There are days when a “like” resolves 90% of interactions, and answering an unknown call may be unnecessary. Here are 5 reasons not to answer your cell phone.
There was a time when the sound of a telephone ringing aroused the expectation of a call from a loved one or something important to resolve. Today, however, calls generate distrust due to numerous scams and other inconveniences — or some, particularly younger people, simply talk via call.
Spam
This is probably one of the first and most critical reasons people stop answering calls.
Calls from operators trying to “upgrade” your plan to something more expensive were also (and still are) quite common. If a few years ago it was normal to have a person make calls, today it is often robots that trigger calls with unattractive offers that only annoy you.
It is worth remembering that you can identify a call that could be spam, so be careful. And of course, the calls that go silent and hang up in front of you could not be forgotten. Automated marketing campaigns have turned cell phones into loud billboards that irritate consumers at inopportune times.
Scams and more scams
Answering the phone today is like walking through a minefield. When it’s not about invasive ads, consumers need to be wary of creative scammers.
There are scams of all types: from the classic “false kidnapping” with the traditional phrases (“Mom, I’m in trouble!”), which still deceives the unprepared, to the more modern “voice phishing”. In this case, the criminal calls pretending to be from your bank, reports a “suspicious transaction” and asks you to immediately call the (fake) 0800 number that appears on the screen, thus trying to obtain your details.
Never answer to say “yes?”
Crime is reaching Black Mirror levels. Sometimes scammers call just to record their voice.
Typically, simple questions such as “Are you hearing me well?” or “Is that so-and-so?”, only to get a “Sim“. With this voice sample, they use artificial intelligence to clone, call your family members and request Pix transfers in your name.
Call filters
There are applications like Whocalls, Truecaller or filters from manufacturers like Samsung that promise to restrict unwanted calls. However, they seem ineffective. It is common for users to complain on forums and on app pages that continue to be the target of unwanted calls, even with paid subscriptions to these programs.
Scammers often change numbers very quickly. Therefore, the “potential spam” warning usually arrives when you have already answered the call.
The tyranny of the immediate
For younger generations, from Millennials to Generations Z, Alpha and Beta, a call can feel invasive. It demands 100% of your attention at that moment, and can interrupt work, a movie or your train of thought. A message can be responded to at any time, between one meeting and another, and so on.
Furthermore, modern communication is more visual. A text message on messengers like WhatsApp and Telegram allows the use of GIFs and memes, which can make a boring topic more fun.
When in doubt, don’t answer; If it’s really important, the person will definitely send a message.
