To get annoyed by private numbers?

[BamBamIsALittleShit]

Does anybody else find it frustrating when your mobile rings and its a private number? In the past couple of days I've had calls from a recruitment agency, the doctors surgery and my own workplace, all on private numbers. I thought one of the main perks of a mobile phone over, say, an old school land-line with a dial, is that you can see who's calling before you answer. With all the scams and cold callers around I'd like to know who's calling me before I answer - my phone has a feature that searches the number and tells you who's calling, failing that a quick Google usually does the trick.

I understand for personal calls why you may choose to withhold your number but for legitimate businesses surely there's no excuse.

First world problem I know!

I don't answer private numbers.

When my GP calls it's from their normal number. I'll answer for numbers that display as a phone number, but "number withheld" I won't bother. They'll leave a message if it's important. It's usually PPI begging in my experience.

I have never had a PPI call either on landline or mobile.

The only calls I am getting currently are SSE wanting to talk about Smart Meters.

The NHS seems to have different rules re leaving messages depending then. Maybe it varies from practice to practice, but they have to be very careful I would think.

I don't answer withheld numbers either. I think I've missed some calls from my GP but that's how it is.

I'm sick of all the nonsense I get, from outright scams to pushy salespeople, people who I've emailed who don't email back but want to ring, it's so annoying. If only legitimate wanted important people were allowed withheld numbers I'd answer them, but that would raise the supposed privacy concerns again.

YANBU at all.

I get calls on both landline and mobile, jsut showing the number or 'withheld'.

Virgin have called me every day for the last 3 weeks on a 0800 number, don;t leave a message. I know they will try to sell me something so I don't answer but they don't get the flipping message!

PPI, Double glazing, accident claims -all still come through even though I am registered with the TPS

Annoying that people are not answering their private number calls. The department I work rings people to offer appointments. They dont leave a message because they just go to the next person on the waiting list. If people would only answer their phones, they might be in with a chance of an appointment.

I find people trying to see me stuff ring from a number anyway

Sparkling brook good point!

Very annoying for people who are trying to contact someone on their mobile in an emergency and they know the person is probably there but not answering because it's a private caller. Happened to me the other day and caused no end of problems.

I don't answer numbers I don't know, or private numbers, unless I am specifically waiting on a call from someone new.

If an unknown number comes up, I'll reverse google it. 90% of the time it's a telemarketer/spammer in which case I then block it. If it's that important they can leave a message. That rarely happens, so can only assume those private numbers are indeed scammers or telemarketers.

DH's GP once left a message after I didn't answer, telling me to get him to hospital immediately, so if it's super urgent I guess they will leave a voice mail (The phone didn't even ring that time, so wasn't actually given the option of ignoring it).

We are ex directory because my dh is in the police service.
Common sense really.
Sorry if that annoys people! 🤷🏼‍♀️

If I don’t know a number I don’t answer and I block them .

Gosh

ex directory is different.
would you give your number to your GP?

if your answer phone says you wont accept calls from withheld numbers hospitals have a way round this.
but if you simply ignore and/or block, then they dont.

time consuming

I won't answer them.

I agree that this is totally fixable. When I make a call from work, my direct line doesn't show but our central switchboard number does. So people can see and answer or call back -i'll have left a note on the system to say that I called and why so switchboard can either deal with it or put them through to me when they ring back.

I agree, I hate sales calls and numbers I don't recognise.

With text messages from companies it often comes up with the company name or NHS no reply or whatever, it's a shame legitimate companies can't label the call as NHS or the company name etc, then you'd know if it was a private / random number it's a sales call.

Like I said before I can understand why personal calls may come from withheld numbers but businesses shouldn't be concealing their numbers.

Sorry that was replying to @ihatethecold

Our GP comes up as the surgery number (hence comes up as Doctor cos I've got it stored in my phone). Hospital doesn't even come up as withheld when they're ringing you to offer appointments - but ours all just send you a letter out to call IN to them anyway.

Think our doctors leave messages saying "we're just trying to get hold of X, it's nothing urgent, please call in"

Our Drs (I'm in the US) do leave a generic message as a PP mention above. A phone number shows on the screen though, it's just not the regular office number. So I created a contact for the number and named it 'Dr callback' so now when they call I know who it is. Same for our pharmacy and dentist.

I don't answer numbers I either don't recognize or that show 'unknown' unless I know I'm expecting a call from someone that wouldn't be in my contacts. Other than that, they can leave a message.

It's bs that it's a pain in the arse to get around withheld numbers, you simple have to dial 141 to 'un' withhold it number just the same as you do to withhold it. I know this as I had to call people from automatically withheld numbers in a job I held. I've also had multiple calls blocked to my mobile because the withheld their number and miracously they've phoned me back seconds later with the number fully displayed.

Also, if any of my dds heard a message and then had the cheek to ask questions such as why are they calling, what do they want, blah blah, then I would tell them to mind their own bloody business.

There is no need for any1 to have a withheld number and in fact places like victim support and woman's aid having withheld numbers are putting woman's lives at risk! Nothing going to get you a beating quicker than having to lie about why you are getting private number calls, whereas you can at least have a chance with 'known number' as wrong number/it was mum, sis, neighbour etc