Do you call back every number on your caller ID?

[mickeyfan2]

Those people need to get a life.

 

[All American]

The only calls I return are those from my children or hubby. Everyone else can call back if it's important.

I am glad I am not the only one who feels this way. We don't even have an answering machine (I hate those things. I only give my cell phone number to people I want to talk to, so they know they can reach me that way). It is amazing how long a person will let the phone ring waiting for the non-existent machine to pick up.

So, to answer the original question. I only call back family or very close friends.

 

[Beca]

About a month ago, we were victims of identity theft. As a result, I have been returning EVERY call that shows up on my caller id. Why? Because it is what the identity theft service we are using to clear up our name has recommended. I have so many charges pending with so many different companies that I have NEVER had dealings with previously, that I have to track them down. Unfortunately, for the next 6-9 months, I will have to call back every number to see who is trying to reach me. You'd be surprised how many charges to my name I have reversed early because I returned phone calls to companies (who, btw did not leave messages) when I came home.

I'm sorry if this offends some people who just called me and chose not to leave a message, and seriously...I would rather not call people back....I hate chasing "ghosts" every day...but, I have to. With so much identity theft going on out there, I would be surprised if that was not the reason MANY of these people are calling others back.

 

[Poohnatic]

Doesn't that defeat the purpose of caller ID ? If I don't recognize the number I'm not picking up and I'm not calling back.

That's my thinking, too. If you couldn't leave a message, then you either got a wrong number or didn't think it was that important.

What I don't get, and this has only happened to me here in Florida is this:

Cell phone rings-I don't recognize the number, but when my store first opened, it went out on EVERY email I sent (well over 200). So I answer.

Caller: Amanda?
Me: No, you've reached Suzanne.
Caller: Well, can I talk to Amanda?
Me: No, you've called Suzanne-there is no Amanda here
Caller: Well, do you know her? Amanda blahblahblah
Me: I've never heard of her, I don't know any Amandas
Caller: I called her here yesterday
Me: This has been my number for over 2 years
Caller: She must have had your phone, then
Me: I assure you, I had my phone yesterday
Caller: Can you tell me how to reach her?
Me: No, but you won't get her at this number. Sorry


30 minutes later, phone rings again. This number is different than the last, so I answer-AND GO THROUGH THE EXACT SAME THING WITH THE SAME WOMAN!!!! She ends it with "I guess she really isn't there, is she?

Suzanne

 

[ntsammy5]

We call back every number because we run our business out of our home. We always say who we are and the name of our business and that someone called us from this number and we were just returning all our calls. Most of the time it is someone wanting work done. Most people here hate answering machines and will not leave a message. If we didn't have the business we wouldn't call the numbers on our id just the ones that left messages.

For a business user this is rational; for a non-business user it's irrational. I know I've gotten return calls from businesses like what you do and I appreciate it. Accusatory calls from individuals I hang up and then block that number (I have VOIP). People are strange...... hmmmmmm good title for a song!

 

[theycallmered]

AAaaaaaarrrrrgggggGGGGHHHH!!!! I HATE when people do this! As a receptionist, I field about 100 calls a day, and at least 3 of them DAILY are some idiot insisting that I tell them who called them a few hours ago, and why. Never mind that we have 130 people in the office. Sheesh.

Same here!! It just grates on my nearves when someone does this. Comeone people!! I am the receptionist not the monitor of out-going calls!!

AHHH!!!!

 

[VirtuallyMe]

I'm not a fan of this- when it is done rudely...

"You called me. Who are you?" calls- that usually get answered with "Well you just phoned my number- who are you trying to reach?" and go through any number of responses.

sometimes it is just a kid who is a little rude because they don't really know and so I use it as a teaching moment- (my kids just love me for that one )

Other times- my kids or me or dh- just called a wrong number like the 9yo in the orginal post- and so we hang up- and we get a call back hours later- demanding we tell them who we are- usually on our answering machine... because we have caller id and I do NOT answer the phone for any name/number I do not recognize and also will rarely answer if it is one of my kids' friends if they are not around. Frankly we all have cell phones- and my dd14 is the only one who really uses our home phone- so when it rings I don't even look to see who is calling anymore if she is around.

