We received a call from an unknown number. Whose phone number is this? What can we do to identify the phone number and, if necessary, how to block a phone number from which we do not want to receive calls.
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What to do with calls from unknown numbers
There are situations that happen to us, for example, waiting for a phone call regarding the application for a job, the reservation confirmation from the hotel, the pharmacy that was to contact us as soon as a medicine arrived.
It may also be the call of a friend, whose contact we have not registered.
Without knowing who is calling us, we must answer the call, as it may be from one of the places where we are waiting for an answer or from someone we know, but we do not have the number.
The phone call that turns out to be inopportune
But also, we receive calls from telemarketing services or from a “call center” hired by a company, which intend to sell a product or service.
It follows a wonderful story of product or service and puts us in a situation where we have difficulty saying that we do not intend to buy or join.
There are always arguments from the other side, which is trained for these situations, for example, “try it free for 15 days”.
If we do not like the product, it is also difficult to argue, because we do not have technical indications or scientific evidence to help us there.
In fact, the call was unexpected and, on the other side, is someone who came in without asking for permission.
It is part of marketing and sales techniques, albeit aggressive.
If we ask you to send us the proposal by email so that we can analyze it in more detail, we contradict the principles of aggressive selling that we want to impose on us, since everything has to be done over the phone, to take advantage of the opportunity.
If you insist, it is best to hang up the phone, to be effective!
In most cases, calls of this type are processed by computer systems with some intelligence and, so that operators do not waste time waiting for the customer to answer them, the system initiates the call before the operators are free.
Now, often, when we answer the call, we are, as they say, “talking to ourselves”. The algorithm didn't work! Or did not take into account that on the other side is a person.
We say “Allo! Allo! ” we wait a few seconds, until an operator initiates contact. Now this is inconceivable, do we have to wait ?!
In these cases, we can hang up before the call is transferred from the “poorly programmed system” to the operator. But, if we want to wait for them to respond, we are immediately alert, waiting for an aggressive sale and the little respect they have for their customers.
And here comes the story that they have an excellent product or service and that there is no better one on the market.
They offer a 25% discount if you sign up now. Just say yes and the contract goes by email or post. We are recording the conversation for the contract to be valid. But don't worry, you can cancel whenever you want. Bla bla bla bla…
There are companies that are recurring in this technique. The fact that we don't know whose phone number it is, leads us to answer it for the sake of good manners and we end up frustrated.
Even stressing that we are not willing to waste our time in this conversation, since, when we need something, we know where to look and get references for the quality of the service or product, often the other side insists!
Improve and complete the base of contacts
We can improve our contact base by saving the phone numbers of cases in which contact is infrequent, but with whom we know that we may come in contact.
We exemplify with the pharmacy, the application for a job, but it can be cases like the supermarket you usually go to, the store where you shop for various office supplies, the bookstore, etc.
By identifying the previously unknown phone number, it is possible to minimize the chance of receiving unidentified calls.
In some cases there are calls or SMS messages that can be “spam”.
The goal is not to answer the call. They are called “trap” (trap call) that may end up being charged at a high cost or that automatically result in a service subscription.
So if you suspect and don't answer, don't return the call.
If it is someone who wants to talk to you, they will call you again, even if they are the so-called “call centers”.
And if it is an SMS, do not respond and, above all, never give out personal information.
How to identify the phone number
You can find out who owns a phone number or mobile phone, which allows you to return the call by placing the phone number in the contacts, as it has been previously identified.
There are several platforms available in Portugal that use the contribution of users to compile information from more or less reliable phones, allowing them to find out the phone number and know who it belongs to.
Tellows Platform
Exemplifying with the Tellows platform
Entering a phone number, for example 965935900.
The system returns information, as from Hospital da Luz and that it is a reliable phone, to which they assign a score of 1.
We can also see who identified and classified this phone number and can contribute to our own assessment.
You can try other alternatives, such as Yellow Pages or Truecaller.
If you're looking for a way to block a phone number, Tellows can do that too.
Google search
A Google search is also a possibility. If the contacts are from companies, these phones are usually available on the websites and are therefore recognizable by the search engine.
They called me and Who calls me
These are platforms powered by users who record in the form of a comment the number of the person who called them and what happened. That way you can find out whose phone number this is.
When accessing the platform, write the phone number you want to identify and the answer is immediate. At the end of the comments you can also leave yours.
Blocking a phone number we don't want to answer
If you don't want to answer a phone at all, your phone can probably block a phone number. Try this option or ask your Communications Operator for help.
It is possible that some older versions of the phones do not have this possibility.
We can also download an application to the mobile phone that can block it. For example, Tellows can be downloaded to the phone, either for Android or IOS systems.
You can try out the operation with a test phone number to learn about the procedure.
There are other Apps to find out the phone number that called them or even what is calling you. Some Apps have the possibility to immediately identify the phone call, using data from social networks.
Examples are Apps Sync me and TrueCaller and Call Up.
Anyway, all care is little. Don't be fooled!
See too
- National Health Service (SNS) online access
- MySNS Wallet application for accessing the SNS by Mobile Phone
- You can see how to install the Siga App Application on your mobile, to get passwords online
