How to Give a Phone Number to Telemarketers That’s “Not in Service”

Robocalls and telemarketing calls are one of the top annoyances of modern life. Your phone rings with an unfamiliar number, and you hesitantly answer, only to be met with an automated voice trying to sell you something you don’t need or scam you out of personal information. These calls disrupt your day, intrude on your privacy, and can even put you at risk of identity theft if you engage with a fraudulent caller.

Even if you don’t pick up, the barrage of calls is infuriating and never seems to stop. Your phone buzzes and rings at all hours, flashing numbers you don’t recognize from all over the country. Some days it feels like the calls will never end, as you’re constantly interrupted by another spam caller trying to reach you. It’s incredibly frustrating and disruptive.

Beyond the sheer annoyance, these calls also represent a violation of your privacy and personal space. You don’t know who has your number or how they obtained it, but clearly it has been shared widely among telemarketers, robocallers, and scammers. This can make you feel exposed and vulnerable. What other personal information might these callers have access to? How can you escape this endless cycle of unwanted contacts?

Why Give a Fake Number?

Providing your real phone number to companies, organizations, or telemarketers opens the door to a world of annoyance and invasion of privacy. Once they have your digits, you’re likely to be bombarded with endless robocalls, spam messages, and unwanted solicitations. Your number could also get passed around or sold to other call lists, compounding the problem.

By giving out a fake or alternate phone number instead, you regain control over your personal information and who has access to reach you directly. A fake number acts as a buffer, allowing you to screen calls and avoid having your real number inundated with junk you never asked for. It helps protect your privacy and reclaim a sense of peace from the constant ring of nuisance calls.

Ultimately, using a fake number for telemarketers puts you in the driver’s seat. You decide if and when to actually answer or engage with the callers. It’s a proactive way to shut down the harassment of unchecked telemarketing while still being able to use your real number for important personal and professional contacts.

Creating a Fake Phone Number

There are a few different methods you can use to generate a fake, alternate phone number to give out to telemarketers:

• Online Phone Number Generators: There are various websites and online tools that will create random, fake phone numbers for you on demand. Simply search for “fake phone number generator” and you’ll find plenty of options to choose from. These numbers are completely fabricated and not attached to any real person or service.
• Google Voice or VOIP Numbers: Services like Google Voice allow you to get an internet-based phone number that forwards to your real number. You can use this alternate number to screen calls and give out to telemarketers. VoIP (Voice over IP) providers like Skype also offer virtual numbers you can use.
• Manually Making Up a Number: You can simply invent a random 10-digit phone number to give out. However, be careful with this approach, as you’ll want to avoid any patterns or exchanges that could potentially be real, working numbers belonging to others.
• Burner Apps and Temporary Numbers: There are smartphone apps that provide temporary, disposable phone numbers you can use for a limited time, such as just for a particular call or sign-up process. These “burner” numbers can work well for quickly giving something fake to telemarketers.

No matter which method you choose, the idea is to have an alternate phone number on hand that is not your real, personal number – allowing you to preserve your privacy while still engaging with pesky telemarketers on your own terms.

What to Say When They Call

When a telemarketer inevitably calls the fake number you’ve provided, it’s important to have a plausible story ready. Avoid giving any real personal information that could be used to identify or market to you further. Here are some tips on how to respond:

Use Vague Statements: Say something like “Sorry, you have the wrong number” or “I think you may have misdialed.” Don’t confirm the name they’re looking for.

Claim the Person Isn’t Available: You could say “John isn’t able to come to the phone right now, can I take a message?” Then just never pass along the message.

Politely Decline Interest: Try “Thanks for the call, but I’m not interested” or “We’ve decided not to pursue that offer at this time.”

Give a Plausible Excuse: Explain that the person they want is out running errands, away on a trip, working, or in a meeting. Use your best judgment on what sounds believable.

Stall for Time: If pressed for more details, stall by saying “Let me check on that” or “Could you repeat the reason for your call?” and then end the call soon after.

The key is to avoid confirming any specifics while still sounding natural. With practice, giving telemarketers the runaround at your fake number should become easy.

Handling Follow-up Questions

Telemarketers can be persistent, so be prepared for them to probe with follow-up questions to verify your identity or interest level. The key is to deflect these inquiries politely but firmly.

If they ask you to confirm personal details like your name, address, or existing phone number, do not provide any real information. Simply say something like “I’d prefer not to share those details” or “I don’t feel comfortable confirming that.” You are under no obligation to verify your identity to an unsolicited caller.

For more persistent questioning about why you can’t come to the phone or whether you’re really interested in their product or service, remain courteous but unyielding. Repeat that it’s not a good time, or that you’re actually not interested after all. Don’t get drawn into a debate or lengthy conversation.

