Do you screen your telephone calls?

I have call display so I always check to see who is calling before I answer. If I don't recognize the number and there is no name attached to it, I won't answer. If it is a 1-800 number, I won't answer. I usually holler to the rest of the members of the house not to answer the phone. I can usually tell which calls are sales people but sometimes the charitable organizations have their volunteers call from their homes so I get nabbed that way. A lot of times when a telemarketer is calling there is silence after you say 'hello'. If you say hello two or three times then you might get someone on the line. So, I just hang up after I say hello once and get no response. Gotta be careful though. I almost didn't pick up a call once because I didn't have my glasses on and misread the number. Good thing I decided to pick it up. It was my husband's mother!

I used to sweety but now we don't have caller id so I just answer and if it is someone that I don't want to talk to I just ask how they got my nummber as I am not supposed to get calls - I am on a register and most of them apologise and hang up - if they don't I use my husbands technique of sounding interested in their product and waste their time like they are doing to me! I used to hate doing that and would try to very politely make sure they knew there was no point staying on the line but if that doesn't work it is their own fault! xxx

Yes, Yes, Yes....I screen every phone call that I get. If I don't know the number then I will wait to see if they leave a message. If they don't leave a message then I guess it wasn't that important anyway.

lol, you betcha! I've been screening calls for the last year or so. I got tired of all of the non profits and telemarketers (and yes, they do still call after the whole "No-call list"). Thank god for caller id!