I don’t answer my phone unless they are already listed in my contacts. If it’s important they’ll leave a message

If I don't recognise the number, I don't answer the phone. If it is important, they will leave a message.

If I have the time, I play a game to see how long I can keep them on the line. My current record is 8 minutes 37 seconds.

Try living with an 87 year old Republican who has written checks to various conservative causes. The phone calls start at 10am and continue until 9pm. I've told them he's dead. I've told them I am dead. I've told them to fuck off, and NOTHING seems to discourage them. I'm settling now for answering the phone while sticking it into the toilet and flushing. I mean, I feel bad for the schmoes who get paid to do these calls, but it's completely annoying. My dad will NOT give out his CC info over the phone. He will ONLY respond to mailed stuff with a mailed check. They don't care. They keep calling. Every. Single. Effing. Day.

I find the call center and burn it to the ground.

I do not answer the phone if I have not already saved the number or don't recognize it.

My VM message states that I will not return a call if a message is not left with a compelling reason that I do so.

Asshats.

Messages too.

I get one every few months that is:

"Liam wants to know if Michael would like to come over to play."

What in the actual Fuq?

If I don't recognize the number, I don't answer. Especially if the area code and prefix match my own; tends to be a dead giveaway that it's a robocall.

Automated message - hang up.
Live person, depends on what I feel like doing.
I've hung up, kept them going with play, told them to kill themselves.

Easy. Let my answering machine (yes, I still have one !) take the call. If no message is left, I know it was a BS call !

I answer and don't say a word. They hang up after 15 seconds.

I don’t even answer the phone when a friend calls

As well as just hanging up I also wait till a person comes on the line and do the following:
1.Tell them about my day at work until they hang up.
2.Sound eager but every so often ask them to speak louder until they are shouting and eventually hang up.
3.Sound eager ask questions, answer theirs, stay on the line as long as possible, then when it comes to the sell I say they should talk to my mum or dad cus I can't make those decisions.
4.Say that sounds great but I just need to put you on hold for a minute, then walk off and make a cuppa. If they're still there after that I'll listen a minute before saying oops gota put you on hold again.
5.used to happen at work so I would just transfer them to another department and say they wanted something else.
Think thats everything ive done.
I may try yelling down the phone to the next one. Seems only fair I do it the other way around too.

I only answer numbers I know. If it is important they'll leave a message.

Lay the phone down and walk away.

Have a display on my phone. Block the persistent ones and don't answer the phone numbers I don't recognize. They can always leave a message if they are legit.

Options 2 through5, depending on how I feel at the moment.

It really depends upon my mood when the call comes through.

Mr. Number and got rid of the home phone

If you don't text me I don't answer.

I forgot to add answering machine to the poll. Looks like most people just let it ring.

Answer and mess with their head !!

BLOCKED

Depends on my mood and if the caller id has a name I complain and vent.

Just block the number and don't answer private numbers

I thought you were going to give us an answer. None of the above work. When I get a 800# I pick up the phone, but don't say anything. It hangs up after about 10 sec. They are automated. I just can't stand listening to the phone ring.