Should You Pick Up a Call From a Withheld Number?

Ben Wheeler • October 11, 2017

The answer to the question of whether you would answer a phone call from a withheld number seems to be vary wildly, but from what I have seen in the last few years, is that more and more people are answering “No”! In our ever increasing digital age, we seem to be able to glean lots of information about almost anyone we deal with in our day to day lives and I think we are all becoming increasingly suspicious when information is withheld from us. Below are the top reasons from the ‘no’ and the ‘yes’ camps. Which one are you?

No 

  • It’s a marketing call from someone trying to sell me something
  • If you won’t identify where you are calling from, it’s probably a scam
  • If it’s important they will leave a message (ever noticed that so many people don’t)
  • Most people regret it when they do answer
  • It’s the tax office, I don’t want to speak with them!

Yes

  • It could be important - what if it’s the hospital or something else urgent
  • If the person runs a business they need to pick up all calls regardless of a number showing
  • I will pick up every call if I can, I can always get rid of them if I need to
  • It may be a person volunteering for a charity and using their personal phone, so they decide to withhold their number
  • Many years ago there were no mobile phones or caller displays….

I think we will see more and more businesses moving away from ‘withholding’ caller ID’s, as the tide against the use of withholding is definitely turning. Personally, unless I am expecting an important call, I won’t pick up a withheld call. It really just makes me question why the caller doesn’t want me to know their number?

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