If you live alone, do you think a "generic" voice mail is safer/more private?

For you ladies that live alone, do you have your own voice on your machine or voice mail....or just use a generic one that doesn't even identify your NUMBER, let alone your name or that a woman lives there. This could lead to creepy calls. A lot of weirdoes out there who get kicks making sick calls to women.

So, "generic" (pre-recorded digital voice) or "personal"? I'm mainly referring to your home numbers, particularly landlines if you still have one. LOL

For example, the "intercom" in my building is connected to our landlines. If someone wants to get in, they might call everyone to see who lets them in. No one needs to know who lives in a unit or whether male or female.

I'm someone who uses a pre - recorded voice on my answering machine. I don't want a stranger knowing I live alone. Too many weirdos out there.

I use a generic message. I live alone in the country with very few neighbors. If something were to happen it would be a while before any help could arrive. Always better to be safe than sorry.

I still have a landline and have an unlisted phone number and anynomous caller block feature. I use my own voice but I just give out my number and say leave a message at the tone. And I never answer the phone if I don't recognize who is calling me.

I use my own voice on my message, but I just say you've reached such and such a number - leave a message. I also have call display and don't answer, if I don't recognize the number.

--splitimage

I live alone and don't have answerphone/voicemail on my landline at all - it just rings through. I make sure everyone I care about has my mobile number, and have voicemail on that.

When I lived alone I left my own message when I did have an answering machine, but it didn't say my name. I think people often assume that if a message is the generic one that you've never set up your voicemail. At least, that's what I've come to experience. I'll leave a message on a voicemail with a generic message and then ask if they message was got, the person will almost always say "oh I never use that..., I've never set it up..." things along that line. And another thing I've noticed is that women often will only put their first initial in the phone book with their last name, but men most always put their full names, so it seems obvious that the number is a woman's number. Anyhow. I'm completely paranoid and do not answer the phone unless I know exactly who it is. I don't have voicemail because I don't want people leaving messages for me then having expectations that I will return the call.

This thread is so so sad to me
I'm sorry nonightowl and all you other women out there, that have had to be so vigilent.

I know-- I've always been told--
"that's just the way it is"..... but it SUCKS!.

I feel very bad for all women, that we have to be so cautious and fearful-- I hate it-- it's so not fair. (men don't have to consider this subject for the reasons we do)

this has hit a trigger in me--- sorry
yipes.......

fins

I dont live alone, I have a husband and two older sons in the house, and I stll use the pre-recorded phone message to answer my calls... guess I just dont want anyone that we dont personally know to have more information than they need to have.

Better SAFE than SORRY -

Personally, I don't live alone. But if I did and for some reason wanted an answering machine, I'd probably record a message like 'this is the Jones (or whatever my last name was) residence,' rather than identify myself as a woman living alone. There are a lot of creeps so I wouldn't want to advertise that. However, most households have female residents, so I doubt I'd feel very anxious having my voice on an answering machine. I also don't go handing my number out randomly either.

I never bothered with my name as people who call me will/should know who I am and/or be able to identify my voice. But when I lived alone I didn't worry about who called on the phone, anymore than I worry about who emails me; I don't feel perverts call lots of phones waiting for a woman to answer on an answering machine and copy down that number to call again or anything that elaborate. I did (when I lived alone) make sure my "formal" name was in any phone book so people who spoke to "that' person I'd know didn't know me.

I don't live alone now, but when I did and I was a single mum, I had a unlisted number and got one of my male friends to record the message on the machine. A male voice can deter a lot of people and my friend said "This is the H household. Please leave your name and number after the tone". It made it sound like there were many people living here, not just 2 people.

Take good care,

Michah

Bumping thread.....

An officer neighbor of mine used to recommend for anyone, single or not have the pre-recorded messages or if you want your own voice not to include your name or phone number. To say, "Sorry missed you call, please leave a msg" or "We can't come to the phone right now, pls leave a msg." Keep it simple and direct, so nothing can be inferred by it.

When we had a landline, we just used the generic voice on the machine. We have cell phones now and I just use my own message, but I don't live alone either.

generic for me

I have a personal message, but it's very generic, I do not say my name on it. Also, I got my dogs excited before I recorded it. You can hear them barking in the background!
I also do not have any real information online - even my email is set up with fake name and information. I hope that will ensure that no one will contact me online unless I have contacted them first and let them know who I am. (So far this has worked well for me)