From: petertrei@gmail.com   
      
   On 10/23/2025 11:30 AM, Steve Coltrin wrote:   
   > begin  fnord   
   > Crryptoengineer  writes:   
   >   
   >> I'll say 'hello', but if a human answers, and I suspect a scam, my next   
   >> line, regardless of what they ask, may well be a blunt "What do you want?".   
   This   
   >> throws them off their script.   
   >   
   > Harlan Ellison(tm) answered the phone with a curt "YEAH?".  I find that   
   > a good example to follow.   
      
   I've read, but have not seen an actual case, that answering 'Yes'   
   or 'Yeah' is problematic. Many banking-by-phone systems use voice   
   prints to identify customers, and a sample of you saying 'Yes'   
   can be used for nefarious purposes.   
      
   When I pick up the phone, I say 'Hello'. If there's no immediate   
   response, or its a robot, I hang up. If it's a human, and I suspect   
   a scam, I won't answer questions - I'll ask them, and unless they   
   can rapidly convince me, I'll hang up.   
      
   pt   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)