At this point in time I don't even bother answering the phone unless I know who is calling me.
Owner pretty much "knows" who is calling him. They're all on his Contacts list and the phone screen gives their name.
But it used to be common a number would come up that he doesn't know or the phone doesn't tell him who.
These he will answer - but not say anything - ANYTHING. He just listens.
He doesn't hang up either.
He waits for them to hang up.
His rationale (quick to tell me) "If you say anything like there is a 'person' at your other end of the line - it confirms to them it IS a person - and your number has value to them. Maybe not them specifically, but they can turn your number over to others and profit from it as 'confirmed' - a 'mark.'"
"If you hang up - likewise it confirms there is a person doing it."
"If you let it go and THEY hang up - then they read it as a disconnected line - and the number has no value to them."
Your number doesn't get turned over to someone else to give it their try.
Owner today gets no more calls about extending his car warranty, storm windows, new roof, or hearing aids. In fact the only people he gets calls from are from those he knows and are already in his contact book.
He says it's hard. Your natural tendency is to say "hello" when you pick up the phone. But that is like the worst thing to do.
Dobbin