From: robertaw@drizzle.com   
      
   In article   
   <18713221671c9fe2$24$3429965$802601b3@news.usenetexpress.com>,   
    Michael Benveniste  wrote:   
      
   > On 10/23/2025 12:07 AM, Crryptoengineer wrote:   
   >   
   > > 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.   
   >   
   > For my ex-land line (now IP), I answer "this is the Major."  If someone   
   > ever responds, "This is Condor," or "This is Joe Turner," I'll talk to   
   > them.   
      
   I answer the phone with "hello". I use the following response tree   
      
   1) no reply after 5 seconds or so; I hang up.   
   2) if a recorded message, then   
    2a) from a local utility, I listen   
    2b) otherwise, I hang up.   
   3) If person calling is a friend or relative, I stay on the line until   
   the conversation is over   
   4) if I hear a unknown human reply, I ask "who do you wish to speak to"   
    4a) if they start their spiel without saying my name, I hang up   
    4b) if they call me "Mr. Robert", I hang up   
    4c) if they Robert, Bob, or Mr. Woodward (or even Robert Woodward), I   
   will listen and depending on what they say, I might not immediately hang   
   up.   
      
   --   
   "We have advanced to new and surprising levels of bafflement."   
   Imperial Auditor Miles Vorkosigan describes progress in _Komarr_.   
   —-----------------------------------------------------   
   Robert Woodward robertaw@drizzle.com   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)