When people block their calls to you, what does this say to you?

[Anotherday]

It goes beyond annoyance to me. Thoughts?

[Keyman]

They don't want to talk to you.

[jessica911]

you mean hide the numbers from you, or don't pick up the phone?

[annie24]

I don't get it. like they hide their phone number and they call you?

[Anotherday]

Yes, their phone number comes up as unknown. This has happened to me with two people now and it goes beyond annoying. They are intentionally blocking their number from displaying so I don't have it. This is achieved by pressing *67, just as an FYI.

[greywolf]

Some people just have their phone set that way in general. I doubt they actually blocked it just before they called you.

[Anotherday]

Some people just have their phone set that way in general. I doubt they actually blocked it just before they called you.

 

No, in both cases neither party will give me their phone numbers. One said "his roommate" wants it this way and the other, she was like this before and says she'll call me back.

[annie24]

in that case, you can just let it go to voicemail and if they want to talk to you, they'll have to leave you their number!

[Taikero]

When people block their number, it says to me they don't want me to pick up my phone!

[Anotherday]

in that case, you can just let it go to voicemail and if they want to talk to you, they'll have to leave you their number!

 

Good idea, Annie. I am past the point of no return on both of these people and taking it personally at this point. I think it says they think I am some stalker who will call them at 2 a.m. which I am NOT.

[annie24]

for the most part, i don't answer private numbers. half the time, they are telemarketers. the other half of the time, it's my godparents, and they leave a message and i call them right back.

[Anotherday]

for the most part, i don't answer private numbers. half the time, they are telemarketers. the other half of the time, it's my godparents, and they leave a message and i call them right back.

 

I only have a cell phone and I'm on the DNC list, so I know it can only be sneaky people who are calling me. One treats me like I am a stalker, the other has said she even thinks she is borderline. I think both are control freaks. I am just sick of it and taking it personally. I like your idea. Going forward I do NOT even acknowledge those type of calls.

[Honey Pumpkin]

In the UK, all that means is that you are ex directory (if it's a land line), and it's actually pretty common. Some professions/households are advised to have that option (eg police officers). It doesn't seem odd to me, to be honest.

[itsallgrand]

Why do you need to know who is calling before answering?

 

Are you a screener? One of those folks who picks up or not depending on who the person is and what you are doing?

 

Phone etiquette is a bloody mess at this point in time - it amazes me that you find it so rude that someone chooses not to have their number on display, actually! Not that I necessarily think you are rude and can understand why you might want to see the number....but man, it drives me nuts when people screen and pick up selectively. It's like phone calls don't mean anything to most people anymore.

[relli]

Yes, their phone number comes up as unknown. This has happened to me with two people now and it goes beyond annoying. They are intentionally blocking their number from displaying so I don't have it. This is achieved by pressing *67, just as an FYI.

 

Im guessing you found out they were people you knew after you spoke to them and answered a call that shows as 'unknown' when ringing?

 

My phone is actually set up not to display my number through my account with the provider i am with. I just rather not have my number displayed/kept on peoples phones if im ringing. I totally forgot i had this set up like this and phoned my bf and he had no idea it was me.

 

I couple of itmes he hasn't answered when i rang, now i know why. I dont answer calls from private numbers or numbers i do not know. If its important they leave a mesage and i'll call them back.

[Anotherday]

Why do you need to know who is calling before answering?

 

Are you a screener? One of those folks who picks up or not depending on who the person is and what you are doing?

 

Phone etiquette is a bloody mess at this point in time - it amazes me that you find it so rude that someone chooses not to have their number on display, actually! Not that I necessarily think you are rude and can understand why you might want to see the number....but man, it drives me nuts when people screen and pick up selectively. It's like phone calls don't mean anything to most people anymore.

 

Knock on my door unannounced and you will not be invited in. Announce yourself first and you might be invited in. I can say to anyone who chooses to hide their identity, just what are you hiding and why?

[Honey Pumpkin]

Knock on my door unannounced and you will not be invited in. Announce yourself first and you might be invited in. I can say to anyone who chooses to hide their identity, just what are you hiding and why?

 

Hi there,

 

See my post above - it's actually very common for a lot of professions. I probably should be ex-directory as well, because as a woman living on my own, my land line being freely available means that absolutely anyone can find out where I live in two seconds.

 

Do you mean landlines or mobiles, though? I'm really not clear why this bugs you so much, I think you're being kind of unreasonable about it to be honest. But if that's your preference, that's fine. It's just a really common practice here for landlines to be ex-directory (not cell phones/mobiles).

[sharsachan]

i dont answer "private" or "unknown" numbers. if they really want to talk to me then they can leave a message with their number. i don't alwase want to talk to certain people, like my mother. her cell phone often shows up as "unknown" and she has no idea how to fix it, she just picks up and calls me. it doesnt bother me so much, unless i have like 5 missed calls from unknown/private but no message. if it's important enough to call 5 times, why is it not important enough to leave a message?

[Anotherday]

Hi there,

 

See my post above - it's actually very common for a lot of professions. I probably should be ex-directory as well, because as a woman living on my own, my land line being freely available means that absolutely anyone can find out where I live in two seconds.

 

Do you mean landlines or mobiles, though? I'm really not clear why this bugs you so much, I think you're being kind of unreasonable about it to be honest. But if that's your preference, that's fine. It's just a really common practice here for landlines to be ex-directory (not cell phones/mobiles).

 

Yes, it does seem as though I am being unreasonable, but in this case I think it's the fact that both of these people have my number and yet won't give me theirs. Thanks for your honesty.

[Honey Pumpkin]

Yes, it does seem as though I am being unreasonable, but in this case I think it's the fact that both of these people have my number and yet won't give me theirs. Thanks for your honesty.

 

Ah apologies, that is kind of weird. I thought you meant that you disliked someone being 'number withheld', whereby their phone did it automatically to all calls, but you had their number as well. I agree that it's weird of them to call you but not allow you to call them back. I wouldn't like that.

[glegend]

Yes, their phone number comes up as unknown. This has happened to me with two people now and it goes beyond annoying. They are intentionally blocking their number from displaying so I don't have it. This is achieved by pressing *67, just as an FYI.

 

Or you could put your phone on restrictive identity by either using a setting on the phone or when creating your account having it set to restrictive identity.

 

 

I keep my phone on restrictive identity most of the time. I don't use *67 as it costs money. I just set my option to "restrict my identity". What I don't understand is why some people don't answer the phone when they see "unknown" or "restricted" on the called id, but if they were at a landline without caller id they would answer the phone. Also it doesn't make sense as some big companies have more then one phone number, and they only give out the main one and the rest show up as unknown.

 

Personally, I don't care if they block the phone number. I understand that there are certain conditions as to why the number comes up as blocked. I answer it no matter what, comes in as a free call to me anyways so I don't care.

[ghost69]

i don't answer them. my friends all know to unblock theirs or i won't answer. a lot of solicitors block their number. i had one call over and over again, i didn't even let them say anything the 4th time i answered, i said look (choice name) unblock your number and call back. no more calls from them. lol

 

why block your number? you leave a message i will call you back. extremely rare a blocked number comes up and i get a message that it's a friend on a different phone or something cause their cell died.

[icanrelate]

I block my phone number when I don't want the person I'm calling to know it's me. Thus, you can pretty much figure out that I only do this to people I either don't like or am suspicious of for some reason. Some people's numbers are unlisted and come up as blocked callers, but you should already know who they are. If these are hang-ups, then someone who doesn't want you to know their identity is calling you to check on you.