ever says anything. ---
**Author:** ![carnut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnut/32/3531_2.png) [@carnut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnut)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2022, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-telephone-persona-for-spammers-and-scammers/960027/38 "2022-04-25T21:36:15Z")
I’m sticking with my “Is this really Spam Calling? Because that’s what the caller ID says.” and click. ---
**Author:** ![Ynnad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/4491bb/32.png) [@Ynnad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ynnad)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2023, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-telephone-persona-for-spammers-and-scammers/960027/39 "2023-02-14T21:39:45Z")
Update: I am getting at least 10 spam calls per day. But as soon as I tell them my last name is [Mod note - removed - see OP for name] they hang up. Am I going to have to change my name and phone number just so I can talk to them? ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2023, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-telephone-persona-for-spammers-and-scammers/960027/40 "2023-04-19T22:55:20Z")
My persona is hateful. But they keep calling back. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-telephone-persona-for-spammers-and-scammers/960027.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-telephone-persona-for-spammers-and-scammers/960027.md?page=3)