[quote=“dl7und”]Each time I get a call from an unknown number (I don’t even answer those without number anymore), I answer in Japanese. While most people here know a word or two in Japanese, they are usually not up to real conversation and give up pretty quickly.
So, just answer in anything but Chinese and English and they should soon give up. (Has been silent recently…)[/quote]
A few years ago, in Kathmandu, a friend of mine got sick of all the Nepali people who, speaking English, offered him carpets, hash, trekking guides, opium, sisters etc. So he decided to answer them in German, telling them (in German) that he didn’t speak English. I was with him the first time he tried it - he told a street kid (in German) that he didn’t speak English. As it happens, the street kid spoke a bit of German. The problem was, my friend didn’t. All he knew to say was “I don’t speak English”. Plan backfired.
Back on topic. I don’t answer private numbers. Numbers that display, but I don’t recognise, I answer with “Hello”. If the person then speaks to me in Chinese, I hang up.
For clients to get my number, that have to be able to read/speak English. My Chinese is crap, so I don’t advertise in it. My business cards are in English only, my website in English only (expect for place names and names of Chinese people which I usually write in Chinese and English). If I answer in English, and they are a potential client, they should know enough to speak English to me. If not, I figure they are telemarketers, scammers etc. And I hang up. Often the phone immediately rings again from the same number. I don’t answer. I figure they’ve just hit redial. Usually that’s enough. Occasionally, it’ll ring a third time and if I answer, it’s always an old person, speaking to me in Taiwanese who’s dialed the wrong number.