For a couple years now our landline has been barraged by unwanted calls. The majority of them don't even leave a message on our answering machine. We purchased one of those call blockers which causes some interfearance on the line but how nice it is when you hear one ring only and can say "got you." Our own number was spoofed a number of times and I was fortunate to be near the call blocker when I heard my talking answering machine announce the number and I hit the button and bagged that one.
My answering machine has a male voice with a generic message which I had to resort to when the microphone for recording outgoing messages failed.
I have on occasion called back numbers shown on our caller Id with my cell phone which I use sparingly and irregularly and get busy signals, recordings which say "You have reached a non-working number." etc.
I advise people I know to keep current on their finances to avoid being scared by such false warnings as overdue utility, and credit card bills etc.
If I'm at my desk on third floor away from the first-floor location of my answering machine I count the rings and then add some seconds more to count for the time for the outgoing message and then pick up the handset and depending on who is saying what, determins if I break into the incoming message or just hang up.
I have had a published landline phone number for over 40 years and still want to keep it that way in case someone with a really legitimate concern can find my number and contact me.
When I'm out with my cell phone on' I listen for the number that's calling and if it does not sound familiar or if loud noises around me drown out the speech, I just hit redial a little later or when I feel like it and most of the time I don't reach a person.
But I really feel badly for senior citizens who, through adverse circumstances cannot be as quick-thinking as they used to be and get taken advantage of.
Well, I've babbled on a bit here but I'm going to keep checking emails for additional information.
Best wishes listers
Tom Eberts