When someone calls your house or work phone and says "Who is this?" ....?

Question

how do you answer? tell the person your name? say"who is THIS?" or something else? I personally without fail say "Well-who did you need to speak to?" I hate when someone does it too-- I think its rude as hell , but thats just me.

Answer 1

i say who the ***** is this?

i HATE it when people do that.. im like, hello you did call ME right?

Answer 2

I respond with "who is THIS?"

Though I have had some people try to keep asking and say that "they don't have to tell me". Then I politely remind them that they're the one who called and is harassing me, I have THEIR number on Caller ID, and I could always call back later if they aren't willing to tell me what the "hey" they want. I've only been hung up on once after that, the rest usually tell me who they are.

They MORE annoying thing is when people have called my parents house, ask for my father, and REFUSE to tell my mother who they are. Idiots trying to sell credit cards are the usual culprits, but for some stupid reason, they always have a WOMAN calling. Makes my mom so mad because, though SHE's not a paranoid woman, she wonders about families where the paranoia might be justified. *sigh*

Glad I'm not the "do not call" list now. Now we just get the occasional drunk foreign person calling at 3 in the morning.

Answer 3

Actually I apologize and give my first and last name, which is the appropriate way to answer the phone here in Zurich (actually, just last name is, but that's just wrong!) but I always say "Hello" 'cause I'm a foreigner. If I had an actual work phone I would answer with (only) my first and last name, and sometimes when I get a call I know (from the ID) to be work-related (I work sort-of freelance) I'll answer "Hello, Goddess of Grammar (ok no, my real name) speaking."

Answer 4

Just hang up. When you call someone you should always start off with "this is , I am calling because..." after the person who answers says "hello". Anything else is unacceptable unless you recognize the person's voice who answered and even then its common courtesy. C'mon, we do live in a civilized society.

Answer 5

I don't allow myself to get in verbal arguments with idiots by answering "well, who is this" or "who are you looking for".
I simply answer, "it's the wrong number" and hang up. Because if they don't know who they're calling then it's the wrong number. I also hate when they ask "did somebody call me".
I don't call back numbers on my caller ID either. If it was important, they'd call back. I get into arguments with my wife and kids frequently over this.

Answer 6

I would answer: "you have the wrong number" (if you do not know whom you are calling) Obviously the person is trying to find out your name, for whatever reason, I would not give it. If the call has any importance that person can call back and use a better approach.

Answer 7

This is so RUDE, I hate when people do that. At home it is easier to deal with as you can say "Who the hell is this" or something along those lines..At work it is harder to deal with, usually I will say excuse me or ask who they are trying to reach.

Answer 8

I either respond with "Who is this, you called my phone" or I just hang up. That is the rudest way to start a conversation. If you do not know who you are calling then simply say, "this is so-and-so, I saw this number on my caller ID and didn't know whose number this was"

Answer 9

Usually, I point out that "You called me..." and wait for them to explain themselves.

Sometimes it's just a wrong number and they are just surprised by the voice that answered. Usually at this point they realize this, explain, apologize and hang up.

Similarly I'll be happy to listen to the number they thought they called, and tell them if it's wrong. I never give out my number if they ask for my number.

Cold callers and others usually just hang up without explanation, and I don't have to be rude to them in return.

Answer 10

My mother does this - it drives me insane. I find the best way to "deflate" the other person is to be nice and say "Excuse me??". If they continue to say "Who is this??" I nicely respond "Perhaps if you tell me why you called me, I can answer your question". Usually people apologize - but some folks are just plain rude no matter what.

Answer 11

When someone calls me at work, I always answer with my name for outside calls, so I'd just repeat my name if asked.

At home, I usually say it's the voice of god.