I too have been victim of answering a phone call at work- my office and all our satelite offices show the same main phone number for all outgoing calls- but that number only rings back to the main office for our operator to answer- poor thing has to explain thousands of times a day that she has no idea who called them... but in the past when it was me answering the phone it was really fun- because my previous job was at a psychiatric hospital and because of laws we could not confirm or deny the presence of Santa Claus if he was standing in front of me while I was on the phone- so that was always fun...

Frankly if you have a reason like it being your business or the pp with identity theft problems- and you are calling back and being polite fine... same goes for just those Type A's who just must know and call back for nothing other than curiosity- if you are polite about it- no problem- but chances are you are wasting your time because I'm not going to answer your unknown name or blocked id call anyway.

IT is just the rude demanding people- who you wonder if they are crazy cat people who are craving attention or something- or else paranoid and probably need to up their medication or something...

I love when others have answering machines because if I need to ask a question or give information to someone who is not available to answer their phone- I can tell it all to the machine and they can listen at their leisure and get back to me later- I don't have to worry about them not getting the information. and frequently I put in- call me back only if you have questions about what I told you... When I was younger I was guilty of filling up my friends (if it was their own) answering machines with my messages... I could call-share the gossip- and hang up and not worry about telling them later lol

My mom is guilty of calling us back when she sees us on CID and not listening to phone messages... that is why I have one- to receive messages from others when I'm not able to answer the phone. If you do not leave a message- your call was obviously not important enough and even if I see that mom called- I don't call her back. And I know she will call me back without looking at her message- so I usually start my conversations with her with "like I said in my message..."

 

[U2_rocks!]

This is so annoying when this happens. Even with friends and family. They'll call and say "oh I saw that you called, what did you want?" And I'll say "I left you a message, did you check your messages?". And they say "Oh no, I just saw that you called."

Well why the heck do you have voice mail if you aren't going to listen to the messages?

My parents and I never bother to leave messages b/c we both have caller ID and we just know to call each other back if our numbers show up.

I will also call back my best friend or my DH (cell or work) if their number shows up - they know to expect that, and they do the same. But usually I will not call back someone who shows up on my caller ID, even if I know who they are - it just looks stalker-ish! The exception to that might be if I am desperate to talk to someone as quickly as possible and I don't want to hang around waiting for them to call me back when they are ready. In that case I will sheepishly admit that I checked my caller ID and saw they had called, and I really wanted to speak to them because .........

 

[Hedy]

I reverse phone directory them, but mainly because I'm job hunting and my cell is the number on my resume.
I did have one of those weird caller id experiences, though. I'd called a person about a job from my home phone, left a message. went to work. The guy called back, my mom answered, and demanded to know who had called him.

 

[leighe]

I never even look at our called ID. And I think it may be one of the rudest things on earth to call someone and then say, "Who is this?"

My mom is a teacher and she had been calling some parents from home one night and a man called us and had a fit "Who are you? Why the heck (only the other word) are you calling me?" blah, blah, blah. I don't understand why some people get so bent out of shape about a number they don't recognize.

 

[lyzziesmom]

Ugh! Somebody just called and started yelling at me about this! "You just called me at 3:32 and who the he-double-hockey-sticks are you and why are you calling my home at 3:32?" I gave her the spiel about I have no way to know who called or why, and she continued to yell at me! "Well somebody must have dialed the wrong number and they need to cut that out! I don't know you!!"

Sometimes, I hate people.

 

[LadyBears]

I have only returned one "unknown phone call". Over a period of a couple of months, there were several messages left on my machine. Basically they were to the effect of "Kyle, I'll be there at 5 to pick you up. If you're not waiting out side you can walk home!" This number also showed up several other times but with no message left. After the 3rd similar message, I didn't want the poor kid to get in trouble. I called the number to let her know her son wasn't here because the here she was calling & the here she thought her son was at are 2 totally different places! Wouldn't you know, the same lady called several more times & left 2 more messages over the next month for her kid! I actually called her back a 2nd time to ask her to stop calling. I haven't heard from her since.... I felt so bad for her son....