At a certain point, if the telemarketer refuses to take no for an answer, it’s perfectly acceptable to hang up. You’ve already given them a fake number – you don’t owe them anything further. A polite “Sorry, I need to go now” before ending the call is recommended.

The line between being politely dismissive and rude is thin, so strive to take the high road. But don’t feel bad about abruptly ending an unwanted call when the telemarketer oversteps reasonable boundaries of civility and persistence. Your time and privacy are valuable.

Other Call-Blocking Strategies

While giving out a fake phone number can help reduce telemarketing calls, it’s not the only tactic available. There are several other steps you can take to cut down on the onslaught of unwanted calls:

Register for Do Not Call Lists: Both the federal government and many states offer Do Not Call registry lists you can sign up for. Once registered, telemarketers are legally prohibited from calling your number, with exceptions for political organizations, charities, and companies you have an existing relationship with. Violations can result in fines against the offending company.

Use Call Blocking Apps and Services: Your mobile carrier likely offers call blocking and spam filtering services to cut down on unwanted calls. Third-party apps like Hiya, Truecaller, and RoboKiller are also available to automatically screen for spam numbers and block them.

File Complaints About Violators: If you continue receiving calls from companies after registering on Do Not Call lists, you can file complaints with the FTC, FCC, and your state consumer protection office. Providing details about the date, time, and company calling can help build cases against repeat offenders.

Use a Call Screening Service: Services like Google Voice and RingCentral let you set up a second phone number to screen calls before deciding whether to accept them. This allows you to avoid giving your primary number to potential spammers.

Ask Companies to Remove You: When you do receive a telemarketing call, you can ask the company to remove you from their calling lists. Reputable companies should comply with this request.

A multi-pronged approach using a combination of these tactics is often the most effective way to take back control over your phone from pesky telemarketers.

Potential Risks and Downsides

Using a fake phone number to deal with telemarketers is not a perfect solution and has some potential risks and limitations to consider. First, there’s always a chance that the fake number you provide could end up being passed along or sold to other call lists anyway. While giving a fake number may stop those initial calls, it doesn’t guarantee permanent relief.

Additionally, there are some legal gray areas around providing intentionally false information, even to telemarketers. In some areas, it could potentially be considered a form of fraud or deception. While the risks are likely small for one-off fake numbers given out, it’s something to be aware of, especially if taking the practice to bigger scales.

Perhaps the biggest downside is that by using a fake number, you run the risk of missing legitimate calls from people you may want to hear from. It can be difficult to keep track of which numbers are fake and which are real. An important call from a doctor, service provider, or even a friend or family member could easily be missed and go unanswered if you’re not careful about tracking the fake numbers used.

So while giving out a fake phone number can be an effective way to cut down on those annoying telemarketer calls in the short term, it’s not a perfect long-term solution. It has some risks and limitations that are important to understand before deploying the tactic. For many, it may make more sense to explore other call blocking options or to simply not answer calls from unfamiliar numbers.

Weighing the Options

Before deciding to give out a fake phone number to telemarketers, it’s important to carefully consider the potential pros and cons. On the plus side, using a fake number can effectively stop the onslaught of unwanted calls and protect your real contact information from being traded on calling lists. It provides a straightforward way to opt out of telemarketing without having to go through official do-not-call registries.

However, there are some risks to be aware of. Depending on where you live, providing intentionally false information could potentially violate truth-in-caller-ID laws, though enforcement is rare for individual cases. There’s also a chance that cunning telemarketers may see through your ruse if you aren’t convincing enough. And you always run the slight risk of missing a legitimate call from an important person or service if they attempt to reach the fake number you provided.

Ultimately, whether giving out a fake phone number is the right approach comes down to your personal tolerance level for telemarketing calls versus the chance of complications from using a dummy number. For some, it may be a worthwhile trade-off to get lasting relief from the daily onslaught of robocalls and solicitations. Others may prefer to first explore call-blocking apps, registering on do-not-call lists, and filing complaints as alternative strategies before resorting to more extreme measures.

Taking Action Against Annoying Calls

The constant ringing and interruptions from unwanted telemarketing calls can be incredibly frustrating. However, you don’t have to just accept being harassed – there are steps you can take to regain control. By employing strategies like giving out a fake phone number, registering for Do Not Call lists, using call blocking apps, and filing complaints against repeat offenders, you can significantly reduce the number of annoying calls you receive.

Don’t let another day go by being pestered by aggressive salespeople and robocallers. Put the techniques outlined here into practice and take back your peace of mind. You have the power to put a stop to these nuisance calls invading your privacy. Make the choice to tackle this problem head-on and enjoy sweet silence once more.