Content

• Steps
• Advice
• Warning

When you want to end a phone call, there are different reasons you can use. While lying is never good, you can sometimes make excuses to turn off the phone when this is not the right time to talk. The easiest way to do that is to give a situation reason or a phone-related reason to end the conversation, or to call back later. Always remember to keep your promises and call others back if you say you will.

Steps

Method 1 of 2: Give a reason for the situation

1. 

   Pretend someone is standing outside the door and you have to turn off the engine to open the door for them. Tell the caller you just heard someone knock on the door or ring the bell and you need to figure out who it is. You can tell them you'll call them back after you're done.
   • To make this excuse more believable, tap on something wooden to make a sound like a knock on the door, or silently open the front door and ring the bell.

   Advice: You could also say that someone was visiting and they just arrived at the door, so you have to open the door for them and not be able to talk more right now.

   
   

2. 

   Tell them you're doing something unfinished and you'll call them back. You can think of a housework or chore that you will actually do. Tell the caller that this is not the perfect time to have a chat and that you will talk to them later.
   • For example, you could say you're busy cleaning the house, shopping for groceries, cooking, dressing, or anything else you can think of right away.

3. 

   
   
   Let's say you're eating and can't talk. You can tell the caller that you've just sat down at the table, so this is not the right time to have a chat. Ask them to call you back later or you will call them back when you are finished.
   • If the caller insists, you can say, "My food is cold, I'll talk to you after eating." or "I'm eating with my friends and I don't want to be rude, so I have to hang up."
   • Remember that this reason will work best if you take it within the usual amount of time.

4. 

   
   
   Tell the caller that you are going to sleep and will talk to them later. Use the sleepiest voice and say you're going to bed or are napping. Ask the person to call you back later when you are awake enough to talk to them.
   • Try yawning or sluggish actions and dozing off to increase the effect.
   • Make sure you do this at the right time of day. For example, it makes more sense to say that you are going to bed at night around normal bedtime or that you are taking a nap if it is a Sunday afternoon.

5. 

   Let's say you're going to have a meeting or group call and have to turn off the phone. You can check the times quickly and say that you are about to have a meeting or group call in the next 15 minutes to look trustworthy. Tell the caller that you have to get ready and turn off the phone.
   • For example, if it's 4:22 now, say you have a group call at 4:30 and need to prepare for it.
   • This reason is most reliable if you use it during standard business hours.

6. 

   Pretend that you have just remembered an important task and must go. Interrupt the caller and say you just remembered you must do something right away. Act as if you were in a hurry, and hang up.
   • For example, you could say, "I just remember I have to pick up my nephew to practice soccer in 15 minutes, I have to go, goodbye!" or "Oh no, I just remembered that I have to pick up my clothes at the laundry shop before they close at 5:00, come and go now, goodbye!"

7. 

   Let's say you have to go to the toilet and talk to them later. Tell the caller that you need to go to the bathroom right away. You can ask them to call back later, or you can call them back.
   • This is a good reason for a quick shutdown. Most people will find it a little awkward when you say that you need to go to the bathroom urgently and won't try to hold on.

8. 

   Offer a family emergency if you really have no other way to end the call. Say someone texted you about a family member who has passed away or is in the hospital and you need to turn off the phone immediately. You should only use this as a last resort. Most callers won't try to hold back after you say something similar.
   • Be very careful with whom you use this excuse to shut down. Don't use it with someone you are close to as it may affect their mood.
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Method 2 of 2: Use phone-related reasons

1. 

   Tell the caller that you need to listen to another incoming call. Pretend that someone else is calling you and you need to take the call. After that, say you will call them back later and turn off the phone.
   • If you are talking on a cell phone with a desk phone next to you, you can turn on the ringing volume on the landline phone to make a ringing sound that callers can hear through your mobile phone. .

2. 

   Let's say your phone is running low on battery so you have to turn it off. You can behave as if you have just checked the battery and it is running low so the phone is about to power off. Let's say you need to end the call to conserve the battery because you can't plug it in right now.
   • If you really want to end the call, say that the phone is about to power off and then immediately switch off. Turn off the phone or switch on airplane mode so that when they call back it feels like your phone is really out of battery.

3. 

   Pretend your phone is out of reception and you can't hear the caller. Let's say you are on the way and the signal is weak. You can tell the caller that you cannot hear them clearly and will call them back when the signal is stronger.
   • You can act out for this reason and behave as if you weren't listening to whatever they're saying, then turn off the machine. Say, “Hello, alo? Do you still answer the phone? I think I'm losing reception. I didn't hear anything… ”Then turn off the phone.

4. 

   Let's say your phone is faulty and you will talk to it later. Pretend your phone is making weird noises or the screen is faulty. Tell the caller that you need to turn off the phone to find out.
   • For example, let's say this: “I'm really sorry, but my phone's sound is faulty and it's really hard to hear you speak. Can I turn off the phone and call you again after I find the problem? ”

   Advice: Whenever you tell someone you'll call them back later, make sure you do. If the caller is unimportant, such as a telemarketer, you can always turn off the phone.

   
   
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Advice

• Always call someone back if you say you will, then people see you as a trustworthy person.
• If a marketer calls, you don't need to give any reason to turn off the phone. Feel free to end the call.
• If you don't want to talk right now, don't pick up in the first place.
• Remember that often the strange phone number is never the person you want to talk to. If important, they can leave a voice message.

Warning

• You could lose friends or cause family stress if you make a harmless lie or make up a story.